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Despite what you have heard, Ukrainian grammar is actually quite easy to learn! This Grammar Section is designed to make learning the rules as quick as possible so you can start building your own sentences. Unlike other courses we want you to familiarise with the most important rules to speak Ukrainian immediately from today.

We use the Zagreb Method for teaching grammar. Instead of presenting grammar as abstract rules, we integrates it directly into real-life communication and scenarios. Our students are introduced to grammar through dialogues and situational context that reflect everyday interactions. The method also incorporates repetition and variation, gradually increasing the complexity of sentences to help learners internalize grammatical patterns naturally.

The sections below cover everything you need to know from basic sentence construction and verb conjugations to more complex topics like noun cases, gender agreements, together with practical examples to help you understand and memorise the Hungarian grammar rules. Be sure to learn the core 2000 Ukrainian vocabulary first so you can follow the examples more easily.

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Ukrainian Alphabet

The Ukrainian alphabet is a part of the Cyrillic script and consists of 33 letters, each with its unique sound. Understanding the alphabet is the foundation of learning Ukrainian, as it helps you read, write, and pronounce words correctly. Below, you’ll find an overview of the Ukrainian letters and their approximate pronunciations to help you get started.

1. Vowels
Ukrainian has 10 vowels: а, е, є, и, і, ї, о, у, ю, я. Each vowel represents a single, distinct sound.

  • А (a): Like the "a" in "father."

  • Е (e): Similar to the "e" in "get."

  • Є (ye): A combination of "y" and "e," like "yet."

  • И (y): A sound between "i" and "u," unique to Ukrainian.

  • І (i): Like the "ee" in "see."

  • Ї (yi): A combination of "y" and "i," pronounced as "yee."

  • О (o): Like the "o" in "more."

  • У (u): Like the "oo" in "moon."

  • Ю (yu): A combination of "y" and "u," like "you."

  • Я (ya): A combination of "y" and "a," like "yard."

2. Consonants
There are 22 consonants in Ukrainian, and many are similar to their English counterparts. Some, however, have unique sounds:

  • Б (b): Like the "b" in "bat."

  • В (v): Like the "v" in "vet."

  • Г (h): A soft "h" sound, similar to "hat."

  • Ґ (g): Like the "g" in "go."

  • Д (d): Like the "d" in "dog."

  • Ж (zh): Like the "s" in "measure."

  • З (z): Like the "z" in "zoo."

  • Й (y): Like the "y" in "yes."

  • К (k): Like the "k" in "kite."

  • Л (l): Like the "l" in "love."

  • М (m): Like the "m" in "man."

  • Н (n): Like the "n" in "net."

  • П (p): Like the "p" in "pen."

  • Р (r): Rolled, similar to a Spanish "r."

  • С (s): Like the "s" in "sun."

  • Т (t): Like the "t" in "top."

  • Ф (f): Like the "f" in "fun."

  • Х (kh): Like the "ch" in the German "Bach."

  • Ц (ts): Like the "ts" in "cats."

  • Ч (ch): Like the "ch" in "chess."

  • Ш (sh): Like the "sh" in "shoe."

  • Щ (shch): A combination of "sh" and "ch," pronounced as in "fresh cheese."

3. Semi-Vowels and Soft Sign

  • Й (y): Acts as a semi-vowel, like the "y" in "yes."

  • Ь (soft sign): It does not have a sound on its own but softens the preceding consonant.

4. Unique Features of Ukrainian Pronunciation

  • Soft Consonants: Many consonants can be softened by the vowels і, ї, є, ю, я or the soft sign ь.

  • Stress: Ukrainian words have variable stress, which means the stressed syllable can change the word's meaning. Stress is not marked in writing, so it’s important to listen and practice pronunciation.

  • No Silent Letters: Every letter in Ukrainian is pronounced, making it a phonetic language.

Ukrainian Nouns

The Ukrainian language, like many others, categorizes nouns based on their gender and number. These grammatical features play a crucial role in sentence structure and agreement with adjectives, verbs, and other parts of speech. Mastering noun gender and number is essential for building a solid foundation in Ukrainian.

Noun Gender

Ukrainian nouns are divided into three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. The gender of a noun determines the form of associated adjectives, pronouns, and verbs in certain tenses.

  1. Masculine Gender
    Masculine nouns generally refer to male persons, animals, or objects. Most masculine nouns end in a consonant.
    Examples:

    • брат (brat) – brother

    • стіл (stil) – table

    Masculine nouns can also include animate and inanimate objects, regardless of their gender in real life.

  2. Feminine Gender
    Feminine nouns typically refer to female persons, animals, or objects. Most feminine nouns end in or .
    Examples:

    • сестра (sestra) – sister

    • книга (knyha) – book

    Some feminine nouns end in a soft sign (ь) but remain grammatically feminine.
    Example:

    • любов (lyubov) – love

  3. Neuter Gender
    Neuter nouns usually refer to objects or concepts that do not have a natural gender. Most neuter nouns end in , , or .
    Examples:

    • місто (misto) – city

    • поле (pole) – field

Determining Gender

For some nouns, gender may not be immediately apparent, especially for borrowed words or exceptions. Learning the endings and practicing with examples will help you become more confident in recognizing the gender of nouns.

Noun Number

In Ukrainian, nouns can be singular or plural, depending on whether they refer to one item or multiple items. The form of the noun changes when it moves from singular to plural. Understanding how nouns change based on number is critical for sentence agreement.

  1. Singular Nouns
    Singular nouns refer to one person, object, or concept. The endings remain as they are in their basic form.
    Examples:

    • книга (knyha) – book

    • собака (sobaka) – dog

  2. Plural Nouns
    Plural nouns refer to two or more persons, objects, or concepts. The ending of the noun changes depending on its gender and declension group.
    Examples:

    • книги (knyhy) – books (feminine plural)

    • собаки (sobaky) – dogs (feminine plural)

    • міста (mista) – cities (neuter plural)

Key Points for Number Formation

  • Masculine nouns ending in a consonant often add or to form the plural.
    Example: стіл (stil, table) → столи (stoly, tables)

  • Feminine nouns ending in or change their ending to or .
    Example: книга (knyha, book) → книги (knyhy, books)

  • Neuter nouns ending in or form plurals by changing the ending to or .
    Example: місто (misto, city) → міста (mista, cities)

Agreement with Gender and Number

In Ukrainian, nouns must agree with adjectives, pronouns, and verbs in gender and number. For example:

  • Singular: Велика книга (Velyka knyha) – The big book (feminine singular).

  • Plural: Великі книги (Velyki knyhy) – The big books (feminine plural).

Similarly, verbs in the past tense change forms to agree with the gender of the noun:

  • Він був у місті (Vin buv u misti) – He was in the city (masculine).

  • Вона була у місті (Vona bula u misti) – She was in the city (feminine).

Ukrainian Cases

The Ukrainian language is rich and complex, and one of its defining features is the use of grammatical cases. Cases are used to indicate the function of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives in a sentence, often replacing the need for prepositions that are common in English. Mastering cases is essential for speaking and writing Ukrainian fluently, as they dictate how words change their endings depending on their grammatical role.

What Are Cases?

In Ukrainian, cases are forms that words take to show their grammatical relationship to other words in a sentence. Ukrainian has seven grammatical cases:

  • Називний (Nazyvnyi): Nominative case, used for the subject of a sentence.

  • Родовий (Rodovyi): Genitive case, indicates possession or absence.

  • Давальний (Davalnyi): Dative case, used for indirect objects.

  • Знахідний (Znakhidnyi): Accusative case, marks the direct object of a verb.

  • Орудний (Orudnyi): Instrumental case, indicates the means by which an action is performed.

  • Місцевий (Mistsevyi): Locative case, refers to the location or place where something happens.

  • Кличний (Klychnyi): Vocative case, used for directly addressing someone.

Each case corresponds to a specific function in the sentence, and the endings of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives change to reflect these functions.

How Cases Function in Ukrainian

1. Nominative Case (Називний)

The nominative case is the "default" form of a noun. It is used for the subject of a sentence or to name something. For example:

  • Це мій друг (Tse miy druh): This is my friend.

  • Книга цікава (Knyha tsikava): The book is interesting.

