Learn Hardcore Polish: Czy czytasz codziennie gazetę czy wolisz książki? - Do you read a newspaper every day or do you prefer books?

The first czy is a question particle that turns the statement into a yes/no question (“Do you…?”). The second czy is a coordinating conjunction meaning “or,” used to present two alternatives (“…newspaper, or do you prefer books?”). It’s common in Polish to repeat czy when giving options.

Can you drop one of the czy words?

You need the first czy to signal a question. The second czy could be replaced by albo or lub (both meaning “or”), but it’s not standard to omit it entirely when contrasting two verbs in a yes/no question.

Why is gazetę in that form?

Gazeta is a feminine noun. After the verb czytać (“to read”), its direct object takes the accusative case, which for feminine nouns changes the ending from -a to -ę, giving gazetę.

Why does książki look the same for nominative and accusative?

Książki is the plural form of the feminine noun książka (“book”). In Polish, most inanimate feminine nouns have identical nominative and accusative plural forms, so both cases are książki.

What does codziennie mean, and why is it placed between czytasz and gazetę?

Codziennie means “every day” or “daily.” Polish word order is flexible. Placing codziennie between the verb and its object is very natural, but you could also say Czy codziennie czytasz gazetę… without changing the meaning.

Why is there no pronoun ty (“you”) in the sentence?

Polish verbs carry person and number endings. The -sz ending in czytasz and wolisz already tells you the subject is ty (you), so the pronoun is usually dropped unless needed for emphasis.

What’s the difference between czytać and woleć here?

Czytać means “to read,” and czytasz is the 2nd person singular present (“you read”). Woleć means “to prefer,” and wolisz is its 2nd person singular present (“you prefer”). The sentence asks if you habitually read newspapers or instead prefer books.

How would you express this idea naturally in English?

A smooth translation is:
“Do you read the newspaper every day, or would you rather read books?”
This captures both the daily reading habit and the preference.