Infinitive (imperfective): вчи́ти (also written учи́ти) — "to teach (someone)"; secondarily "to study, to memorise" Companion imperfective: навча́ти — "to teach, to instruct (someone in something)" Type: two imperfective verbs of teaching with overlapping but not identical government; both pair with perfective навчи́ти "to teach (and succeed)"
вчи́ти and навча́ти both mean "to teach", and Ukrainian uses both freely — but they are not perfect synonyms, and вчи́ти carries an extra, very common meaning. навча́ти is the slightly more formal, "instruct in a subject" verb; вчи́ти is the everyday "teach," and it also means "to study / learn by heart" when the subject is doing the learning (вчи́ти ві́рш "memorise a poem," вчи́ти уро́ки "do one's lessons / homework"). This double life is the first thing to get straight: depending on context, Я вчу́ англі́йську can mean "I'm learning English," while Я вчу́ діте́й англі́йської means "I teach children English."
The government is the trickiest part for English speakers. In the "teach" sense, both verbs take the person taught in the accusative and the subject taught in the genitive: навча́ти діте́й му́зики "teach children music." English has no case to mark this — "teach somebody something" puts both nouns in the same flat form — so the accusative-plus-genitive split has to be learned deliberately. There is also a stress trap inside вчи́ти: its present has mobile stress, end-stressed in вчу́ but root-stressed everywhere else. Stress is marked on every form below.
Present tense — вчу́ / вчиш (mobile stress!)
вчи́ти is a second-conjugation verb with mobile (shifting) stress, and the pattern is subtler than "one stress, then another." The 1st-person singular is end-stressed вчу́. The singular middle persons pull the stress back onto the root и — вчиш, вчить — but the plural endings -имо / -ите take the stress again: вчимо́, вчите́ (a general rule of Ukrainian verb endings). Only the 3rd plural вчать settles back on the root. So the stress zig-zags: end → root → end → root. This is a genuine learner trap, because the natural instinct is to keep one stress throughout — and learners almost always flatten вчимо́ / вчите́ to root stress.
| Person | вчи́ти — PRESENT | English |
|---|---|---|
| я | вчу́ | I teach / study |
| ти | вчиш | you teach / study (sg.) |
| він / вона́ / воно́ | вчить | he / she / it teaches |
| ми | вчимо́ | we teach |
| ви | вчите́ | you teach (pl./formal) |
| вони́ | вчать | they teach |
The variant spelling учи́ти conjugates identically with the same stress pattern, just with у- at the start: учу́, у́чиш, у́чить, учимо́, учите́, у́чать — the у-/в- alternation is purely about the preceding sound, not a different verb. Use the в- forms after a vowel and at the start of a sentence; the у- forms after a consonant.
Я вчу́ діте́й гра́ти на піані́но вже де́сять ро́ків.
I've been teaching children to play the piano for ten years now. (вчу́ — note the END stress in the 1sg.)
Вона́ вчить математику в стара́ших кла́сах.
She teaches maths in the senior grades. (3sg вчить — root-stressed, unlike вчу́.)
навча́ти — present tense (regular -а- verb)
навча́ти is a first-conjugation -а- verb with no stress surprises: stress sits on -ча́- throughout. It is the more formal "teach / instruct" and is the verb you'll meet in education contexts.
| Person | навча́ти — PRESENT | English |
|---|---|---|
| я | навча́ю | I teach / instruct |
| ти | навча́єш | you teach |
| він / вона́ / воно́ | навча́є | he / she / it teaches |
| ми | навча́ємо | we teach |
| ви | навча́єте | you teach |
| вони́ | навча́ють | they teach |
Цей профе́сор навча́є студе́нтів кри́тично ми́слити, а не зубри́ти.
This professor teaches students to think critically, not to cram. (навча́є студе́нтів + infinitive.)