2. Genitive Case (Родовий)

The genitive case often expresses possession or absence. It answers the questions "Whose?" or "Of what?". For example:

  • Ключі машини (Klyuchi mashyny): The keys of the car.

  • У мене немає часу (U mene nemaye chasu): I have no time.

3. Dative Case (Давальний)

The dative case is used to indicate the indirect object, meaning "to" or "for" someone. For example:

  • Я даю книгу сестрі (Ya dayu knyhu sestri): I give the book to my sister.

  • Вона пише лист другові (Vona pyshe lyst druhohovi): She writes a letter to her friend.

4. Accusative Case (Знахідний)

The accusative case marks the direct object of a sentence, answering the question "Whom?" or "What?". For example:

  • Я бачу собаку (Ya bachu sobaku): I see the dog.

  • Він купив квітку (Vin kupyv kvitku): He bought a flower.

5. Instrumental Case (Орудний)

The instrumental case is used to describe the means by which something is done, often answering the question "With what?" or "By what means?". For example:

  • Він пише ручкою (Vin pyshe ruchkoyu): He writes with a pen.

  • Ми йдемо парком (My ydemo parkom): We are walking through the park.

6. Locative Case (Місцевий)

The locative case indicates location and is used after certain prepositions, answering "Where?". For example:

  • Я живу в Києві (Ya zhyvu v Kyyevi): I live in Kyiv.

  • Вони сидять на лавці (Vony sydyat na lavtsi): They are sitting on the bench.

7. Vocative Case (Кличний)

The vocative case is used fo directly addressing someone and is unique to Ukrainian among many Slavic languages. For example:

  • Мамо, де ти? (Mamo, de ty?): Mom, where are you?

  • Друже, допоможи! (Druzhe, dopomozhy!): Friend, help me!

Why Are Cases Important?

Cases are crucial in Ukrainian because they define the relationships between words without relying heavily on word order. For instance, in English, "The cat chased the dog" and "The dog chased the cat" have entirely different meanings because of word order. In Ukrainian, the endings of the nouns indicate their roles:

  • Кіт переслідував собаку (Kit peresliduvav sobaku): The cat chased the dog.

  • Собака переслідував кота (Sobaka peresliduvav kota): The dog chased the cat.

Even if the word order changes, the meaning remains clear because the cases signal the grammatical roles.

Ukrainian Articles

One unique feature of the Ukrainian language is the absence of articles. Unlike English, which uses definite ("the") and indefinite ("a," "an") articles to specify nouns, Ukrainian does not have equivalent words for these grammatical markers. This can be surprising for learners whose native languages rely heavily on articles to indicate specificity.

Instead of using articles, Ukrainian relies on context, word order, and additional modifiers to convey meaning. Let’s explore how this works in practice with examples.

1. No Direct Translation of "a," "an," or "the"

In Ukrainian, a noun can be interpreted as definite or indefinite based on the context of the sentence.

For example:

  • Я бачу собаку (ya bachu sobaku) I see a dog

  • Собака бігає в парку (sobaka bihaye v parku) The dog is running in the park

Notice that the word собака (sobaka) dog is the same in both sentences. The meaning changes depending on whether the noun is being introduced for the first time or is already known in the context.

2. Using Adjectives to Specify

Adjectives can help make a noun more specific, similar to how definite articles work in English.

For example:

  • Я бачу гарну собаку (ya bachu harnu sobaku) I see a beautiful dog

  • Гарна собака бігає в парку (harna sobaka bihaye v parku) The beautiful dog is running in the park

The adjective гарна (harna) beautiful adds a sense of specificity, which can function similarly to "the" in English.

3. Using Demonstrative Pronouns for Clarity

To explicitly specify a noun, Ukrainian uses demonstrative pronouns like цей (tsey) this or той (toy) that. These words can often replace the need for a definite article.

For example:

  • Цей будинок великий (tsey budynok velykyy) This house is big

  • Той хлопець читає книгу (toy khlopets chytaye knyhu) That boy is reading a book

4. Word Order and Context

In Ukrainian, word order plays a crucial role in determining the specificity of a noun. A noun placed earlier in the sentence is often more emphasized or specific, while nouns mentioned later may be less specific.

For example:

  • Книга на столі (knyha na stoli) The book is on the table

  • На столі є книга (na stoli ye knyha) There is a book on the table

In the first sentence, the focus is on книга (knyha) book, making it more specific, as though the speaker expects the listener to know which book. In the second sentence, the focus is on the existence of the book, making it indefinite.

5. Common Learner Challenges

For English speakers, the lack of articles can initially feel like a gap in the language. However, with practice, learners adapt by relying on context and modifiers to convey specificity.

For example:

  • Я купую яблуко (ya kupuyu yabluko) I am buying an apple

  • Я купую це яблуко (ya kupuyu tse yabluko) I am buying this apple

Here, the addition of це (tse) this transforms the noun from indefinite to definite.

6. Practice Tips

  • Pay close attention to context when interpreting nouns in Ukrainian sentences.

  • Use demonstrative pronouns like цей (tsey) this or той (toy) that to specify nouns when needed.

Ukrainian Adjectives

Adjectives in Ukrainian are used to describe or modify nouns, agreeing with them in gender, number, and case. Ukrainian adjectives provide rich detail and nuance, making them an essential part of mastering the language.

Basic Structure of Adjectives

In Ukrainian, adjectives typically come before the noun they modify. They change their endings based on the gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and number (singular or plural) of the noun they describe.

For example:

  • гарний будинок (harnyi budynok) beautiful house

  • гарна квітка (harna kvitka) beautiful flower

  • гарне море (harne more) beautiful sea

  • гарні будинки (harni budynky) beautiful houses

Gender Agreement

Ukrainian adjectives agree with the gender of the noun they describe. Here's how the endings typically change:

  • Masculine: -ий, -ій

  • Feminine: ,

  • Neuter: ,

Examples:

  • високий хлопець (vysokyi khlopets) tall boy

  • висока дівчина (vysoka divchyna) tall girl

  • високе дерево (vysoke derevo) tall tree

Plural Agreement

In the plural, adjectives take the ending for all genders.

  • розумні діти (rozumni dity) smart children

  • чисті вікна (chysti vikna) clean windows

Adjective Cases

Adjectives in Ukrainian change their endings based on the case of the noun they modify. This is crucial in understanding how adjectives are used in sentences. Below are some examples with the noun квітка (kvitka) flower:

  1. Nominative (Basic Form):

    • гарна квітка (harna kvitka) beautiful flower

  2. Genitive (Possession):

    • гарної квітки (harnoi kvitky) of a beautiful flower

  3. Dative (Indirect Object):

    • гарній квітці (harnii kvittsi) to a beautiful flower

  4. Accusative (Direct Object):

    • гарну квітку (harnu kvitku) a beautiful flower

  5. Instrumental (With, By Means of):

    • гарною квіткою (harnoyu kvitkoyu) with a beautiful flower

  6. Locative (Location):

    • гарній квітці (harnii kvittsi) in/on a beautiful flower

Comparative and Superlative Forms

Adjectives in Ukrainian can also express comparisons:

  1. Comparative Form:

    • Add -іший or -ший to the root of the adjective.

    • Example: гарний → гарніший (harnyi → harnishyi) beautiful → more beautiful

  2. Superlative Form:

    • Add най- to the beginning of the comparative form.

    • Example: найгарніший (naigharnishyi) the most beautiful

Soft and Hard Adjective Endings

Some adjectives have soft endings, typically indicated by -ій for masculine and for feminine. These adjectives often sound softer:

  • синій океан (synii okean) blue ocean

  • синя річка (synia richka) blue river

Common Adjectives in Ukrainian

Below are some common adjectives to enhance your vocabulary:

  • новий (novyi) new

  • старий (staryi) old

  • веселий (veselyi) happy

  • сумний (sumnyi) sad

  • швидкий (shvydkyi) fast

  • повільний (povilnyi) slow

Ukrainian Pronouns

Pronouns are an essential part of the Ukrainian language, just as they are in English. They replace nouns and make sentences more dynamic and concise. Ukrainian pronouns are diverse, with forms that reflect gender, number, and case. This guide will introduce you to the different types of pronouns in Ukrainian and how they are used in sentences.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are used to refer to people or things directly. They change based on the subject, object, and possessive cases, as well as the grammatical gender and number.

