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Questions & Answers about Я люблю друзів.
What does each word in Я люблю друзів. mean?
• Я translates to I.
• люблю is the first-person singular present form of любити, meaning love.
• друзів means friends, rendered in a form that marks it as the object of the verb.
Why is the noun друзів not in the nominative plural form (which would be друзі)?
In Ukrainian, when a direct object is animate, the accusative case takes the same form as the genitive. Since друзів is an animate noun referring to friends, it appears in this form instead of the nominative друзі.
How do animacy rules influence the object form in this sentence?
Animacy rules in Ukrainian dictate that for animate nouns, the accusative case mirrors the genitive form. This means that when the object (like друзів) is animate, its form changes from the nominative (друзі) to match the genitive/accusative pattern.
Is the word order in Я люблю друзів. similar to English, and can it be varied?
Yes, the sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object order, just like English’s I love friends. Additionally, thanks to Ukrainian’s rich case system, the word order is flexible and can be rearranged for emphasis without altering the overall meaning.
What is the base form of the verb люблю, and how is it conjugated in Ukrainian?
The base form is любити (to love). Here’s its present tense conjugation:
• Я люблю – I love
• Ти любиш – You love (singular, informal)
• Він/Вона любить – He/She loves
• Ми любимо – We love
• Ви любите – You love (plural or formal)
• Вони люблять – They love