אני רוצה להצליח, אבל אני תמיד חושב שאני יכול לטעות במבחן.

שאני is really two parts stuck together:

• ש־ = that
• אני = I

So שאני means that I.

Hebrew very often attaches short function words like ש־ directly to the next word. So instead of writing two separate words, you get one combined form.

The ל־ here marks the infinitive, which often corresponds to English to + verb.

• להצליח = to succeed
• לטעות = to make a mistake / to be mistaken

So after a verb like רוצה (want) or יכול (can), Hebrew normally uses the infinitive:

• רוצה להצליח = want to succeed
• יכול לטעות = can make a mistake / might make a mistake

Because the sentence has two clauses:

1. אני רוצה להצליח = I want to succeed
2. אני תמיד חושב שאני יכול לטעות במבחן = but I always think that I can/might make a mistake on the test

Inside the second clause, there is another embedded clause:

• שאני יכול לטעות = that I can/might make a mistake

So Hebrew repeats אני because each clause has its own subject. This is normal and natural, just like English in I think that I can...

חושב is the masculine singular present-tense form.

So this sentence sounds like it is spoken by a male speaker.

If the speaker were female, it would be:

אני רוצה להצליח, אבל אני תמיד חושבת שאני יכולה לטעות במבחן.

Changes:

• חושב → חושבת
• יכול → יכולה

This is a very common Hebrew question.

In unpointed Hebrew, רוצה can represent:

• masculine singular: רוֹצֶה
• feminine singular: רוֹצָה

So the spelling is the same, but the pronunciation and grammatical gender are different.

In this sentence, you know the speaker is masculine not because of רוצה, but because of:

• חושב = masculine
• יכול = masculine

So those words tell you how to interpret רוצה here.

Literally, יכול means can / is able to.

But in real Hebrew, it can also express possibility, especially in a sentence like this. So here it may sound like:

• I can make a mistake on the test
• I might make a mistake on the test

Because the sentence expresses worry or self-doubt, English would often translate it more naturally as might.

A slightly more natural Hebrew way to express that idea could be:

• אני תמיד חושב שאולי אטעה במבחן = I always think that maybe I’ll make a mistake on the test
• אני תמיד חושב שאני עלול לטעות במבחן = I always think I might make a mistake on the test

But the original sentence is still understandable.

The ב־ prefix is a preposition meaning in / at / on / during, depending on context.

So במבחן literally has ב־ + מבחן.

In English, we usually say on the test or in the exam, but Hebrew uses ב־ very naturally here.

So לטעות במבחן means something like:

• to make a mistake on the test
• to make a mistake in the exam

Also, in normal unpointed spelling, במבחן can mean either:

• in a test
• in the test

Context tells you which one is meant.

Hebrew adverbs like תמיד (always) often come between the subject and the verb:

• אני תמיד חושב = I always think

This is very natural Hebrew word order.

Other placements are sometimes possible for emphasis, but for learners, subject + תמיד + verb is a very good default pattern.

In standard Hebrew, after חושב in a sentence like this, it is best to keep ש־:

• אני חושב שאני יכול... = I think that I can...

In casual speech, Hebrew sometimes drops ש־ in certain contexts, but learners should normally keep it. It sounds clearer and more correct.

So for now, treat חושב ש... as the normal pattern.

להצליח means to succeed or to be successful.

In this sentence, אני רוצה להצליח is a very natural way to say I want to succeed.

It comes from the same family as:

• מצליח = succeeds / is succeeding / successful
• הצלחה = success

So if you know להצליח, you can often recognize related words built from the same root.

It is understandable and grammatically workable, but many native speakers might choose a slightly more natural wording if they want to express anxiety or fear of making a mistake.

For example:

• אני רוצה להצליח, אבל אני תמיד חושב שאולי אטעה במבחן.
• אני רוצה להצליח, אבל אני תמיד חושב שאני עלול לטעות במבחן.

Why? Because יכול לטעות can sound a bit like am able to make a mistake, while אולי אטעה or עלול לטעות more clearly expresses I might make a mistake.

Still, the original sentence is perfectly useful for learning, and a native speaker would understand it.