Examples:

  • Я (ya) I

  • Ти (ty) you (informal)

  • Він (vin) he

  • Вона (vona) she

  • Ми (my) we

  • Вони (vony) they

Example Sentence:

  • Я люблю Україну. (Ya lyublyu Ukrayinu.) I love Ukraine.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns indicate ownership. Like personal pronouns, they reflect gender, number, and case.

Examples:

  • Мій (miy) my (masculine)

  • Моя (moya) my (feminine)

  • Моє (moye) my (neuter)

  • Наш (nash) our (masculine)

  • Наша (nasha) our (feminine)

Example Sentence:

  • Це моя книга. (Tse moya knyha.) This is my book.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns point out specific objects or people.

Examples:

  • Цей (tsey) this (masculine)

  • Ця (tsya) this (feminine)

  • Це (tse) this (neuter)

  • Той (toy) that (masculine)

  • Те (te) that (neuter)

Example Sentence:

  • Цей будинок великий. (Tsey budynok velykyy.) This house is big.

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the sentence. Ukrainian has a single reflexive pronoun: себе (sebe), which is used for all genders and numbers.

Example Sentence:

  • Вона бачить себе у дзеркалі. (Vona bachyt sebe u dzerkali.) She sees herself in the mirror.

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions.

Examples:

  • Хто (khto) who

  • Що (shcho) what

  • Який (yakyy) which (masculine)

  • Чий (chyy) whose (masculine)

Example Sentence:

  • Хто це? (Khto tse?) Who is this?

  • Чия це книга? (Chiia tse knyha?) Whose book is this?

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns are used to link clauses or phrases.

Examples:

  • Який (yakyy) which (masculine)

  • Що (shcho) that/which

Example Sentence:

  • Це будинок, який я побудував. (Tse budynok, yakyy ya pobuduvav.) This is the house which I built.

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific people or things.

Examples:

  • Хтось (khtos) someone

  • Щось (shchos) something

  • Дехто (dekhto) some people

Example Sentence:

  • Хтось чекає на тебе. (Khtos chekaye na tebe.) Someone is waiting for you.

Negative Pronouns

Negative pronouns are used to negate the existence of someone or something.

Examples:

  • Ніхто (nikhto) no one

  • Нічого (nichoho) nothing

Example Sentence:

  • Ніхто не прийшов. (Nikhto ne pryishov.) No one came.

Ukrainian Prepositions

Prepositions are an essential part of the Ukrainian language and play a key role in connecting words within sentences. In Ukrainian, prepositions often determine the case of the words they are associated with. Understanding these case-preposition relationships is fundamental for mastering Ukrainian grammar.

Prepositions with the Genitive Case

The genitive case is used to show possession, absence, or a part of a whole. Many prepositions in Ukrainian require the genitive case to convey specific meanings.

Examples:

  • Без книги (bez knyhy) without a book

  • Для друга (dlya druha) for a friend

  • Замість старого дому (zamist’ staroho domu) instead of the old house

These prepositions emphasize relationships such as belonging, purpose, or substitution.

Prepositions with the Dative Case

The dative case is often used to indicate the indirect object of an action. Prepositions that require the dative case often describe direction or purpose.

Examples:

  • До батька (do bat’ka) to the father

  • За другом (za druhom) for a friend

  • Проти вогню (proty vohnyu) against the fire

These prepositions often describe movement, purpose, or the recipient of an action.

Prepositions with the Accusative Case

The accusative case in Ukrainian is primarily used to indicate the direct object of an action. Prepositions with the accusative case often describe motion toward a goal or the time when something occurs.

Examples:

  • Через міст (cherez mist) across the bridge

  • Під стіл (pid stil) under the table

  • Впродовж дороги (vprodovzh dorohy) along the road

These examples highlight the importance of motion and destination.

Prepositions with the Instrumental Case

The instrumental case is used to indicate the means by which an action is carried out or companionship. Prepositions requiring the instrumental case often deal with tools, methods, or company.

Examples:

  • З другом (z druhoм) with a friend

  • Над стілом (nad stilom) above the table

  • Перед вікном (pered viknom) in front of the window

These prepositions emphasize tools, relationships, or spatial positioning.

Prepositions with the Locative Case

The locative case is used exclusively with prepositions to indicate location or position. It always answers questions like “where?”

Examples:

  • На полі (na poli) on the field

  • В місті (v misti) in the city

  • Про учнях (pro uchn’akh) about the students

These prepositions denote position or topics of discussion.

Prepositions with the Vocative Case

The vocative case is rarely governed by prepositions because it is used for directly addressing someone. However, it is crucial to recognize it in speech.

Examples:

  • Гей, Олегу! (Hey, Olehu!) Hey, Oleg!

While the vocative case is not a focus of prepositional use, it’s still essential for addressing people in Ukrainian.

Ukrainian Adverbs

Adverbs (in Ukrainian, “прислівники”) describe how, when, where, or to what extent an action occurs. They often answer questions like “яко?” (how?), “де?” (where?), “коли?” (when?), or “чому?” (why?).

Formation of Adverbs

In Ukrainian, adverbs are commonly formed from adjectives. To create an adverb, one often takes the root of an adjective and adds specific endings, such as –о or –е. For example:

  • гарний (harniy) (beautiful) → гарно (harno) beautifully

  • веселий (veseliy) (cheerful) → весело (veselo) cheerfully

Adverbs and Cases

Although adverbs themselves are not declined and do not have cases, their usage often depends on the case of the noun or pronoun they modify or relate to. Below are examples of how adverbs interact with the different cases in Ukrainian.

Nominative Case (Номінатив)

The nominative case is used for the subject of a sentence. Adverbs modify verbs or adjectives in such sentences without affecting the case of the noun:

  • Діти співають гарно. (Dity spivayut’ harno.) The children sing beautifully.

  • Зорі сяють яскраво. (Zori syayut’ yaskravo.) The stars shine brightly.

Accusative Case (Знахідний відмінок)

Adverbs often appear with verbs that govern the accusative case, particularly when indicating the manner of action:

  • Вона подивилася уважно. (Vona podyvylasya uvazhno.) She looked attentively.

  • Вино випіли швидко. (Vyno vypyly shvydko.) They drank the wine quickly.

Genitive Case (Родовий відмінок)

Adverbs sometimes accompany phrases where the noun or pronoun is in the genitive case, often to express absence or quantity:

  • Стил був майже порожній. (Styl buv mayzhe porozhniy.) The table was almost empty.

  • Вони гуляли безтурботно. (Vony hulyaly bezturbotno.) They walked carefree.

Dative Case (Дативний відмінок)

Adverbs can describe actions directed toward someone or something in the dative case:

  • Він говорив тихо товаришам. (Vin hovoryv tykho tovarisham.) He spoke quietly to his friends.

  • Вона усміхнулася лагідно синові. (Vona usmikhnulasya lahidno synovi.) She smiled gently at her son.

Instrumental Case (Орудний відмінок)

Adverbs frequently modify verbs that involve the use of tools or means, indicated by the instrumental case:

  • Вона пише пливко ручкою. (Vona pyshe plyvko ruchkoyu.) She writes fluidly with a pen.

  • Музиканти грають чудово скрипкою. (Muzykanty grayut’ chudovo skrypkoyu.) The musicians play wonderfully with a violin.

Locative Case (Місцевий відмінок)

Adverbs indicating location or manner can relate to nouns in the locative case:

  • Вина була зберігана акуратно у шафі. (Vyna bula zberihana akuratno u shafi.) The wine was stored neatly in the cabinet.

  • Вони сиділи тихо в кімнаті. (Vony sydily tykho v kimnati.) They sat quietly in the room.

Common Usage Tips

  1. Adverbs typically do not change form, regardless of the grammatical case of the related noun.

  2. They are placed near the word they modify for clarity and emphasis.

  3. When using multiple adverbs, prioritize clarity by placing the most important one closer to the verb or adjective.

Present Tense in Ukrainian

The present tense in Ukrainian is used to describe actions that are happening now, habitual actions, general truths, and sometimes actions that will happen in the near future. This tense is formed by conjugating verbs according to the subject and is one of the first tenses learners encounter when studying Ukrainian. Below, we will explore how to conjugate verbs in the present tense and provide examples for all personal pronouns.

