Chciałabym zostać dyrektorką, ale na razie pracuję w sekretariacie i uczę się od naszej dyrektorki.

Chciałabym means I would like rather than I want.

• chcę = I want
• chciałabym = I would like

In Polish, chciałabym sounds softer, more polite, and often more natural when talking about ambitions or wishes.

It is built from:

• chciała- = the feminine past-style stem
• -bym = the conditional ending meaning something like would

Because the speaker is female, she says chciałabym. A male speaker would say chciałbym.

So:

• Chciałabym zostać dyrektorką = I’d like to become a director/headmistress
• Chcę zostać dyrektorką = I want to become a director/headmistress

The second one is stronger and more direct.

The form chciałabym tells you that the speaker is female.

Compare:

• chciałabym = I would like (spoken by a woman)
• chciałbym = I would like (spoken by a man)

This is very common in Polish: in some verb forms, especially past and conditional forms, the speaker’s gender appears in the verb.

So this sentence is definitely being said by a woman.

Because zostać means to become, while być means to be.

• być dyrektorką = to be a director
• zostać dyrektorką = to become a director

In this sentence, the speaker is talking about a future goal or change of status, so zostać is the natural choice.

Also, zostać is a perfective verb, which fits the idea of reaching a new position or result.

Because after zostać, Polish usually uses the instrumental case.

The basic dictionary form is:

• dyrektorka = female director/headmistress

But after zostać, it changes:

• zostać dyrektorką = to become a female director

This is a very common pattern:

• zostać nauczycielem = to become a teacher
• zostać lekarzem = to become a doctor
• zostać artystką = to become an artist

So dyrektorką is simply the instrumental form of dyrektorka.

Yes, dyrektorka is a normal feminine noun for a woman who is a director or head of an institution.

You may see both:

• dyrektor = masculine form; sometimes also used more generally
• dyrektorka = specifically female

Modern Polish increasingly uses feminine job titles like:

• nauczycielka = female teacher
• lektorka = female lector/voice artist/teacher
• dyrektorka = female director

Whether a person prefers dyrektor or dyrektorka can depend on context, institution, style, and personal preference, but dyrektorka is absolutely understandable and common.

Na razie means for now, at the moment, or for the time being.

In this sentence:

• ale na razie pracuję w sekretariacie = but for now I work in the office/secretariat

It contrasts the speaker’s long-term goal with her current situation:

• goal: become a director
• current reality: work in the secretariat

Be careful: na razie can also be used when saying goodbye, where it means something like see you for now or bye for now.

Because w meaning in or at takes the locative case when talking about location.

The basic noun is:

• sekretariat = secretariat, office, administrative office

In the locative:

• w sekretariacie = in the secretariat / in the office

So:

• pracuję w sekretariacie = I work in the secretariat/office

This is a very common pattern:

• w domu = in the house / at home
• w szkole = at school
• w biurze = in the office
• w sekretariacie = in the secretariat

Not exactly.

Sekretariat usually means:

• an administrative office
• a reception/office area
• the office of a school, company, or institution

It does not mean the person secretary.

For the person, you would use:

• sekretarka = secretary (female)
• sekretarz = secretary (male, or in some official titles)

So:

• pracuję w sekretariacie = I work in the administrative office not
• I work as a secretary (though that might be implied by context, it is not literally what the sentence says)

Uczyć się does mean to learn / to study, but when you want to say learn from someone, Polish often uses od.

So:

• uczę się = I’m learning / studying
• uczę się od naszej dyrektorki = I’m learning from our director

Here, od means from, specifically from a source or person.

This is a very natural way to say that someone is gaining knowledge by observing or being taught by another person.

Because od requires the genitive case.

The basic forms are:

• nasza dyrektorka = our director
• od naszej dyrektorki = from our director

Both the adjective and the noun change:

• nasza → naszej
• dyrektorka → dyrektorki

So the structure is:

• od + genitive
• od naszej dyrektorki = from our director

Other examples:

• od nauczyciela = from the teacher
• od kolegi = from a friend/colleague
• od mamy = from my mum

Not necessarily.

It can mean:

• she is teaching me directly
• I am learning from her example
• I am learning by watching her work
• I am gaining experience under her guidance

So it is broader than just classroom-style teaching.

If you wanted to say specifically I am studying under her or I am being taught by her, the wording might be different depending on context. But uczę się od naszej dyrektorki is very natural for workplace learning or mentorship.

Because Polish usually does not need subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

Here:

• pracuję = I work
• uczę się = I learn / I am learning

The -ę ending tells you it is I.

So ja is usually omitted unless you want emphasis or contrast.

For example:

• Ja pracuję w sekretariacie, a ona jest dyrektorką.
  = I work in the office, and she is the director.

In the original sentence, no emphasis is needed, so leaving out ja is normal.

Się is a very common Polish reflexive particle. In uczyć się, it is part of the verb expression meaning to learn.

Compare:

• uczyć kogoś = to teach someone
• uczyć się = to learn

So:

• Uczę dzieci angielskiego = I teach children English
• Uczę się polskiego = I’m learning Polish

In your sentence:

• uczę się od naszej dyrektorki = I’m learning from our director

So się is essential here; without it, the verb would mean something different.

Yes, Polish word order is more flexible than English word order.

The sentence:

• Chciałabym zostać dyrektorką, ale na razie pracuję w sekretariacie i uczę się od naszej dyrektorki.

is neutral and natural.

But some parts could be moved for emphasis, for example:

• Na razie pracuję w sekretariacie i uczę się od naszej dyrektorki, ale chciałabym zostać dyrektorką.
• Od naszej dyrektorki uczę się na razie, pracując w sekretariacie.
  This is more marked and less neutral.

Polish word order often changes to highlight:

• contrast
• emphasis
• topic/focus
• style

For learners, the original version is a very good neutral model.

Yes, the best English translation depends on context.

Dyrektorka can mean:

• director
• principal
• head teacher
• sometimes headmistress in older or more traditional English

For example:

• in a company: probably director or manager
• in a school: often principal or head teacher

So the Polish word stays the same, but the best English version depends on the institution being discussed.