У мене є кіт.

I

Breakdown of У мене є кіт.

• мати: to have
• кіт: the cat

Questions & Answers about У мене є кіт.

What does У мене є кіт literally translate to in English?

Literally, it translates to At me is a cat, which conveys the meaning I have a cat. Ukrainian uses this existential structure to express possession.

Why does Ukrainian use the structure У мене є кіт instead of directly translating to I have a cat?

In Ukrainian, possession is typically expressed with an existential construction. Instead of directly using a possessive verb like have, the language employs є (meaning "exists" or "there is") alongside a prepositional phrase (у мене, literally "at me") to indicate that the object exists in relation to the subject.

What is the role of є in this sentence?

Є functions as the existential verb. It is used to assert the existence of something—in this case, that a cat exists in the speaker’s possession. The word is essential for forming sentences that indicate the presence or existence of objects.

Is the word order in У мене є кіт fixed, or can it change without altering the meaning?

Ukrainian word order is relatively flexible because grammatical cases mark the relationships between words. However, У мене є кіт is the most natural and commonly used order for expressing possession. Altering the order might still be understood, but it could affect emphasis or sound less idiomatic.

Why is there no article (like a or the) before кіт in the sentence?

Ukrainian does not have articles; nouns are used without words equivalent to the English a or the. The meaning of indefiniteness or definiteness is inferred from context rather than being explicitly marked by an article.