Чтобы (часть первая)
One of the uses of the word чтобы is to indicate the purpose for which an object or action is designated. It is often translated into English as “to” or “so that”:
| Я купил словарь, чтобы лучше делать домашнюю работу. | I bought a dictionary to do better on my homework. |
| Она позвонила брату, чтобы узнать, когда он придёт. | She called her brother to find out when he would arrive. |
Notice that in those sentences чтобы was followed by an infinitive phrase. That's not always the case:
| Я купил словарь, чтобы моя дочка лучше делала домашнюю работу. | I bought a dictionary so that my daughter could do bettter on her homework. |
| Она позвонила брату, чтобы он принёс сметану. | She called her brother so that he would bring some sour cream. |
So what's the difference? The difference is who the “doer” is in the чтобы portion of the sentence. If the doer implied by the чтобы portion is the same as the doer in the main clause, then it is followed by an infinitive. If the doer is different, then you use чтобы to introduce a clause with a past tense verb. Note, however, that even though the form of the verb is past tense, the meaning is not necessarily past tense. It's just indicating the purpose of the action. Here are a couple more examples.
| Антон Павлович дал взятку директору школы, чтобы получить там работу. | Anton Pavlovich gave a bribe to the director of the school so that he could get a job there. |
| Антон Павлович дал взятку директору школы, чтобы он принял его сына. | Anton Pavlovich gave a bribe to the director of the school so that they would accept his sone. |
| Машенька взяла иголку, чтобы пришить пуговицу. | Mary got a needle to sew the button on. |
| Машенька взяла иголку, чтобы мама пришила пуговицу. | Mary got a need so that her mother could sew the button on. |
2 comments
Thanks no one ever taught me how to use it I kinda had to learn it on my own chtoby I could understand it.
Now I am sure your explanation will help others chtoby to understood it.
It’s very important to distinguish “чтобы” from “что бы”. The latter is an entirely different thing :)
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