Past tense — вчи́в (impf) vs навча́в (impf)
Both pasts are regular. вчи́ти: вчи́в / вчи́ла (root-stressed -чи́-). навча́ти: навча́в / навча́ла (suffix-stressed -ча́-). The perfective навчи́ти gives навчи́в / навчи́ла "taught (successfully)."
| Gender / number | вчи́ти (impf) | навча́ти (impf) | навчи́ти (pf) |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | вчи́в | навча́в | навчи́в |
| feminine | вчи́ла | навча́ла | навчи́ла |
| neuter | вчи́ло | навча́ло | навчи́ло |
| plural | вчи́ли | навча́ли | навчи́ли |
The imperfective говорить about the activity of teaching; the perfective навчи́в asserts the result — the learner actually came to know or be able to do the thing.
Ба́буся навчи́ла мене́ пекти́ хліб, і те́пер я ро́блю це щоти́жня.
Grandma taught me to bake bread, and now I do it every week. (Perfective навчи́ла — the skill stuck; навчи́ти + accusative + infinitive.)
У шко́лі нас вчи́ли каліграфії, але́ я все одно́ пишу́ жахли́во.
At school they taught us calligraphy, but I still write terribly. (Imperfective вчи́ли — the activity, with no claim it worked.)
Future tense
Perfective навчи́ти — the simple future
The shared perfective навчи́ти forms its future from its present-form, second-conjugation with the same zig-zag mobile stress as вчи́ти: end-stressed навчу́, root-stressed навчи́ш / навчи́ть, then ending-stressed again навчимо́ / навчите́, and back to the root in навча́ть. It promises that the learner will end up knowing the thing.
| Person | навчи́ти — FUTURE | English |
|---|---|---|
| я | навчу́ | I'll teach |
| ти | навчи́ш | you'll teach |
| він / вона́ / воно́ | навчи́ть | he / she / it will teach |
| ми | навчимо́ | we'll teach |
| ви | навчите́ | you'll teach |
| вони́ | навча́ть | they'll teach |
Дай мені́ ти́ждень — і я навчу́ тебе́ води́ти маши́ну.
Give me a week and I'll teach you to drive. (Perfective future навчу́ + accusative + infinitive.)
Imperfective futures — both ways
Both вчи́ти and навча́ти build their imperfective future analytically (бу́ду + infinitive) or synthetically (the -му form), framing an ongoing or repeated teaching.
| Person | вчи́ти — analytic | навча́ти — synthetic (-му) |
|---|---|---|
| я | бу́ду вчи́ти | навча́тиму |
| ти | бу́деш вчи́ти | навча́тимеш |
| він / вона́ / воно́ | бу́де вчи́ти | навча́тиме |
| ми | бу́демо вчи́ти | навча́тимемо |
| ви | бу́дете вчи́ти | навча́тимете |
| вони́ | бу́дуть вчи́ти | навча́тимуть |
Наступного ро́ку я навча́тиму першокла́сників — тро́хи хвилю́юся.
Next year I'll be teaching first-graders — I'm a little nervous. (Imperfective future навча́тиму — an ongoing role.)
Imperative
The imperfective вчи / вчіть and навча́й / навча́йте urge the ongoing activity; the perfective навчи́ / навчі́ть asks for the result. Note вчи (teach / study) and вчи́сь (learn) differ only by the -ся.
| Addressee | вчи́ти (impf) | навча́ти (impf) | навчи́ти (pf) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ти (informal) | вчи | навча́й | навчи́ |
| ви (formal / plural) | вчіть | навча́йте | навчі́ть |
| 3rd person (let…) | хай / неха́й вчить | хай / неха́й навча́є | хай / неха́й навчить |
Навчи́ мене́ зав’я́зувати ці ву́зли — у похо́ді знадо́биться.
Teach me to tie these knots — it'll come in handy on a hike. (Perfective навчи́ — produce the skill.)
Government
1. Teach: + accusative (person) + genitive (subject)
The signature pattern of both verbs in the "teach" sense: the person taught is accusative, the subject taught is genitive. навча́ти / вчи́ти діте́й му́зики "teach children music"; вчи́ти студе́нтів матема́тики "teach students maths." There is no preposition. This acc + gen split is invisible in English ("teach children music"), so drill it. See the accusative and the genitive.
