Breakdown of Dobry mechanik zachęca mnie do pracy nad tym silnikiem.
ten
this (m)
dobry
good
praca
work
do
to
mnie
me
nad
above, over; by (a body of water) (+ Instrumental)
mechanik
mechanic
silnik
engine
zachęcać
to encourage
Questions & Answers about Dobry mechanik zachęca mnie do pracy nad tym silnikiem.
Why does the sentence use do pracy instead of the infinitive pracować (to work)?
In English, we say "encourage someone to do something" using a verb. In Polish, the verb zachęcać (to encourage) requires the preposition do followed by a noun in the Genitive case to show what you are being encouraged towards. So, you are literally being encouraged "towards work" (do pracy).
Doesn't the preposition nad normally mean "above" or "over"? Why does it mean "on" here?
Literally, yes, nad means "above" or "over." However, in Polish, when you talk about working on a project, an object, or a problem, you use the fixed phrase praca nad (work on) or pracować nad (to work on). This combination always requires the noun to be in the Instrumental case.
Why is the pronoun mnie used here instead of mi?
The verb zachęcać takes the Accusative case for the person being encouraged (the direct object). Mnie is the Accusative form of ja (I). Mi is the Dative form (used for indirect objects like "to me" or "for me"), which doesn't fit the requirements of this verb.
What is the dictionary form of tym silnikiem, and how did it change?
The dictionary form is ten silnik (this engine). Because it follows the preposition nad (when used to mean "working on"), it must take the Instrumental case. Ten becomes tym, and the masculine inanimate noun silnik adds the Instrumental ending -iem, giving us tym silnikiem.
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