Why was the spelling changed?
The Polish Language Council at the Polish Academy of Sciences for years studied dictations, matriculation essays, and everyday texts of Poles. The conclusion was clear: many rules were too complicated, full of exceptions, and inconsistent. The result? Even educated Poles have been making the same mistakes for decades.
The reform does not touch the basics — rz and ż, ch and h, ó and u remain unchanged. The rules for capitalization and lowercase letters, compound and separate spelling, and the use of hyphens are changing. The goal is simplification, not revolution.
7 most important changes — ‘was–is’
1. City residents — now capitalized
- Was: warszawianin, krakowianin, nowojorczyk
- Is: Warszawianin, Krakowianin, Nowojorczyk
The rule is now the same as for nationalities (Pole, American). Simple and logical.
2. Brands and products — always capitalized
- Was: Kupiła toyotę. Wzięła apap.
- Is: Kupiła Toyotę. Wzięła Apap.
Names of companies, brands, and specific products — capitalized, without exception.
3. ‘Nie’ with participles — always together
- Was: niepalący (adjective) BUT nie palący (verb) — meaning had to be analyzed
- Is: niepalący, nieustający, nieoceniony — always together, without analysis
This change eliminates one of the most common errors in Polish.
4. ‘Nie’ in comparative and superlative degrees — together
- Was: nie większy, nie najlepiej
- Is: niewiększy, nienajlepiej
5. ‘Czy by’, ‘że by’ — now separately with conjunctions
- Was: czyby, żeby (in the hypothetical sense — complicated rule)
- Is: czy by nie pojechać, że by tak powiedzieć — separately with conjunctions
6. Super, ekstra, eko, mini — can be separate
- Was: only superpomysł, ekożywność
- Is: superpomysł or super pomysł, ekożywność or eko żywność — both spellings correct
7. Names of streets, bridges, churches — capitalized at the beginning
- Was: most Poniatowskiego, kościół Mariacki
- Is: Most Poniatowskiego, Kościół Mariacki
- Exception: ‘ulica’ (street) still lowercase (ulica Marszałkowska).
What does this mean for Polish schools in the USA?
For children learning Polish in America, every rule change is a double challenge. Polish is often their second (or third) language, and contact with written Polish is limited to a few hours a week in supplementary school.
Good news: The Central Examination Board in Poland has announced a 5-year transitional period. This means that both old and new spellings will be accepted on exams until 2031. Polish schools abroad can introduce changes gradually.
The Polish Language Council has made available for free “Mały słownik ortograficzny. Nowe reguły pisowni 2026” (Small Orthographic Dictionary. New Spelling Rules 2026), and a large orthographic dictionary in the form of a free application for phone and computer — with 100,000 entries — is in preparation.
What has NOT changed — we reassure you
No changes in the spelling of rz/ż, ch/h, ó/u. This still works the same as before. The reform applies exclusively to conventional rules — capitalization and lowercase letters, compound and separate spelling. The alphabet, phonemes, and their notation remain untouched.
Where to get information?
The only official source of the new rules is the document “Zasady pisowni i interpunkcji polskiej” (Rules of Polish Spelling and Punctuation) published by the Polish Language Council. From January 1, 2026, it replaces all previous orthographic resolutions.
Polish teachers abroad can use the free “Mały słownik ortograficzny” (Small Orthographic Dictionary) and materials from the Centre for Education Development (ore.edu.pl).
Voice of Polonia in the USA — poland.us. Does your child attend a Polish school abroad? Check the catalog of Polish supplementary schools in the USA at www.pol.us.
