Learn Hardcore Polish: Ja też czytam wieczorem.

In Polish, the subject pronoun is frequently dropped because the verb form already indicates the subject. However, including Ja can add clarity or emphasis—similar to saying I do something. It draws attention to the fact that it’s you (and not someone else) who is also reading in the evening.

What role does też play in this sentence?

Też means also or too, indicating that you’re doing the same activity (reading in the evening) as someone else or in addition to something else. It’s a common way in Polish to emphasize that an action applies to another person or context as well.

How is czytam formed from the infinitive czytać?

The infinitive czytać (to read) becomes czytam in the first-person singular present tense. The ending -am is the typical first-person singular ending for verbs in the -ać group in the present tense. Other examples include pisać (to write) → piszę, but for machać (to wave) → macham, so it depends on the verb group and stem changes.

Why is wieczorem used to mean "in the evening," and can I place this word anywhere else in the sentence?

Wieczorem is an adverbial form meaning in the evening, which comes from the noun wieczór (evening). In Polish, you often use the instrumental or adverbial forms like wieczorem, rano (in the morning), popołudniu (in the afternoon) to indicate time of day. It’s flexible in word order, so you might say Ja też wieczorem czytam, but the most neutral positioning tends to be after the verb.

Is this the most natural word order in Polish?

Yes, Ja też czytam wieczorem sounds natural. Polish word order is relatively flexible, but starting with Ja keeps the emphasis on the subject (you) and then follows with the key information (też czytam wieczorem). You can shuffle some elements around, but this particular order is very common and straightforward.