All of Myself's suggestions are good and correct, I just add some suggestions: You can use different sentences in facing different situation for example: 1) (پنج سال طول کشید که\تا یک مهندس بشوم( بشم 2) پنج سال طول کشید تا یک مهندس شدم We use the first sentence more than second one ...

Hi Jacqueline. The sentence you've suggested sounds good enough to me, just a minor change. I would say: پنج سال طول کشید "تا" مهندس شدم. There some other suggestions here: پنج سال زمان برد تا مدرک مهندسی خود را گرفتم. تحصیلاتم در مهندسی، پنج سال طول کشید. بعد از پنج سال، مدرک مهندسی خود را گرفتم. بعد از پنج سال مهندس شدم. Or in a very literally way you could say: مهندس شدن ، پنج سال از من زمان گرفت.

your sentence is OK! but it would be better to say: " panj sal tool keshid ta mohandes besham/shodam"

Thanks a lot for the information, I really appreciate it!

Shodam = I've become Besham= (it has two meanings depending on the context) 1. I will become 2. I was to become English grammar for "was/were to + infinitive": To talk about an activity or event that was in the future at a particular point in the past. About the sentence for which you've asked, I have to say both translations are correct. "Besham" is specifically used when you are telling a story. In other words, you speaks in retrospect or wants to bring your audience to your time in past. For example: "Kheili doran sakhti bood, 5 sal tool keshid mohandes besham." = It was very difficult time, it took me 5 years to become an engineer.'