Niski uczeń czyta książkę w bibliotece.

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Breakdown of Niski uczeń czyta książkę w bibliotece.

• czytać: to read
• książka: the book
• uczeń: the student

Questions & Answers about Niski uczeń czyta książkę w bibliotece.

Why is niski used here instead of niska or niskie?

niski is an adjective modifying uczeń (“student/pupil”), which is masculine singular. In Polish adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe.

• Masculine singular (nominative): niski
• Feminine singular (nominative): niska
• Neuter singular (nominative): niskie

What case is uczeń in, and why?

uczeń is in the nominative case, because it’s the subject of the sentence (the one doing the reading). The nominative is the “dictionary form” and is used for sentence subjects.

What part of speech is czyta, and what does its ending tell us?

czyta is a verb in the present tense, third person singular. The ending -a signals that “he/she/it reads” (on/ona/ono czyta). If you wanted “I read,” you’d say czytam, “you read” (singular informal) is czytasz, etc.

How do you pronounce czyta, especially the cz and y?

cz is like the “ch” in English “chocolate,” an affricate [t͡ʂ].
y is a close central unrounded vowel [ɨ], somewhat between “i” in “sit” and “u” in “put.”So sounds roughly like “CHIH-tah.”