Basics of Conjugation

In Ukrainian, verbs are conjugated based on the subject (the person or thing performing the action). There are two main groups of verb conjugations: first conjugation and second conjugation. The ending of the verb in its infinitive form usually determines the conjugation group.

  1. First Conjugation: Verbs ending in -ти (ty) in their infinitive form.

  2. Second Conjugation: Verbs ending in -ити (yty) or -іти (ity) in their infinitive form.

Each conjugation has specific endings for different personal pronouns.

Conjugation for Personal Pronouns

The present tense endings differ for each personal pronoun. Let’s look at examples using a first-conjugation verb говорити (hovoryty, to speak) and a second-conjugation verb читати (chytaty, to read).

  1. Я (говорю)

    • First Conjugation: я говорю (ya hovoryu, I speak)

    • Second Conjugation: я читаю (ya chytayu, I read)

  2. Ти (говориш)

    • First Conjugation: ти говориш (ty hovorysh, you speak)

    • Second Conjugation: ти читаєш (ty chytayesh, you read)

  3. Він/Вона/Воно (говорит)

    • First Conjugation: він/вона/воно говорит (vin/vona/vono hovoryt, he/she/it speaks)

    • Second Conjugation: він/вона/воно читає (vin/vona/vono chytaye, he/she/it reads)

  4. Ми (говоримо)

    • First Conjugation: ми говоримо (my hovorymo, we speak)

    • Second Conjugation: ми читаємо (my chytayemo, we read)

  5. Ви (говорите)

    • First Conjugation: ви говорите (vy hovoryte, you speak)

    • Second Conjugation: ви читаєте (vy chytayete, you read)

  6. Вони (говорять)

    • First Conjugation: вони говорять (vony hovoryat’, they speak)

    • Second Conjugation: вони читають (vony chytayut’, they read)

General Notes on Conjugation

  1. Stem Changes: Some verbs undergo stem changes when conjugated in the present tense. For example, the verb бачити (bachyty, to see) changes its stem:

    • я бачу (ya bachu, I see)

    • він бачить (vin bachyt’, he sees)

  2. Irregular Verbs: Some verbs do not follow standard conjugation patterns and are considered irregular. For example, бути (buty, to be) has unique present tense forms:

    • я є (ya ye, I am)

    • ви єте (vy yete, you are)

  3. Softening: Many second-conjugation verbs add a soft sign (ь) in their conjugation forms. For example, сидіти (sydity, to sit):

    • ти сидиш (ty sydysh, you sit)

    • вони сидять (vony sydyat’, they sit)

Usage Examples

The present tense is used in everyday speech, making it essential for beginners. Here are some practical examples:

  1. Я пишу лист. (ya pyshu lyst, I am writing a letter.)

  2. Ви дивитесь фільм? (vy dyvytes’ fil’m?, Are you watching a movie?)

  3. Ми готуємо вечерю. (my hotuyemo vecheryu, We are cooking dinner.)

  4. Вони читають книгу. (vony chytayut’ knyhu, They are reading a book.)

  5. Він учить мову. (vin uchyt’ movu, He is learning a language.)

Past Tense in Ukrainian

The past tense in Ukrainian is one of the foundational aspects of Ukrainian grammar, as it is used to describe actions that have been completed in the past. Understanding how to form and use the past tense is essential for effective communication in Ukrainian.

Structure of the Past Tense

In Ukrainian, the past tense is formed differently from the present and future tenses. The key to mastering the past tense lies in understanding the following concepts:

  1. Gender Agreement: The past tense verb agrees in gender and number with the subject of the sentence.

    • Masculine singular

    • Feminine singular

    • Neuter singular

    • Plural (regardless of gender)

  2. Formation of the Past Tense:

    • To form the past tense, start with the infinitive verb, remove the infinitive ending – typically -ти (“-ti”), and add the appropriate past tense suffix.

Conjugations in the Past Tense

Below is an explanation of how the past tense is conjugated with all personal pronouns. Note that the verb бути (to be) will be used as an example, as it is irregular and frequently used in speech.

Masculine Singular

For masculine singular subjects (he, it, a man, etc.), the suffix is used:

  • я був (ya buv) I was

  • ти був (ty buv) you were

  • він був (vin buv) he was

Feminine Singular

For feminine singular subjects (she, it, a woman, etc.), the suffix -ла is added:

  • я була (ya bula) I was

  • ти була (ty bula) you were

  • вона була (vona bula) she was

Neuter Singular

For neuter singular subjects (it, a child, etc.), the suffix -ло is used:

  • воно було (vono bulo) it was

Plural

For plural subjects (we, you all, they), the suffix -ли is applied regardless of gender:

  • ми були (my buly) we were

  • ви були (vy buly) you were

  • вони були (vony buly) they were

Examples with Regular Verbs

Let’s look at some examples with regular verbs to understand how the past tense works in practice.

Verb: читати (chytaty) - to read

  • я читав (ya chytav) I read (masculine)

  • я читала (ya chytala) I read (feminine)

  • ти читав (ty chytav) you read (masculine)

  • ти читала (ty chytala) you read (feminine)

  • він читав (vin chytav) he read

  • вона читала (vona chytala) she read

  • воно читало (vono chytalo) it read

  • ми читали (my chytaly) we read

  • ви читали (vy chytaly) you all read

  • вони читали (vony chytaly) they read

Verb: писати (pysaty) - to write

  • я писав (ya pysav) I wrote (masculine)

  • я писала (ya pysala) I wrote (feminine)

  • ти писав (ty pysav) you wrote (masculine)

  • ти писала (ty pysala) you wrote (feminine)

  • він писав (vin pysav) he wrote

  • вона писала (vona pysala) she wrote

  • воно писало (vono pysalo) it wrote

  • ми писали (my pysaly) we wrote

  • ви писали (vy pysaly) you all wrote

  • вони писали (vony pysaly) they wrote

Important Notes

  1. Impersonal Constructions:

    • In Ukrainian, some sentences do not have an explicit subject. For example:

      • Було холодно (bulo kholodno) It was cold.

  2. Reflexive Verbs:

    • Reflexive verbs in the past tense follow the same rules, but retain their reflexive suffix -ся or -сь:

      • Я мився (ya myvsya) I washed myself (masculine).

      • Я милася (ya mylasya) I washed myself (feminine).

Practice Sentences

  1. Ми читали книгу. (My chytaly knyhu) We read a book.

  2. Вона писала лист. (Vona pysala lyst) She wrote a letter.

  3. Ви були у клубі. (Vy buly u klubi) You were at the club.

Future Tense in Ukrainian

The future tense in Ukrainian, like in many other languages, is used to express actions that will occur after the present moment. Ukrainian has two forms of the future tense: simple future (used with perfective verbs) and compound future (used with imperfective verbs). Each form has its specific uses and nuances, and understanding them is key to mastering Ukrainian grammar.

The Simple Future Tense

The simple future tense is formed with perfective verbs, which denote actions that are completed or finalized. Perfective verbs in Ukrainian are often created by adding prefixes to imperfective verbs. This tense is straightforward because it involves no auxiliary verbs—only the conjugated form of the verb itself.

Conjugation of Perfective Verbs in the Simple Future

Here is how perfective verbs are conjugated in the future tense. We'll use the verb писати (pysaty) meaning to write, and its perfective counterpart написати (napysaty).

  • Я напишу (napyshu) I will write

  • Ти напишеш (napysheš) You (singular/informal) will write

  • Він/Вона/Воно напише (napyše) He/She/It will write

  • Ми напишемо (napyshemo) We will write

  • Ви напишете (napyshete) You (plural/formal) will write

  • Вони напишуть (napyšutʹ) They will write

Example:

  • Завтра я напишу лист. (Zavtra ya napyshu lyst.) Tomorrow I will write a letter.

The Compound Future Tense

The compound future tense is used with imperfective verbs and describes actions that will be ongoing or habitual in the future. It is formed by combining the future tense of the auxiliary verb бути (buty) meaning to be with the infinitive form of the main verb.

