Poznan

Polish pronunciation is POHZ-nahN with the stress on the second syllable: po-ZNAŃ. The initial 'Po' is open as /po/ with a short, unrounded vowel; the second syllable contains a nasal vowel in the final 'ń' represented by the palatal nasal /ɲ/ or nasalized vowel plus an alveolar nasal /ɲ/ approximant in rapid speech, but in many pronunciations you’ll hear an ending that resembles /naɲ/ or /naŋ/. In careful speech you may hear the final 'n' lightly nasalized. IPA: /pɔzˈnaɲ/ (US/UK approximation). Audio reference can be found on Pronounce or Forvo by searching “Poznań.”

Common mistakes include stressing the first syllable (po-ZNAN) instead of the Polish second-syllable stress, and anglicizing the final nasal as a hard 'n' without nasalization. Another frequent error is mispronouncing the initial vowel as a closed /ɒ/ in English; keep it closer to /ɔ/ or /o/. Focus on a light, quick /z/ before the nasal /n/ and avoid a clipped final consonant. Correct by practicing /pɔzˈnaɲ/ and listening to native Polish speakers.

In Polish, Poznań is /pɔzˈnaɲ/ with a nasal final and a palatal nasal /ɲ/. English ecologies often render it as Poznan /pɒzˈnæn/ or /poʊzˈnɑːn/, losing the nasal vowel and softening the final nasal. US speakers tend to flatten vowels, UK speakers may approach /ˈpɒz.nən/ or /ˈpoʊz.nɑːn/, while Australian patterns may produce /ˈpɒz.næ̃/ with a more centralized final vowel. The difference is primarily vowel quality, rhotics, and the presence or absence of palatalization on the final consonant. Listening to native Polish audio will help you align with the original.

The difficulty stems from Polish-specific phonemes: the final nasal-palatal /ɲ/ (represented by the letter ń) and the palatalization that influences the preceding consonant /z/. English speakers often substitute a hard 'n' or an alveolar approximant, and they may stress the wrong syllable. The two-part stress pattern po-ZNAŃ also differs from English-proper nouns which are typically trochaic. Practicing with native Polish audio helps internalize the nasal, the soft /z/, and the final consonant cluster.

Poznań has a stressed second syllable and a non-silent but palatalized final letter ń, which contributes the /ɲ/ sound or nasalized vowel. It is not silent; it informs the final nasal sound. The challenge lies in the nasal palatalization and the Polish vowel length quality. Remember to maintain stress on the second syllable and to pronounce the final as a soft nasal rather than an English hard 'n'. Practice by isolating /ˈnaɲ/ and then linking to the first syllable.