Breakdown of Studiuje język, żeby zostać tłumaczem.
studiować
to study
język
language
żeby
so that, in order to
zostać
to become
tłumacz
translator
Questions & Answers about Studiuje język, żeby zostać tłumaczem.
Why is 'translator' translated as tłumaczem instead of the dictionary form tłumacz?
This is because of the verb zostać (to become). In Polish, when you state what profession or role someone is becoming, that noun must take the Instrumental case. For the masculine noun tłumacz, you add the ending -em to get tłumaczem.
Where is the word for 'he' in the Polish sentence?
It is hidden in the verb! Polish often drops subject pronouns like on (he) or ona (she) because the verb ending already shows who is acting. Studiuje is the 'he/she/it' form, so context tells us it means 'He studies'.
How does żeby work here, and why is zostać in the infinitive form?
The word żeby means 'in order to'. When you want to say you do one action in order to do another, and the same person is doing both, you use żeby followed by the infinitive (the dictionary form) of the second verb. Here, that infinitive is zostać (to become).
Could we use the verb uczy się (he learns) instead of studiuje?
Yes, but both the meaning and grammar would change slightly. Studiuje implies studying formally at a university, and it takes the Accusative case (which is why the inanimate masculine noun język looks identical to its dictionary form here). If you used uczy się, which means general learning, you would need the Genitive case: uczy się języka.
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