Understanding Ukrainian Adjective Agreement
In Ukrainian, adjectives are words that describe nouns. They tell us more about the noun, like its color, size, or how many there are. Just like in English, adjectives must match the noun they describe, but in Ukrainian, this is a bit more complex because adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe.
Nouns in Ukrainian can be masculine, feminine, or neuter. Adjectives must change their endings to match the gender of the noun.
Examples
- великий будинок (big house) - masculine
- велика книга (big book) - feminine
- велике вікно (big window) - neuter
Nouns can be singular or plural. Adjectives must also change to match the number of the noun they describe.
Examples
- маленький кіт (small cat) - singular
- маленькі коти (small cats) - plural
Ukrainian has seven cases, which change the form of the noun and adjective depending on their role in the sentence. Adjectives must agree with the case of the noun.
Examples
- Номінатив: новий телефон (new phone)
- Родовий: нового телефону (of a new phone)
- Давальний: новому телефону (to a new phone)
Important Points
- Adjectives change their endings based on the gender of the noun.
- Adjectives change their endings based on the number of the noun.
- Adjectives change their endings based on the case of the noun.
By understanding and practicing these rules, you can use adjectives correctly in Ukrainian and make your sentences clear and accurate. Remember, practice makes perfect!