Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Місто велике.

The sentence follows a subject–predicate adjective structure. Місто (city) is the subject, and велике (big) serves as the predicate adjective. Notice there is no linking verb as you would expect in English; Ukrainian typically omits the verb “to be” in the present tense.

Why does the adjective велике end with -е?

In Ukrainian, adjectives must agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case. Since місто is a neuter noun, the adjective велике takes the neuter form, which ends in -е.

Why is there no equivalent of the English verb “is” in this sentence?

Ukrainian sentences in the present tense commonly omit the linking verb “to be.” Thus, instead of saying “The city is big,” the language simply states Місто велике, with the predicate adjective directly describing the subject.

How does the word order in Місто велике compare to typical English structure?

While both Ukrainian and English place the subject before the predicate, Ukrainian does not require the auxiliary verb “to be.” As a result, the sentence is more concise. The adjective follows the noun, which is a common and clear arrangement in Ukrainian.

What case is used for both the noun місто and the adjective велике in this sentence?