Breakdown of Czy pani idzie teraz na siłownię?
czy
[question particle]
pani
madam / Mrs.
teraz
now
iść
to go
na
on, at / to (motion toward) / for (a meal) / for (waiting for)
siłownia
gym
Questions & Answers about Czy pani idzie teraz na siłownię?
Why do we use na here instead of do for going to the gym?
In Polish, while do is the standard word for going into a building, certain places traditionally take na (literally 'on') to express destination. The gym (siłownia) is one of these common exceptions, just like the swimming pool or the post office.
Why does the word for gym change from siłownia to siłownię?
When you use na to express motion towards a destination, the noun following it must be in the Accusative case. For feminine nouns ending in -a like siłownia, that means changing the final letter to -ę.
The English translation says 'Are you going', but isn't idzie the 'he/she' form?
Yes, it is! When you speak formally to a woman using pani, you must use the third-person singular verb form. You are literally asking 'Is the lady going?', which is the standard polite way to say 'Are you going?' in Polish.
Why do we use idzie here instead of chodzi for the verb 'to go'?
Because of the word teraz (now). Idzie means going somewhere right in this exact moment. If you wanted to ask if she goes to the gym regularly as a habit, you would use the verb chodzi instead.
Do I always have to start yes/no questions with czy?
No, you don't. In everyday spoken Polish, you could just say Pani idzie teraz na siłownię? and raise the pitch of your voice at the end. However, adding czy at the beginning makes it perfectly clear right away that you are asking a question.
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