Breakdown of Szczeniak został adoptowany, zanim schronisko zamknęło drzwi na noc.
drzwi
the door
zamknąć
to close
na
for
noc
the night
zanim
before
szczeniak
the puppy
schronisko
the shelter
zostać adoptowany
to be adopted
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Questions & Answers about Szczeniak został adoptowany, zanim schronisko zamknęło drzwi na noc.
Why is the passive voice formed with został adoptowany instead of using just the participle or another verb?
In Polish the standard way to form a true passive is by using the auxiliary zostać (or być) plus a past participle. Here został adoptowany literally means “was adopted.” You can’t just say adoptowany on its own as a complete passive sentence.
What’s the difference between using został and był in passive constructions (e.g. został adoptowany vs. był adoptowany)?
Both został and był can form passives, but they carry slightly different nuances. Został + participle emphasizes a one-time event or change of state (“He got adopted”). Był + participle is more neutral or descriptive, often focusing on a resulting state (“He had been adopted”). In most everyday contexts for “was adopted,” został is preferred.
Why is there a comma before zanim?
In Polish, subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions like zanim (“before”) are separated from the main clause with a comma. The comma shows the boundary between “The puppy was adopted” and “before the shelter closed its doors.”
What exactly does zanim mean, and how does it differ from przed tym jak?
Zanim means “before” and is a single-word conjunction that you place directly before a clause, e.g. zanim schronisko zamknęło drzwi. Przed tym jak is a longer phrase with the same meaning (“before the shelter closed the doors”) but is slightly more formal or emphatic.
Why is the verb zamknęło in singular neuter, and not plural or masculine?
The subject of that clause is schronisko, which is a neuter singular noun. Therefore, the past tense verb agrees with it as zamknęło (3rd person singular neuter). If the subject were plural (e.g. wolontariusze), you’d use zamknęli.
What does na noc mean here, and why not w nocy?
Na noc literally means “for the night” and indicates that the doors are locked for the duration of the night. W nocy would mean “at night” (as an adverb of time) and emphasize something happening during the nighttime, not the purpose or duration.
Could the sentence be rearranged, for example Zanim schronisko zamknęło drzwi na noc, szczeniak został adoptowany?
Yes. Word order in Polish is fairly flexible. Starting with the zanim clause is perfectly grammatical. You’d still separate the clauses with a comma.
Why is szczeniak used here instead of szczenię, which also means “puppy”?
Both words are correct, but szczeniak is more common in spoken and everyday Polish. Szczenię is more formal or literary.