Na egzaminie trzeba było zatrzymać się przed znakiem i popatrzeć w lusterko.

to be

Breakdown of Na egzaminie trzeba było zatrzymać się przed znakiem i popatrzeć w lusterko.

• w: in
• i: and
• przed: before

Questions & Answers about Na egzaminie trzeba było zatrzymać się przed znakiem i popatrzeć w lusterko.

Why is it na egzaminie and not something else?

Na egzaminie means on the exam / during the exam. After na in this meaning, Polish uses the locative case, so egzamin becomes egzaminie.

Compare:

• egzamin = exam
• na egzaminie = on the exam / during the exam

This is a very common pattern:

• na lekcji = in class
• na spotkaniu = at the meeting
• na imprezie = at the party

So here na egzaminie gives the setting: this happened during the exam.

What does trzeba było mean exactly?

Trzeba było means something like it was necessary, one had to, or you had to.

• trzeba = it is necessary / one must
• było = was

Together, they form a past expression:

• trzeba = you have to / one must
• trzeba było = you had to / it was necessary to

This is an impersonal construction, which means it does not name a specific subject such as I, you, or they. English often translates it with you had to, but in Polish it is more like it was required.

Why is było neuter singular here?