Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Ukrainian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Петро читає мені книгу.
What is the grammatical role of Петро in the sentence?
Петро is the subject of the sentence. It is in the nominative case and performs the action expressed by the verb читає.
What function does мені serve, and why is it in the dative case?
Мені acts as the indirect object, answering the question to whom the book is being read. In Ukrainian, the dative case is used to indicate recipients or beneficiaries of an action—much like the English preposition to in to me.
Why is книгу in the accusative case, and what does that indicate about its role in the sentence?
Книгу is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb читає. It designates what is being read, and the accusative form shows that this noun is directly affected by the action of the verb.
How does the verb form читає agree with the subject in this sentence?
The verb читає is the third person singular form of читати. It agrees with Петро, which is a singular noun in the third person. Ukrainian verbs change their endings based on the person and number of the subject.
Is it possible to change the word order in this sentence without changing its overall meaning?
Yes, Ukrainian has a relatively free word order thanks to its case system. For example, you could say Книгу читає мені Петро to emphasize the object книгу. Despite the rearrangement, the cases (nominative for Петро, dative for мені, and accusative for книгу) ensure that the roles of each component remain clear.