Conjugation of the Auxiliary Verb Бути

The auxiliary verb бути (buty) conjugates in the future tense as follows:

  • Я буду (ya budu) I will be

  • Ти будеш (ty budesh) You (singular/informal) will be

  • Він/Вона/Воно буде (vin/vona/vono bude) He/She/It will be

  • Ми будемо (my budemo) We will be

  • Ви будете (vy budete) You (plural/formal) will be

  • Вони будуть (vony budutʹ) They will be

Using the Compound Future Tense

To form the compound future, pair the future tense of бути with the infinitive of the main verb. Let's use писати (pysaty) as an example:

  • Я буду писати (ya budu pysaty) I will be writing

  • Ти будеш писати (ty budesh pysaty) You (singular/informal) will be writing

  • Він/Вона/Воно буде писати (vin/vona/vono bude pysaty) He/She/It will be writing

  • Ми будемо писати (my budemo pysaty) We will be writing

  • Ви будете писати (vy budete pysaty) You (plural/formal) will be writing

  • Вони будуть писати (vony budutʹ pysaty) They will be writing

Example:

  • Завтра ми будемо писати твір. (Zavtra my budemo pysaty tvir.) Tomorrow we will be writing an essay.

When to Use the Simple vs. Compound Future

  1. Simple Future (Perfective Verbs):

    • Used to express single, completed actions in the future.

    • Example: Він зробить домашнє завдання. (Vin zrobytʹ domácnʹe zavdánnya.) He will do the homework.

  2. Compound Future (Imperfective Verbs):

    • Used to express actions that will be ongoing, repetitive, or habitual in the future.

    • Example: Ми будемо вивчати українську мову. (My budemo vyvchaty ukrayinsʹku movu.) We will be studying the Ukrainian language.

Irregular Verbs in the Future Tense

Some verbs, like йти (yity) meaning to go, form their future tense differently. Here is an example of its conjugation in the simple future:

  • Я піду (ya pidu) I will go

  • Ти підеш (ty pidesh) You (singular/informal) will go

  • Він/Вона/Воно піде (vin/vona/vono pide) He/She/It will go

  • Ми підемо (my pidemo) We will go

  • Ви підете (vy pidete) You (plural/formal) will go

  • Вони підуть (vony pidutʹ) They will go

Example:

  • Ми підемо до парку. (My pidemo do parku.) We will go to the park.

Future Tense with Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs in Ukrainian also follow the same conjugation patterns, with the reflexive particle -ся (-sya) added to the verb.

Example:

  • Я буду вчитися. (Ya budu vchytysya.) I will be learning.

  • Вони будуть зустрічатися. (Vony budutʹ zustrichatysya.) They will be meeting.

Imperative in Ukrainian

The imperative mood in Ukrainian is used to express commands, requests, suggestions, invitations, or advice. It plays a significant role in everyday communication, allowing speakers to directly address others to prompt action. The imperative is versatile and can be used in both formal and informal settings, depending on the form of the verb and context.

Forming the Imperative Mood

The imperative in Ukrainian is formed by modifying the verb's base form. The formation depends on the conjugation group of the verb and whether the subject is singular or plural. Additionally, Ukrainian allows for the inclusion of a polite form when addressing others formally or respectfully.

Singular and Plural Forms

In the imperative mood, verbs have distinct forms for:

  • Second-person singular (informal commands): Used when addressing one person informally.

  • Second-person plural (formal or plural commands): Used when addressing multiple people or one person in a formal context.

For example, with the verb писати (pysaty), meaning to write:

  • Пиши! (pyshy!) Write! (to one person informally)

  • Пишіть! (pyshítʹ!) Write! (to multiple people or formally to one person)

Conjugation Patterns

To understand the imperative, it’s crucial to know the verb stems and their patterns. Ukrainian verbs are divided into two main conjugation groups. Here’s a step-by-step guide for forming the imperative:

  1. Find the verb stem: Remove the infinitive suffix -ти (-ty) to get the stem.

  2. Add the imperative suffixes: Depending on the conjugation group, add the appropriate suffix for the singular or plural forms.

Examples of Regular Verbs:
  1. Говорити (hovoryty) - to speak

    • Говори! (hovory!) Speak! (informal singular)

    • Говоріть! (hovorítʹ!) Speak! (plural or formal)

  2. Робити (robyty) - to do

    • Роби! (roby!) Do! (informal singular)

    • Робіть! (robítʹ!) Do! (plural or formal)

  3. Читати (chytaty) - to read

    • Читай! (chytay!) Read! (informal singular)

    • Читайте! (chytayte!) Read! (plural or formal)

Irregular Verbs in the Imperative

Some verbs have irregular forms in the imperative mood. These are commonly used in daily speech and should be memorized.

  1. Йти (yty) - to go

    • Іди! (idy!) Go! (informal singular)

    • Ідіть! (idítʹ!) Go! (plural or formal)

  2. Брати (braty) - to take

    • Бери! (bery!) Take! (informal singular)

    • Беріть! (berítʹ!) Take! (plural or formal)

  3. Дати (daty) - to give

    • Дай! (day!) Give! (informal singular)

    • Дайте! (dayte!) Give! (plural or formal)

Example Sentences:

  • Іди до школи! (Idy do školy!) Go to school!

  • Дайте мені ручку, будь ласка. (Dayte meni ruchku, budʹ laska.) Give me the pen, please.

Reflexive Verbs in the Imperative

For reflexive verbs, the particle -ся (-sya) is attached to the imperative form. Reflexive verbs are commonly used for actions directed at oneself.

  1. Вмиватися (vmyvatysya) - to wash oneself

    • Вмивайся! (vmyvaysya!) Wash yourself! (informal singular)

    • Вмивайтеся! (vmyvaytesya!) Wash yourself! (plural or formal)

  2. Готуватися (hotuvatysya) - to prepare oneself

    • Готуйся! (hotuysya!) Prepare yourself! (informal singular)

    • Готуйтеся! (hotuytesya!) Prepare yourself! (plural or formal)

Example Sentences:

  • Вмивайся щодня! (Vmyvaysya shchodnya!) Wash yourself every day!

  • Готуйтеся до уроку! (Hotuytesya do uroku!) Prepare yourself for the lesson!

Negative Commands

To form a negative command, use не (ne) before the imperative form of the verb.

  1. Читати (chytaty) - to read

    • Не читай! (Ne chytay!) Don’t read! (informal singular)

    • Не читайте! (Ne chytayte!) Don’t read! (plural or formal)

  2. Робити (robyty) - to do

    • Не роби цього! (Ne roby tsoho!) Don’t do this! (informal singular)

    • Не робіть цього! (Ne robítʹ tsoho!) Don’t do this! (plural or formal)

Polite and Softened Commands

In Ukrainian, adding будь ласка (budʹ laska) meaning please makes commands more polite.

Examples:

  • Пишіть ваше ім’я, будь ласка. (Pyshítʹ vashe imʹya, budʹ laska.) Write your name, please.

  • Говоріть повільніше, будь ласка. (Hovorítʹ povilʹnishe, budʹ laska.) Speak more slowly, please.

For a softer tone, you can use the phrase давай (davay) or давайте (davayte), meaning let’s or please.

Examples:

  • Давай почитаємо разом! (Davay pochytayemo razom!) Let’s read together!

  • Давайте допоможемо йому. (Davayte dopomozhemo yomu.) Let’s help him.

Addressing Different Personal Pronouns

Although the imperative is most commonly used to address the second person, it can also imply actions involving "we" or "they."

  1. Let’s (First-person plural):

    • Ходімо! (Khodimo!) Let’s go!

    • Зробімо це разом. (Zrobimo tse razom.) Let’s do this together.

  2. Encouraging Actions (Third-person):

    • Нехай він читає. (Nekhaj vin chytaye.) Let him read.

    • Нехай вони працюють. (Nekhaj vony pratsyuyutʹ.) Let them work.

Passive in Ukrainian

The passive voice in Ukrainian, like in other languages, is used to shift the focus of a sentence from the subject (who performs the action) to the object (who or what the action is performed on). It emphasizes the recipient or the result of the action rather than the doer. The passive is frequently used in formal contexts, literature, and journalism but is also encountered in everyday speech.

Forms of the Passive Voice in Ukrainian

There are several ways to construct the passive voice in Ukrainian. The choice depends on the verb's aspect (perfective or imperfective), tense, and the intended emphasis. The most common methods involve:

  1. Passive participles combined with the verb бути (buty) – to be.

  2. Reflexive verbs with the particle -ся (-sya).

Passive Voice with Passive Participles

In Ukrainian, the passive voice is often formed using the verb бути (buty) in various tenses combined with the passive participle of the main verb. Passive participles are derived from transitive verbs and agree in gender and number with the subject of the sentence.

