A1 Polish GrammarBasic Questions
Form yes/no questions and use Polish question words (kto, co, gdzie, kiedy, jak, dlaczego). Learn to use czy for yes/no questions and understand how Polish question formation differs from English.
1Yes/No Questions with Czy
Polish yes/no questions can be formed by adding czy at the beginning of a statement. The word order typically stays the same. Alternatively, you can use rising intonation alone without czy.
Czy Question Formation
| Statement | Question with Czy | Question (intonation) |
|---|---|---|
| Masz czas. | Czy masz czas? | Masz czas? |
| On jest Polakiem. | Czy on jest Polakiem? | On jest Polakiem? |
| To jest dobre. | Czy to jest dobre? | To jest dobre? |
| M贸wisz po polsku. | Czy m贸wisz po polsku? | M贸wisz po polsku? |
Examples
Czy jeste艣 zm臋czony?
Are you tired?
czy + statement
Czy masz brata?
Do you have a brother?
czy for yes/no
Lubisz kaw臋?
Do you like coffee?
intonation only (informal)
Czy to jest tw贸j dom?
Is this your house?
czy to jest...
2Question Words (Kto, Co, Gdzie)
Polish question words include kto (who), co (what), and gdzie (where). Kto and co decline for case - kto changes to kogo/komu/kim, and co changes to czego/czemu/czym depending on the verb.
Basic Question Words
| Polish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| kto | who | Kto to jest? |
| co | what | Co robisz? |
| gdzie | where | Gdzie mieszkasz? |
| sk膮d | where from | Sk膮d jeste艣? |
Examples
Kto to jest?
Who is this?
kto (nominative)
Kogo szukasz?
Who are you looking for?
kogo (accusative of kto)
Co to znaczy?
What does this mean?
co (nominative)
Gdzie jest toaleta?
Where is the toilet?
gdzie for location
3Question Words (Kiedy, Jak, Dlaczego)
Kiedy (when), jak (how), and dlaczego/czemu (why) are common question words. Jak is also used for 'what' in certain expressions like 'What's your name?'.
More Question Words
| Polish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| kiedy | when | Kiedy przyjdziesz? |
| jak | how | Jak si臋 masz? |
| dlaczego | why | Dlaczego jeste艣 smutny? |
| ile | how much/many | Ile to kosztuje? |
Examples
Kiedy masz urodziny?
When is your birthday?
kiedy for time
Jak si臋 nazywasz?
What is your name?
jak (how) for name
Dlaczego nie przyszed艂e艣?
Why didn't you come?
dlaczego for reason
Ile masz lat?
How old are you?
ile for quantity/age
4Which and What Kind
Kt贸ry (which) and jaki (what kind) are used for more specific questions. Kt贸ry asks for selection among options, while jaki asks about characteristics. Both decline for gender, case, and number.
Kt贸ry and Jaki
| Word | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| which | kt贸ry | kt贸ra | kt贸re |
| what kind | jaki | jaka | jakie |
Examples
Kt贸ry autobus jedzie do centrum?
Which bus goes to the center?
kt贸ry + masc. noun
Kt贸r膮 ksi膮偶k臋 czytasz?
Which book are you reading?
kt贸r膮 (fem. acc.)
Jaki jest tw贸j ulubiony kolor?
What is your favorite color?
jaki for characteristics
Jaka jest pogoda?
What is the weather like?
jaka (fem.)