Ба́тько навча́в нас украї́нської пі́сні зма́лку.
Father taught us Ukrainian song from early childhood. (нас = accusative person, пі́сні = genitive subject.)
2. Teach: + accusative (person) + infinitive
Just as common is accusative person + infinitive — "teach someone to do something." Here the second slot is a verb, not a noun: вчи́ти діте́й чита́ти "teach children to read."
Тре́нер вчить нас пра́вильно ди́хати під час бі́гу.
The coach teaches us to breathe properly while running. (вчить нас + infinitive ди́хати.)
3. вчи́ти = study / memorise: + accusative (thing)
When you are the one mastering the material, вчи́ти takes a plain accusative thing and means "study / learn by heart": вчи́ти ві́рш "memorise a poem," вчи́ти уро́ки "do one's homework," вчи́ти слова́ "learn the words." (навча́ти does not have this meaning.)
Цілий ве́чір вчу́ ві́рш напа́м’ять, а він ніяк не запам’ято́вується.
I've been learning the poem by heart all evening, and it just won't stick. (вчу́ + accusative ві́рш — the 'memorise' sense.)
4. The contrast: вчи́тися = to learn (oneself)
For the unambiguous "learn / study (as a student)," Ukrainian uses the reflexive вчи́тися, which governs what you learn with в/у + genitive of teacher or на + accusative for a qualification. Keeping вчи́ти (teach/memorise) apart from вчи́тися (learn) is half the battle with this root.
Моя́ сестра́ вчи́ться на лі́каря, а я вчу́ її́ англі́йської у ві́льний час.
My sister is training to be a doctor, and I teach her English in my free time. (вчи́ться = learns; вчу́ її́ англі́йської = teach her English, acc + gen.)
Common Mistakes
❌ Я вчи́ діте́й англі́йську.
Two errors: the 1sg is end-stressed вчу́ (not the imperative вчи), and the subject taught is GENITIVE: Я вчу́ діте́й англі́йської.
✅ Я вчу́ діте́й англі́йської.
I teach children English.
❌ Він навча́є студе́нтам фі́зику.
The person taught is ACCUSATIVE (студе́нтів) and the subject GENITIVE (фі́зики), not dative + accusative: Він навча́є студе́нтів фі́зики.
✅ Він навча́є студе́нтів фі́зики.
He teaches students physics.
❌ Я навча́ю украї́нську мо́ву в університе́ті.
When you mean YOU are studying (not teaching others), use вчи́ти or вчи́тися; навча́ти only means 'teach others'. For 'I'm studying' say Я вивча́ю / вчу́ украї́нську.
✅ Я вчу́ украї́нську в університе́ті.
I'm studying Ukrainian at university.
❌ Ми вчи́мо ві́рш.
Stress error — the plural endings -имо / -ите take the accent: it's вчимо́ (and вчите́), not root-stressed вчи́мо. The root stress belongs only to вчиш / вчить in the singular.
✅ Ми вчимо́ ві́рш.
We're learning the poem by heart.
❌ Я хо́чу навчи́ти грати на гіта́рі.
With навчи́ти/вчи́ти + infinitive you must name WHO you teach (accusative) — you can't leave it out as in English 'I want to teach (to) play': Я хо́чу навчи́ти тебе́ грати на гіта́рі. (To say YOU want to learn, use навчи́тися грати.)
✅ Я хо́чу навчи́ти тебе́ грати на гіта́рі.
I want to teach you to play the guitar.
Key Takeaways
- вчи́ти / навча́ти = to teach; вчи́ти also = to study / memorise (вчи́ти ві́рш, вчи́ти уро́ки).
- Zig-zag stress in вчи́ти: end-stressed вчу́ (1sg) → root вчиш / вчить → ending вчимо́ / вчите́ → root вчать. The plural -имо / -ите endings pull the accent off the root, so don't flatten them to *вчи́мо. The у-variant учи́ти (учу́, у́чиш, учимо́…) is the same verb after a consonant.
