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### The Verb "Zostać" (To Become)

When talking about career choices or life changes, use the verb **zostać** (to become). 

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You will often use the infinitive after verbs like *chcieć* (to want). For future plans, conjugate it in the future tense (e.g., *zostanę* — I will become; *on zostanie* — he will become).

### Zostać + Instrumental Case

**Zostać** requires the following noun and adjective to be in the **Instrumental case**. 

For most masculine professions ending in a consonant, add **-em** to the noun. Adjectives take the masculine ending **-ym** or **-im**.

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### Masculine Professions Ending in "-a"

Some masculine professions end in **-a**, such as *programista* (programmer) or *specjalista* (specialist). 

These nouns take the feminine Instrumental ending **-ą** (e.g., *programistą*). However, because they are grammatically masculine, any modifying adjectives still take the masculine Instrumental ending (**-ym** or **-im**). 

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To become (zostać)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

predicative

preposition

pronoun

proper noun

sentence

verb

This is (to jest)

The verb to be, singular (być)

Formal address (Pan, Pani)

Demonstrative pronouns (ten, ta, to)

Adjective agreement

Negation (nie)

Basic questions (czy, kto, co, gdzie, jak)

The verb to be, plural (być)

Present tense -m/-sz verbs

Reflexive verbs (się)

Coordinating conjunctions (i, a, ale)

Feminine direct objects (Accusative)

Inanimate direct objects (Accusative)

Animate masculine direct objects (Accusative)

Present tense verbs 2 (-ę, -isz / -ysz)

Expressing location (w, na)

Locative adjective agreement

Professions and nationalities (Instrumental)

Accompaniment (z + Instrumental)

Present tense verbs 3 (-ę, -esz)

Plural possessives (nasz, wasz)

Numbers 1 to 10

Genitive of possession

Genitive of negation

Lack or absence (nie ma)

Basic quantifiers (dużo, mało, trochę)

Liking things (podoba mi się)

Modal verbs (móc, musieć)

Subordinating conjunctions (bo, że)

Unidirectional motion verbs (iść, jechać)

Expressing age (mieć... lat)

Habitual motion (chodzić, jeździć)

Expressing destination (do)

Days of the week (poniedziałek, wtorek...)

Plural nouns for objects and animals

Plural nouns for people

Plural adjective agreement

Accusative object pronouns (go, ją, je...)

The past tense of to be (był)

Singular past tense (-łem, -łam...)

Expressing age (mieć + lata / lat)

Plural past tense (-li / -ły)

Perfective past tense

Future tense (będę + infinitive)

Age: one year (mieć rok)

Prices and currency (złoty, grosz)

Destination (na + accusative)

Non-masculine plurals (-e, -y, -i)

Instrumental pronouns (ze mną, z tobą)

To know (znać vs wiedzieć)

The future perfective tense

The imperative mood

Months of the year (styczeń, luty)

Greetings and farewells (dzień dobry, cześć)

Introducing yourself (mam na imię)

Thank you and sorry (dziękuję, przepraszam)

Left, right, up and down (po lewej stronie)

Parts of the body (ręka, noga)

Parts of the day (dzień, noc, południe)

What is it like? (jaki, jaka, jakie)

Speaking Polish (mówić po polsku)

Instrumental for adjectives (dobrym, dobrą)

Please do... (proszę + infinitive)

Interests (interesować się + Instrumental)

Can one? (można, trzeba, nie wolno)

By bus or by train (jechać autobusem)

Where are you from? (jestem z Polski)

Where exactly? (obok, przy, przed, za, pod, nad)

What time is it? (Która godzina?)

Not seeing her (go, jej, ich; niego, niej, nich)

When I have time (kiedy as a conjunction)

Irregular past stems (miał, mieli)

The verb 'iść' in the past (szedł, szli)

Imperfective future (będę odpoczywał)

Past aspect (robił vs zrobił)

Future aspect (będzie malował vs pomaluje)

Perfective motion with po- (pójść, pojechać)

Arrival verbs with przy- (przyjść, przyjechać)

Departure verbs with wy- (wyjść, wyjechać)

The Vocative case (Panie, Mamo)

Plural possessives (moi, moje)

Reflexive possessive pronouns (swój)

Genitive plural of masculine nouns (-ów, -y, -i)

Genitive plural of feminine and neuter nouns

Genitive plural of adjectives (-ych, -ich)

Accusative plural of masculine personal nouns

Question	Answer
to become	zostać
architect	architekt
My son wants to study to become an architect.	Mój syn chce studiować, żeby zostać architektem.
He wants to become a good architect.	On chce zostać dobrym architektem.
dream	marzenie
photographer	fotograf
My dream is to become a photographer.	Moim marzeniem jest zostać fotografem.
famous	sławny
musician	muzyk
Is your dream to become a famous musician?	Czy twoim marzeniem jest zostać sławnym muzykiem?
pensioner	emeryt
No one ever wants to become a pensioner.	Nikt nigdy nie chce zostać emerytem.
My grandfather will soon become a pensioner.	Mój dziadek niedługo zostanie emerytem.
translator	tłumacz
He studies the language to become a translator.	Studiuje język, żeby zostać tłumaczem.
This photographer will soon become a famous artist.	Ten fotograf niedługo zostanie sławnym artystą.
profession	zawód
What is your new profession?	Jaki jest twój nowy zawód?
programmer	programista
My brother will change his profession and become a programmer.	Mój brat zmieni zawód i zostanie programistą.
I will become a great programmer and I will earn a lot.	Zostanę świetnym programistą i będę dużo zarabiać.
specialist	specjalista
No one knows when this student will become a specialist.	Nikt nie wie, kiedy ten student zostanie specjalistą.
This famous musician also became a great translator.	Ten sławny muzyk został też świetnym tłumaczem.
My colleague will soon become a specialist in this office.	Mój kolega niedługo zostanie specjalistą w tym biurze.