Ślōnskŏ gŏdka

Silesian

Indo-European (Slavic, West, Lechitic)

FamilyIndo-European (Slavic, West, Lechitic) Speakers~509K (self-identified) ScriptLatin CountriesPoland Official inNo (Polish is the sole official language; a 2024 bill recognizing Silesian as a regional language was vetoed) Vitalitysafe ISO 639-3szl

Silesian (Ślōnskŏ gŏdka, "Silesian speech") is a West Slavic Lechitic variety closely related to Polish but with substantial Czech, German, and dialectal Lechitic features. Long debated as a dialect of Polish vs. distinct language, Silesian has not been officially recognized as a regional language of Poland: parliament approved such recognition in April 2024, but President Duda vetoed the bill in May 2024, and a renewed 2026 attempt was likewise vetoed in February 2026 (Kashubian (csb) remains the country's only recognized regional language). The 2011 Polish census recorded 509,000 speakers (the largest self-reported regional/minority language in Poland). Silesian preserves the dual ě/i distinction and certain archaic forms, while extensively borrowing from German across centuries of Habsburg/Prussian rule (e.g., "fater" for father, "serwus" for hello).

Where it is spoken

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87 core words in Silesian

Water

woda

ˈvɔda

Fire

ôgyń

ˈɔɡɨɲ

Sun

słōńce

ˈswoɲtsɛ

Moon

miesiōnczek

mʲɛˈɕɔ̃tʂɛk

Star

gwiŏzda

ˈɡvjɔzda

Night

noc

nɔts

Rain

dyszcz

dɪʂtʂ

Snow

śniyg

ɕɲɪk

Wind

wiater

ˈvjatɛr

Earth

ziymia

ˈʑɘmʲa

Stone

kamiyń

ˈkamɨɲ

Mountain

gōra

ˈɡora

Sea

morze

ˈmɔʒɛ

Mother

matka

ˈmatka

Father

fater

ˈfatɛr

Daughter

cera

ˈtsɛra

I

jŏ

jɔ

You

ty

tɨ

We

my

mɨ

Name

miano

ˈmʲano

Person

czowiek

ˈtʂɔvjɛk

Head

gowa

ˈɡɔva

Eye

ôko

ˈwɔkɔ

Ear

ucho

ˈuxɔ

Nose

nos

nɔs

Mouth

gymba

ˈɡɨmba

Tooth

zōmb

zomp

Tongue

jynzyk

ˈjɨnzɨk

Hand

rynka

ˈrɨŋka

Foot

stopa

ˈstɔpa

Heart

serce

ˈsɛrtsɛ

Bone

kość

kɔɕtɕ

Blood

krew

krɛf

Poop

gōwno

ˈɡovnɔ

Love

miyłość

ˈmʲɨwɔɕtɕ

Tree

strōm

strɔm

Dog

pies

pjɛs

Cat

kot

kɔt

Fish

ryba

ˈrɨba

Bird

ptok

ptɔk

Butterfly

szmaterlŏk

ʂmaˈtɛrlɔk

Egg

jajco

ˈjajtso

Bear

niedźwiydź

ɲɛdʑvɘtɕ

Horse

kōń

koɲ

House

chałpa

ˈxawpa

Milk

mlyko

ˈmlɨkɔ

Honey

miōd

mjoːd

Salt

sōl

sol

Wine

wino

ˈvinɔ

Rice

ryż

rɨʂ

Chocolate

szekulada

ʂɛkuˈlada

Iron

żelazo

ʒɛˈlazɔ

Wheel

koło

ˈkɔwɔ

Silk

jedwŏb

ˈjɛdvɔp

Book

ksiōnżka

ˈkɕɔ̃ʂka

Eat

jeś

jɛɕ

Drink

pić

pitɕ

Sleep

spać

spatɕ

One

jedyn

ˈjɛdɨn

Two

dwa

dva

Three

trzi

tʂi

Four

sztyry

ʂtɨrɨ

Five

piyńć

pʲiɲtɕ

Hundred

sto

stɔ

Hello

serwus

ˈsɛrvus

Thank you

dziynkuja

ˈdʑɨŋkuja

Good

dobry

ˈdɔbrɨ

New

nowy

ˈnɔvɨ

Red

czerwōny

tʂɛrˈvoːnɨ

White

bioły

ˈbjɔwɨ

Black

czorny

ˈtʂɔrnɨ

Green

zielōny

ʑɛˈlonɨ

Blue

modry

ˈmɔdrɨ

Cuckoo

kukawka

kuˈkafka

Computer

kůmputer

kumˈputɛr

Tea

tyj

tɨj

Coffee

kafyj

ˈkafɨj

Sugar

cuker

ˈtsukɛr

Orange

pōmerańcza

pɔmɛˈraɲtʂa

At sign

afa

ˈafa

Sources

Words compared

Compared with languages in the same classification: Indo-European (Slavic, West, Lechitic)

Meaning SilesianPolishKashubianLower SorbianUpper SorbianMacedonianCzech
Water woda /ˈvɔda/ woda /ˈvɔda/ wòda /ˈwɛda/ wóda /ˈwɨda/ woda /ˈwɔda/ вода /ˈvɔda/ voda /ˈvoda/
Fire ôgyń /ˈɔɡɨɲ/ ogień /ˈɔɡɛɲ/ òdżin /ˈwɛdʒin/ wogeń /ˈɔɡʲɛɲ/ woheń /ˈwɔɦɛjn/ оган /ˈɔɡan/ oheň /ˈoɦɛɲ/
Sun słōńce /ˈswoɲtsɛ/ słońce /ˈswɔɲtsɛ/ słuńce /ˈswuɲtsɛ/ słyńco /ˈswɨɲtsɔ/ słónco /ˈswʊntsɔ/ сонце /ˈsɔntsɛ/ slunce /ˈsluntsɛ/
Moon miesiōnczek /mʲɛˈɕɔ̃tʂɛk/ księżyc /ˈkɕɛ̃ʐɨts/ ksãżëc /ˈksãʒəts/ mjasec /ˈmʲasɛts/ měsačk /ˈmɪsatʃk/ месечина /mɛˈsɛtʃina/ měsíc /ˈmɲɛsiːts/
Star gwiŏzda /ˈɡvjɔzda/ gwiazda /ˈɡvjazda/ gwiôzda /ˈɡvjɔzda/ gwězda /ˈɡvʲɪzda/ hwězda /ˈɦwɪzda/ ѕвезда /ˈdzvɛzda/ hvězda /ˈɦvjɛzda/
Night noc /nɔts/ noc /nɔts/ noc /nots/ noc /nɔts/ nóc /nʊts/ ноќ /nɔc/ noc /nots/
Rain dyszcz /dɪʂtʂ/ deszcz /dɛʂtʂ/ deszcz /dɛʃtʃ/ dešć /dɛɕtɕ/ dešć /dɛʃtʃ/ дожд /dɔʃt/ déšť /dɛːʃc/
Snow śniyg /ɕɲɪk/ śnieg /ɕɲɛk/ sniég /sɲik/ sněg /sɲɪk/ sněh /snɪ/ снег /snɛk/ sníh /sɲiːx/
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