- навча́ти is a regular -а- verb: навча́ю / навча́єш… — slightly more formal "instruct."
- Government (teach): accusative person + genitive subject (навча́ти діте́й му́зики) or accusative person + infinitive (вчи́ти діте́й чита́ти). Never *студе́нтам фі́зику.
- вчи́ти (study) + accusative thing (вчу́ ві́рш) vs вчи́тися "to learn (as a student)" — keep the -ся straight.
- Perfective навчи́ти "teach successfully": навчу́, навчи́ш, навчимо́…; past навчи́в / навчи́ла.
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- Present Tense: Second ConjugationA1 — The second conjugation (друга дієвідміна) takes the present endings -у/-ю, -иш/-їш, -ить/-їть, -имо/-їмо, -ите/-їте, -ать/-ять, built on the theme vowel -и-/-ї- with a 3pl in -ать/-ять. Drill three models: regular говори́ти (говорю́, гово́риш, гово́рить… гово́рять), labial+л in the 1sg люби́ти (люблю́, лю́биш… лю́блять), and dental mutation in the 1sg ходи́ти (ходжу́, хо́диш… хо́дять) and ба́чити (ба́чу, ба́чиш… ба́чать — -ать, not -ять, after the hushing ч). The key insight: the mutation is confined to the я-form.
- Accusative: Uses Beyond the Direct ObjectB1 — The accusative does more than mark the object — with в/у, на, за, під, через it marks motion TOWARD a target (іду в школу), it expresses bare-preposition duration (чекав годину 'waited an hour'), and it stands in a pivotal contrast with the locative: the same prepositions в/у and на take the accusative for direction (куди? в школу) but the locative for static location (де? в школі).
- Genitive: Possession and 'of'A2 — How Ukrainian shows possession and the English 'of' relationship — by putting the owner in the genitive AFTER the thing owned (кни́га бра́та 'the brother's book', центр мі́ста 'the centre of the city'), with no apostrophe-s and no separate word for 'of', and with the WHOLE possessor phrase declining (маши́на мого́ дру́га), contrasted with possessive pronouns like мій/твій that agree instead.
- Вчитися / Навчитися (to study / learn)B1 — Complete conjugation-and-usage reference for вчи́тися (·учи́тися) / навчи́тися 'to study, to learn' — a reflexive -ся verb with the present вчу́ся / вчи́шся / вчи́ться / вча́ться, the gendered past вчи́вся / вчи́лася, and the perfective навчи́тися. Covers its three government patterns — + у/в+locative (place of study), + infinitive (learn to do), and + genitive of a skill/subject (навчи́тися мо́ви) — and the all-important contrast with non-reflexive вчи́ти 'to teach / to memorise'.
- Вивчати / Вивчити (to study / learn thoroughly)B1 — Complete conjugation-and-usage reference for the aspect pair вивча́ти (impf) / ви́вчити (pf) 'to study, to learn thoroughly, to master'. The imperfective is a regular -ай- verb (вивча́ю, вивча́єш…), but the perfective ви́вчити is PREFIX-STRESSED throughout (ви́вчу, ви́вчиш, ви́вчить, ви́вчать) — the stressed ви- prefix is the headline feature. Government: a direct accusative object (вивча́ти украї́нську, ви́вчити вірш 'memorize a poem'). Contrasts вивча́ти 'study (a subject)' with вчи́тися / навчи́тися 'learn (a skill)' and вчи́ти 'teach'. Covers past вивча́в / ви́вчив, all three futures, and the imperative.
- Знати vs Вміти vs МогтиB1 — The decision page for English 'know' and 'can'. A fact, a piece of information, a language, or a person → зна́ти (+ accusative / що-clause). A learned skill 'know how to' → вмі́ти / умі́ти (+ infinitive). A situational possibility or permission → могти́ (+ infinitive). One test resolves all three: knowledge → знати, acquired skill → вміти, circumstance or permission → могти.