Conjugation of Бути (To Be)

The verb бути (buty) conjugates as follows:

  1. Present Tense:

    • Я є (ya ye) I am

    • Ти є (ty ye) You are (singular/informal)

    • Він/Вона/Воно є (vin/vona/vono ye) He/She/It is

    • Ми є (my ye) We are

    • Ви є (vy ye) You are (plural/formal)

    • Вони є (vony ye) They are

  2. Past Tense:

    • Я був/була (ya buv/bula) I was (masculine/feminine)

    • Ти був/була (ty buv/bula) You were (singular/informal)

    • Він був/Вона була/Воно було (vin buv/vona bula/vono bulo) He was/She was/It was

    • Ми були (my buly) We were

    • Ви були (vy buly) You were (plural/formal)

    • Вони були (vony buly) They were

  3. Future Tense:

    • Я буду (ya budu) I will be

    • Ти будеш (ty budesh) You will be (singular/informal)

    • Він/Вона/Воно буде (vin/vona/vono bude) He/She/It will be

    • Ми будемо (my budemo) We will be

    • Ви будете (vy budete) You will be (plural/formal)

    • Вони будуть (vony budutʹ) They will be

Using Passive Participles

To form the passive, combine the appropriate form of бути (buty) with the passive participle of the main verb. For example, with the verb писати (pysaty) – to write, the participle is написаний/написана/написане/написані (napysanyy/napysana/napysane/napysani) – written.

  1. Present Tense:

    • Книга є написана. (Knyha ye napysana.) The book is written.

  2. Past Tense:

    • Книга була написана. (Knyha bula napysana.) The book was written.

  3. Future Tense:

    • Книга буде написана. (Knyha bude napysana.) The book will be written.

Examples:

  • Лист є написаний мною. (Lyst ye napysanyy mnoyu.) The letter is written by me.

  • Будинок буде побудований завтра. (Budynok bude pobudovanyy zavtra.) The house will be built tomorrow.

Passive Voice with Reflexive Verbs (-ся)

The reflexive particle -ся (-sya) is another way to construct the passive voice. This method is more concise and commonly used in everyday language. It focuses on the action being performed rather than the agent.

  1. Present Tense:

    • Будинок будується. (Budynok buduyetʹsya.) The house is being built.

  2. Past Tense:

    • Будинок будувався. (Budynok buduvavsya.) The house was being built.

  3. Future Tense:

    • Будинок буде будуватися. (Budynok bude buduvatysya.) The house will be built.

Examples:

  • Ця книга читається легко. (Tsya knyha chytayetʹsya lekhko.) This book is read easily.

  • Стіл фарбувався вчора. (Stilʹ farbuvavsya vchora.) The table was painted yesterday.

Choosing Between Passive Participles and Reflexive Verbs

  1. Passive Participles:

    • Typically used in formal contexts, academic writing, or when specifying the agent of the action.

    • Example: Ця робота була виконана учнями. (Tsya robota bula vykonana uchnyamy.) This task was completed by the students.

  2. Reflexive Verbs:

    • Common in casual speech or when the agent is unknown or irrelevant.

    • Example: Робота виконується. (Robota vykonuyetʹsya.) The task is being completed.

Conjugation Across Personal Pronouns

The passive voice, while mostly impersonal, can imply different subjects depending on context.

Examples:

  1. Я був запрошений на зустріч. (Ya buv zaproshenyy na zustrich.) I was invited to the meeting.

  2. Ти будеш обраний головою. (Ty budesh obranyy holovoyu.) You will be elected as the head.

  3. Він був нагороджений медаллю. (Vin buv nahorodzhenyy medalʹyu.) He was awarded a medal.

  4. Ми були попереджені про небезпеку. (My buly poperedzheni pro nebezpeku.) We were warned about the danger.

  5. Ви будете поінформовані завтра. (Vy budete poinformovani zavtra.) You will be informed tomorrow.

  6. Вони були запрошені на вечірку. (Vony buly zaprosheni na vechirku.) They were invited to the party.

Common Phrases in the Passive Voice

  1. Рішення було прийнято. (Rishennya bulo pryynyato.) The decision was made.

  2. Дорога ремонтується. (Doroha remontuyetʹsya.) The road is being repaired.

  3. Цей фільм знімається в Україні. (Tsey filʹm znimayetʹsya v Ukrayini.) This movie is being filmed in Ukraine.

Passive Voice Without Explicit Agent

In Ukrainian, it’s common to omit the agent when it is obvious or irrelevant. This construction emphasizes the action or result.

Examples:

  • Лист написаний. (Lyst napysanyy.) The letter is written.

  • Вікна відчинені. (Vikna vidchyneni.) The windows are open.

Negation in Ukrainian

Negation is an essential aspect of Ukrainian grammar, allowing speakers to express the absence of an action, state, or quality. Negation in Ukrainian is primarily achieved using the word не [ne], meaning not. It is a versatile particle that can negate verbs, nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and adverbs. This page will explore the rules and nuances of negation in Ukrainian, providing examples to illustrate its usage.

Negating Verbs

The particle не [ne] is placed directly before the verb to negate an action or state.

Examples:

  • Я не читаю книгу. [Ya ne chytayu knyhu.] I am not reading a book.

  • Він не працює сьогодні. [Vin ne pratsyuye sʹohodni.] He is not working today.

If the verb form includes a prefix, не [ne] is placed before the entire verb, not between the prefix and the verb root.

Example:

  • Ми не підемо до школи. [My ne pidemo do shkoly.] We will not go to school.

Negating Nouns

To negate a noun, не [ne] is placed before the noun. In many cases, negating a noun implies that the subject lacks a specific quality or object.

Examples:

  • Це не книга. [Tse ne knyha.] This is not a book.

  • Він не лікар. [Vin ne likar.] He is not a doctor.ù

Negating Adjectives

When negating adjectives, не [ne] is placed directly before the adjective. This changes the meaning of the adjective to its opposite.

Examples:

  • Цей будинок не великий. [Tsey budynok ne velykyy.] This house is not big.

  • Їжа не смачна. [Yizha ne smachna.] The food is not tasty.

Negating Adverbs

To negate adverbs, не [ne] is placed directly before the adverb, altering its meaning to the opposite.

Examples:

  • Вона не добре співає. [Vona ne dobre spivaye.] She does not sing well.

  • Я не часто ходжу в театр. [Ya ne chasto khodzhu v teatr.] I do not often go to the theater.

Double Negation

In Ukrainian, double negation is commonly used for emphasis, particularly in sentences with negative pronouns or adverbs such as ніхто [nikhto] (nobody), нічого [nichoho] (nothing), or ніколи [nikoly] (never). The negative particle не [ne] remains in the sentence along with the negative pronoun or adverb.

Examples:

  • Ніхто не прийшов. [Nikhto ne pryishov.] Nobody came.

  • Я нічого не знаю. [Ya nichoho ne znayu.] I know nothing.

  • Він ніколи не плаче. [Vin nikoly ne plache.] He never cries.

This double negation emphasizes the absence of action or state, which is a standard feature of Ukrainian grammar.

Negation with Imperatives

Negating commands or requests in Ukrainian is done by placing не [ne] before the verb in the imperative mood.

Examples:

  • Не говори так голосно! [Ne hovory tak holosno!] Don’t speak so loudly!

  • Не читайте цю книгу. [Ne chytayte tsyu knyhu.] Don’t read this book.

Differences Between Negation and Question Formation

It's important not to confuse negation with question formation, as both may involve particles at the beginning of a sentence. Questions often begin with чи [chy], while negation uses не [ne].

Examples:

  • Чи ти читаєш книгу? [Chy ty chytayesh knyhu?] Are you reading a book?

  • Ти не читаєш книгу. [Ty ne chytayesh knyhu.] You are not reading a book.

Common Pitfalls and Exceptions

  • Words That Change Meaning with Negation: Some words in Ukrainian take on a significantly altered meaning when negated. For instance, можна [mozhna] (it is possible) becomes не можна [ne mozhna] (it is not allowed).

