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Questions & Answers about Я люблю бігати.
Why is the infinitive form бігати used after люблю in this sentence?
In Ukrainian, when expressing love for an activity, the verb любити is typically followed by an infinitive to indicate the action. Here, бігати (meaning “to run”) acts as the object of люблю, showing that the speaker enjoys running in general.
What does the ending -ю in люблю indicate?
The -ю ending shows that люблю is the first person singular present form of the verb любити (“to love”). It agrees with the subject Я (meaning “I”), making it clear who is doing the loving.
How is бігати different from бігти, and why is the former used here?
Бігати is the imperfective aspect of the verb “to run,” which implies a habitual or repeated action. This is appropriate when expressing a general love for an activity, as in “I love running.” On the other hand, бігти is the perfective aspect and would be used to describe a single, complete instance of running.
Is it necessary to include the subject pronoun Я in sentences like this?
While Ukrainian is a pro-drop language—meaning the subject can sometimes be omitted because the verb form indicates who is acting—using Я makes the sentence clearer, especially for learners. It reinforces that the speaker is referring to themselves.
How does the structure of Я люблю бігати compare to a similar English sentence?
The structure is quite similar to English. In English, you might say “I love running” or “I love to run,” which follows the subject-verb-(infinitive/gerund) pattern. In Ukrainian, Я is the subject, люблю is the conjugated verb, and бігати is an infinitive that functions like a gerund, expressing the action in general terms.