Learn Hardcore Polish: Schody są teraz puste, więc niski sąsiad wybiera je zamiast windy. - The stairs are now empty, so the short neighbor chooses them instead of the elevator.

Schody is a so-called pluralia tantum noun: it exists only in the plural. There is no singular schód meaning “stair”; instead schód (archaic or technical) can mean “a single step,” but everyday Polish uses stopień for one step.

Why does the adjective appear as puste instead of pusty?

In Polish, adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun. For plural non-personal nouns (objects, places, things), the nominative adjective ending is -e. Since schody are inanimate and plural, the correct form is puste, not pusty (which would be singular masculine).

What is the function of teraz in the sentence, and could its position change?

Teraz means “now.” Polish word order is relatively flexible, so you could also say Schody są puste teraz, Teraz schody są puste, or Schody teraz są puste without changing the basic meaning. Moving teraz shifts emphasis slightly but is grammatically fine.

What does więc mean, and can I use a different word?