    Examples:

    • Тут можна сидіти. [Tut mozhna sydity.] It is allowed to sit here.

    • Тут не можна сидіти. [Tut ne mozhna sydity.] It is not allowed to sit here.

  • Contracted Forms: In colloquial speech, не [ne] may combine with certain words to form contractions. While these forms are not standard in formal writing, they are widely understood in spoken Ukrainian.

    Example:

    • Нема [Nema] (There is not) is a contraction of немає [nemaye].

Negation in Idiomatic Expressions

Negation is also common in idiomatic expressions and colloquial phrases, where it may not translate literally.

Examples:

  • Не варто чекати. [Ne varto chekaty.] It’s not worth waiting.

  • Це не має сенсу. [Tse ne maye sensu.] It doesn’t make sense.

Emphasizing Negation

To emphasize negation, additional words like зовсім [zovsim] (completely), ніколи [nikoly] (never), or нічого [nichoho] (nothing) can be added.

Examples:

  • Я зовсім не розумію. [Ya zovsim ne rozumiyu.] I do not understand at all.

  • Ми ніколи не бачили цього фільму. [My nikoly ne bachyly tsoho filʹmu.] We have never seen this movie.

Word Order in Ukrainian

Word order in Ukrainian is relatively flexible compared to English, thanks to the case system that clearly indicates the grammatical function of words in a sentence. However, this flexibility does not mean word order is arbitrary. The structure often depends on the emphasis, context, and stylistic preferences of the speaker or writer. Understanding these nuances is essential for mastering Ukrainian.

Standard Word Order

The typical word order in Ukrainian follows the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) pattern, similar to English. This structure is used in neutral or unemotional statements where no specific emphasis is intended.

Examples:

  • Я читаю книгу. [Ya chytayu knyhu.] I am reading a book.

  • Вона любить музику. [Vona lyubyt muzyku.] She loves music.

Flexible Word Order and Emphasis

Ukrainian allows for significant flexibility in word order to emphasize certain elements of a sentence. By rearranging the words, speakers can place emphasis on the subject, verb, or object.

  1. Emphasizing the Object: Placing the object at the beginning of the sentence emphasizes it.

    Example:

    • Книгу я читаю. [Knyhu ya chytayu.] The book, I am reading.

  2. Emphasizing the Verb: Moving the verb to the end can create a dramatic or poetic effect.

    Example:

    • Я книгу читаю. [Ya knyhu chytayu.] I am reading the book (with emphasis on the action).

  3. Emphasizing the Subject: Moving the subject to the end emphasizes it, often for stylistic or poetic purposes.

    Example:

    • Читаю книгу я. [Chytayu knyhu ya.] The one reading the book is me.

Word Order in Questions

In questions, the word order may change depending on whether the question is yes/no or wh- (interrogative).

  1. Yes/No Questions: These are often formed by placing the verb at the beginning of the sentence or using the particle чи [chy].

    Examples:

    • Чи ти любиш музику? [Chy ty lyubysh muzyku?] Do you love music?

    • Любиш ти музику? [Lyubysh ty muzyku?] Do you love music?

  2. Wh- Questions: Interrogative words like що [shcho] (what), хто [khto] (who), and де [de] (where) usually come at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb and subject.

    Examples:

    • Що ти читаєш? [Shcho ty chytayesh?] What are you reading?

    • Хто це сказав? [Khto tse skazav?] Who said this?

    • Де ви живете? [De vy zhyvete?] Where do you live?

Word Order in Negative Sentences

Negative sentences generally follow the same word order as affirmative sentences, with the negative particle не [ne] placed before the verb or word it negates.

Examples:

  • Я не читаю книгу. [Ya ne chytayu knyhu.] I am not reading a book.

  • Вони не працюють сьогодні. [Vony ne pratsyuyutʹ sʹohodni.] They are not working today.

However, for emphasis, the negative particle and the word it negates can be moved to the beginning.

Example:

  • Не читаю я книгу. [Ne chytayu ya knyhu.] I am not reading the book.

Word Order in Commands and Requests

In commands, the verb typically comes first, followed by the object or any additional information. The particle будь ласка [budʹ laska] (please) can be added for politeness.

Examples:

  • Читай книгу! [Chytay knyhu!] Read the book!

  • Будь ласка, прочитайте лист. [Budʹ laska, prochytayte lyst.] Please, read the letter.

Word Order in Complex Sentences

In complex sentences with subordinate clauses, the word order within each clause generally follows the SVO pattern. The subordinate clause is introduced by conjunctions such as що [shcho] (that), коли [koly] (when), or бо [bo] (because).

Examples:

  • Я знаю, що він читає книгу. [Ya znayu, shcho vin chytaye knyhu.] I know that he is reading a book.

  • Ми пішли додому, бо йшов дощ. [My pishly do domu, bo yshov doshch.] We went home because it was raining.

Word Order and Intonation

In Ukrainian, intonation plays a significant role in determining the meaning of a sentence, especially when word order changes. A neutral statement has a flat intonation, while an emphasized word is often pronounced with a stronger or rising tone.

Examples:

  • Він любить музику. [Vin lyubyt muzyku.] He loves music.

    • Neutral statement: The focus is evenly distributed.

    • Rising intonation on музику [muzyku]: He loves music (and not something else).

Word Order in Poetry and Literature

In poetic or literary contexts, word order becomes even more flexible for stylistic or rhythmic reasons. Authors may rearrange words to create emphasis, rhyme, or artistic effect.

Example:

  • Книга, яку читаю я. [Knyha, yaku chytayu ya.] The book that I am reading.

Differences Between Ukrainian and English Word Order

While English relies heavily on word order to convey meaning, Ukrainian uses cases to determine the grammatical roles of words. This allows for greater freedom in word arrangement while still maintaining clarity.

Example:

  • Я читаю книгу. [Ya chytayu knyhu.] I am reading a book.

  • Книгу читаю я. [Knyhu chytayu ya.] I am reading the book (with emphasis on the object).

  • Читаю я книгу. [Chytayu ya knyhu.] I am reading the book (with emphasis on the action).

In all these variations, the meaning remains the same because the noun книгу [knyhu] is in the accusative case, indicating it is the object of the sentence.

Questions in Ukrainian

Asking questions in Ukrainian is an essential part of communication, and the language provides a variety of structures for forming both yes/no questions and wh- (interrogative) questions. Unlike English, Ukrainian does not rely on auxiliary verbs like do or does to form questions. Instead, word order, intonation, and interrogative particles are used to indicate a question. Below is a detailed explanation of how questions are formed and used in Ukrainian.

Yes/No Questions

Yes/no questions are used to confirm or deny something. In Ukrainian, these questions can be formed in three main ways:

a) Using Intonation

In informal speech, simply raising the intonation at the end of a declarative sentence can turn it into a yes/no question. This is the most common way to form such questions in everyday conversation.

Examples:

  • Ти читаєш книгу? [Ty chytayesh knyhu?] Are you reading a book?

  • Вона працює сьогодні? [Vona pratsyuye sʹohodni?] Is she working today?

Here, the word order remains the same as in a declarative sentence (Subject-Verb-Object), but the rising intonation signals that it is a question.

b) Using the Interrogative Particle "Чи"

The particle чи [chy] is often used at the beginning of a yes/no question to make the interrogative nature of the sentence explicit. This structure is more formal or literary.

Examples:

  • Чи ти читаєш книгу? [Chy ty chytayesh knyhu?] Are you reading a book?

  • Чи він знає відповідь? [Chy vin znaye vidpovidʹ?] Does he know the answer?

c) Changing the Word Order

Placing the verb at the beginning of the sentence can also indicate a question, especially in informal speech.

Examples:

  • Читаєш ти книгу? [Chytayesh ty knyhu?] Are you reading a book?

  • Знає він відповідь? [Znaye vin vidpovidʹ?] Does he know the answer?

Wh- (Interrogative) Questions

Wh- questions in Ukrainian use specific interrogative words to ask for information. These words typically appear at the beginning of the sentence.

a) Common Interrogative Words

Here are the most frequently used interrogative words in Ukrainian:

  • Що [shcho] - What

  • Хто [khto] - Who

  • Де [de] - Where

  • Коли [koly] - When

  • Чому [chomu] - Why

  • Як [yak] - How

  • Скільки [skilʹky] - How much/How many

  • Який/Яка/Яке/Які [yakyy/yaka/yake/yaki] - Which/What kind of

b) Sentence Structure

In wh- questions, the interrogative word is placed at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb and then the subject (if required). The word order can sometimes vary slightly for emphasis or stylistic reasons.

