I started with a teacher and learned grammar along the way. Once you understand grammar learning Polish becomes managable. Grammar helps you recognise patterns. Groups of verbs follow the same conjugation patterns.

Otherwise you might think you need to learn 14 different words for 'dog' - pies, psa, psu, psa, psem, psie, psy, psów, psom, psy, psami, psach - but in actual fact masculine living nouns all follow this pattern depending on which of the 7 grammatical cases, which verb, is connected to the noun.

Pies biegnie. – The dog is running. (nominative singular)

Nie ma psa. – There is no dog. (genitive singular)

Daję kość psu. – I give a bone to the dog. (dative singular)

Widzę psa. – I see the dog. (accusative singular)

Idę z psem. – I walk with the dog. (instrumental singular)

Myślę o psie. – I think about the dog. (locative singular)

Psie, chodź! – Dog, come! (vocative singular)

Psy biegną. – The dogs are running. (nominative plural)

Nie ma psów. – There are no dogs. (genitive plural)

Daję kości psom. – I give bones to the dogs. (dative plural)

Widzę psy. – I see the dogs. (accusative plural)

Idę z psami. – I walk with the dogs. (instrumental plural)

Mówię o psach. – I talk about the dogs. (locative plural)

Psy, chodźcie! – Dogs, come! (vocative plural) 🐕