We Tested the Vocabulary of 2,000 Polish Speakers—Here’s What We Learned
We developed a scientifically rigorous test of Polish vocabulary and made it available online. After a year of collecting data from both native speakers and learners, we analyzed the results. Here’s what we found.
Native Speakers
- Median vocabulary size: 79,700 words – Half of the native speakers tested know fewer words, while the other half know more.
- Range (25th–75th percentile): 55,900–99,900 words – Most native speakers fall within this range.
- 90th percentile: 112,200 words – Only 10% of native speakers know more than this.
Vocabulary Growth Over Time
- 12-year-olds: ~40,000 words
- 17-year-olds: ~56,000 words
- 22-year-olds: ~66,000 words
- Learning rate: Students acquire around 2,600 new words per year during active vocabulary growth.
- Most adults: ~91,000 words on average.
Polish Learners
- Median vocabulary size: 8,200 words – Half of the learners tested know fewer words, while the other half know more.
- Range (25th–75th percentile): 2,800–18,000 words – Most learners fall within this range.
- 90th percentile: 31,900 words – Only 10% of learners know more than this.
Full results: https://www.myvocab.info/pl/results-en
Take the test: https://www.myvocab.info/pl