This is the 631st most frequent Polish word.
mieszka
"mieszka" = "lives" (third person singular, present tense)
In this sentence, 'mieszka' is used as the third-person singular present tense form of the verb 'mieszkać,' meaning 'to live' (specifically, a place of residence).
Ala mieszka w Krakowie.
Ala lives in Krakow.
Here, 'mieszka' is part of a question, again in the present tense, asking about Kasia's place of residence.
Czy Kasia mieszka blisko szkoły?
Does Kasia live near the school?
In this sentence, 'mieszka' is used to describe someone's current living situation, emphasizing the characteristics of their residence.