Breakdown of В детстве я хотел быть писателем и писал длинный роман про друзей.
друг
the friend
я
I
писать
to write
в
in
Questions & Answers about В детстве я хотел быть писателем и писал длинный роман про друзей.
Why is it писателем and not писатель after быть (хотел быть писателем)?
In Russian, after the verb быть (to be) with a profession, you normally use the instrumental case, not the nominative.
- Nominative: писатель – a writer (dictionary form)
- Instrumental: писателем – as a writer / being a writer
So:
- Я хотел быть писателем. – I wanted to be a writer.
This is the same pattern as:
- Я работаю врачом. – I work as a doctor.
- Она станет учителем. – She will become a teacher.
Using nominative (быть писатель) would be wrong here.
Why is it в детстве and not something like когда я был ребёнком? Do they mean the same?
В детстве literally means in (my) childhood. It’s a very common, compact way to say when I was a child.
- В детстве я хотел быть писателем. – When I was a child, I wanted to be a writer.
- Когда я был ребёнком, я хотел быть писателем. – When I was a child, I wanted to be a writer.
They’re very close in meaning. В детстве is a set phrase and feels natural and neutral. Когда я был ребёнком is also correct but a bit longer and slightly more explicit.