У ворот сквера ходит голубь, а на калитке сидит ворона.

to sit

Breakdown of У ворот сквера ходит голубь, а на калитке сидит ворона.

• на: on
• у: by
• ходить: to walk

Questions & Answers about У ворот сквера ходит голубь, а на калитке сидит ворона.

Why is it у ворот, not у ворота?

Because у normally takes the genitive case.

The noun ворота (gate/gates) is a plural-only noun in Russian, so its dictionary form is already plural. Its genitive plural form is ворот.

So:

• ворота = gate/gates
• у ворот = by the gate / near the gates

This is a very common pattern:

• у дома = by the house
• у окна = by the window
• у ворот = by the gate(s)

Why is сквера in the genitive too?

Because ворота сквера means the gates of the square/park.

Here сквера is in the genitive singular because it shows possession or relationship:

• сквер = a small public garden / square / park
• ворота сквера = the gates of the park

So у ворот сквера literally means by the gates of the park.

This is the same idea as:

• дверь дома = the door of the house
• крыша гаража = the roof of the garage

What exactly does сквер mean? Is it the same as English square?