Examples:

  • Що ти читаєш? [Shcho ty chytayesh?] What are you reading?

  • Хто це? [Khto tse?] Who is this?

  • Де вони живуть? [De vony zhyvutʹ?] Where do they live?

  • Коли ви приїдете? [Koly vy pryyidete?] When will you arrive?

  • Чому він запізнився? [Chomu vin zapiznyvsya?] Why was he late?

  • Як ти це зробив? [Yak ty tse zrobyv?] How did you do this?

  • Скільки це коштує? [Skilʹky tse koshtuye?] How much does this cost?

  • Який фільм ти дивився? [Yakyy filʹm ty dyvyvsya?] Which movie did you watch?

Negative Questions

Negative questions are formed by adding the particle не [ne] to the verb. These questions can imply surprise, expectation, or confirmation.

Examples:

  • Ти не читаєш книгу? [Ty ne chytayesh knyhu?] Aren’t you reading the book?

  • Хіба він не знає відповідь? [Khiba vin ne znaye vidpovidʹ?] Doesn’t he know the answer?

  • Чому ти не прийшов? [Chomu ty ne pryyshov?] Why didn’t you come?

Alternative Questions

Alternative questions provide two or more options and use the conjunction чи [chy] or або [abo] (or).

Examples:

  • Ти будеш чай чи каву? [Ty budesh chay chy kavu?] Will you have tea or coffee?

  • Вона працює чи відпочиває? [Vona pratsyuye chy vidpochyvaye?] Is she working or resting?

  • Ми підемо в парк або на пляж? [My pidemo v park abo na plyazh?] Will we go to the park or the beach?

Rhetorical Questions

Rhetorical questions are used for effect rather than to elicit information. They often imply a statement or emphasize a point.

Examples:

  • Хто цього не знає? [Khto tsoho ne znaye?] Who doesn’t know this?

  • Чому я маю це робити? [Chomu ya mayu tse robyty?] Why should I do this?

Questions in Indirect Speech

Indirect questions are introduced by the conjunction що [shcho] (that) or чи [chy] (whether). The word order in the subordinate clause remains the same as in a declarative sentence.

Examples:

  • Я запитав, чи ти читаєш книгу. [Ya zapytav, chy ty chytayesh knyhu.] I asked if you are reading the book.

  • Він хоче знати, що ти читаєш. [Vin khoche znaty, shcho ty chytayesh.] He wants to know what you are reading.

Politeness in Questions

To make questions more polite, you can add the word будь ласка [budʹ laska] (please) or soften the tone.

Examples:

  • Ви можете допомогти, будь ласка? [Vy mozhete dopomohty, budʹ laska?] Can you help, please?

  • Скажіть, будь ласка, де вокзал? [Skazhitʹ, budʹ laska, de vokzal?] Can you tell me, please, where the station is?

Relative Clauses in Ukrainian

A relative clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a noun (or pronoun) in the main clause. The noun being modified is called the antecedent. In Ukrainian, relative clauses are introduced by specific relative words, such as який [yakyy] (which, that, who), що [shcho] (that), or де [de] (where).

Relative Pronouns in Ukrainian

The most commonly used relative pronouns in Ukrainian are:

  • який/яка/яке/які [yakyy/yaka/yake/yaki] - which, who, that

  • що [shcho] - that, which

  • чий/чия/чиє/чиї [chyy/chyya/chyye/chyyi] - whose

  • котрий/котра/котре/котрі [kotryy/kotra/kotre/kotri] - which (less common)

Relative pronouns agree with the gender, number, and case of the noun they refer to, depending on their role in the relative clause.

Examples:

  • Це книга, яка цікава. [Tse knyha, yaka tsikava.] This is a book that is interesting.

  • Людина, яку я знаю, дуже добра. [Lyudyna, yaku ya znayu, duzhe dobra.] The person whom I know is very kind.

Relative Adverbs

Relative adverbs are used to introduce relative clauses that describe circumstances such as time, place, or manner. Common relative adverbs in Ukrainian include:

  • де [de] - where

  • коли [koly] - when

  • як [yak] - how

  • чому [chomu] - why

Examples:

  • Місце, де ми зустрілися, було чудовим. [Mistse, de my zustrilysya, bulo chudovym.] The place where we met was wonderful.

  • Час, коли ми жили там, був незабутнім. [Chas, koly my zhyly tam, buv nezabutnim.] The time when we lived there was unforgettable.

Using "Який" and Its Variations

The relative pronoun який [yakyy] and its variations are the most versatile and commonly used in Ukrainian. They modify the antecedent by agreeing with it in gender, number, and case.

  1. Gender and Number Agreement:

    • Masculine singular: який [yakyy]

    • Feminine singular: яка [yaka]

    • Neuter singular: яке [yake]

    • Plural (all genders): які [yaki]

Examples:

  • Це хлопець, який працює в школі. [Tse khlopetsʹ, yakyy pratsyuye v shkoli.] This is the boy who works at the school.

  • Це дівчина, яка любить музику. [Tse divchyna, yaka lyubyt muzyku.] This is the girl who loves music.

  • Це місто, яке ми відвідали торік. [Tse misto, yake my vidvidaly torik.] This is the city that we visited last year.

  • Це діти, які граються в саду. [Tse dity, yaki hrayutsya v sadu.] These are the children who are playing in the garden.

  1. Case Agreement: The case of який depends on its grammatical function in the relative clause.

Examples:

  • Це людина, яку я бачив. [Tse lyudyna, yaku ya bachyv.] This is the person whom I saw. (Accusative case)

  • Це чоловік, з яким я розмовляв. [Tse cholovik, z yakym ya rozmovlyav.] This is the man with whom I spoke. (Instrumental case)

  • Це дім, у якому я живу. [Tse dim, u yakomu ya zhyvu.] This is the house in which I live. (Locative case)

Using "Що" in Relative Clauses

The pronoun що [shcho] is less specific than який but is often used in everyday speech, especially when the antecedent is a neuter noun or a general idea.

Examples:

  • Це те, що я шукаю. [Tse te, shcho ya shukayu.] This is what I am looking for.

  • Книга, що лежить на столі, моя. [Knyha, shcho lezhyt na stoli, moya.] The book that is lying on the table is mine.

Relative Clauses with Prepositions

When a relative clause includes a preposition, the preposition is placed before the relative pronoun, not at the end of the clause (as in English).

Examples:

  • Це будинок, у якому я живу. [Tse budynok, u yakomu ya zhyvu.] This is the house in which I live.

  • Це людина, про яку я вам розповідав. [Tse lyudyna, pro yaku ya vam rozpovidav.] This is the person about whom I told you.

Relative Clauses Without an Antecedent

In some cases, relative clauses can stand alone without an explicit antecedent. This is common with phrases like той, хто [toy, khto] (the one who) or те, що [te, shcho] (that which).

Examples:

  • Той, хто працює, отримає нагороду. [Toy, khto pratsyuye, otrymaye nahorodu.] The one who works will receive a reward.

  • Те, що ти сказав, мене здивувало. [Te, shcho ty skazav, mene zdyvuvalo.] What you said surprised me.

Combining Relative Clauses with Complex Sentences

Relative clauses can be part of more complex sentences. These structures often include multiple clauses that interact with each other.

Example:

  • Це дім, у якому живе сім’я, яка переїхала сюди торік. [Tse dim, u yakomu zhyve sim’ya, yaka pereyikhala syudy torik.] This is the house in which the family that moved here last year lives.

Relative Clauses in Formal and Informal Speech

In formal writing and speech, relative clauses are typically introduced by який or що and maintain grammatical agreement with the antecedent. In informal speech, there may be a tendency to use shorter structures or omit relative pronouns if the meaning is clear.

Formal Example:

  • Це документ, який ми підготували разом. [Tse dokument, yakyy my pidhotuvaly razom.] This is the document that we prepared together.

Informal Example:

  • Це документ, що ми підготували. [Tse dokument, shcho my pidhotuvaly.] This is the document we prepared.

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