Czy te rajstopy nie są za cienkie do butów na takim obcasie?

Aren’t these tights too thin for shoes with such a heel?

Breakdown of Czy te rajstopy nie są za cienkie do butów na takim obcasie?

• być: to be
• te: these
• nie: not
• czy: question marker

Questions & Answers about Czy te rajstopy nie są za cienkie do butów na takim obcasie?

Why does the sentence start with czy?

Czy is the standard particle used to introduce a yes/no question in Polish.

So:

• Czy te rajstopy są za cienkie? = Are these tights too thin?
• Czy te rajstopy nie są za cienkie? = Aren’t these tights too thin?

In everyday speech, Polish speakers sometimes omit czy and use intonation alone:

• Te rajstopy nie są za cienkie?

But with czy, the sentence sounds clearer and more standard.

Why is there a nie in the question? Is it just negation?

Yes, nie is the negation word, but in this sentence it does more than simply make the sentence negative.

Czy te rajstopy nie są za cienkie...? is a negative question, which often suggests that the speaker expects the answer might be yes. In English, this is similar to:

• Aren’t these tights too thin...?

So the speaker is not just asking neutrally. They are expressing a doubt, concern, or expectation.

Compare:

• Czy te rajstopy są za cienkie...? = Are these tights too thin...?
  More neutral.
• Czy te rajstopy nie są za cienkie...? = Aren’t these tights too thin...?
  Suggests the speaker thinks they probably are too thin.

Why is rajstopy used with te and są? Is rajstopy plural?