Breakdown of Każdy ratownik musi być gotowy na takie poświęcenie.
być
to be
na
on, at / to (motion toward) / for (a meal) / for (waiting for)
musieć
to have to
gotowy
ready
taki
such, this kind of
każdy
every, each; everyone
poświęcenie
sacrifice
ratownik
rescuer
Questions & Answers about Każdy ratownik musi być gotowy na takie poświęcenie.
Why does this sentence use gotowy na instead of gotowy do for "ready for"?
In Polish, gotowy na is typically used when you are mentally prepared to face an event, situation, or abstract concept (like poświęcenie - sacrifice), and it takes the Accusative case. Gotowy do usually points to a physical action, task, or purpose, and takes the Genitive case (e.g., gotowy do pracy - ready to work).
Why is gotowy in the Nominative case? Doesn't the verb być usually require the Instrumental case?
When the complement of być (to be) is just an adjective on its own, it stays in the Nominative case. You only use the Instrumental case when the complement includes a noun (for example, musi być dobrym ratownikiem - he must be a good rescuer).
How would I apply the lesson's target grammar to say "If it weren't for such a sacrifice..."?
You would say Gdyby nie takie poświęcenie.... The structure gdyby nie requires the Nominative case. However, because poświęcenie is a neuter noun, its Nominative form looks exactly the same as the Accusative form used in the original sentence.
Poświęcenie looks like a verbal noun. What verb does it come from?
It is a verbal noun (gerund) derived from the perfective verb poświęcić (to sacrifice, to devote). As is common in Polish, replacing the infinitive ending with -nie turns the action into a noun.
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