Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Мій батько сильний.

In Ukrainian, the present tense of the verb to be is typically omitted. The sentence is understood to mean "My father is strong" without needing an explicit verb, which is a common feature in Ukrainian for stating simple facts.

How do the words in the sentence agree with each other in terms of gender, number, and case?

Each word follows Ukrainian agreement rules. The noun батько (father) is masculine, singular, and in the nominative case. Consequently, both the possessive adjective Мій (my) and the predicate adjective сильний (strong) are also in the masculine singular nominative form, ensuring proper grammatical agreement.

What does each word in the sentence "Мій батько сильний." translate to in English?

The word Мій means "my", батько means "father", and сильний means "strong". Together, they form the sentence "My father is strong".

Can the word order be changed, for example by moving the adjective so it comes before the noun, and how would that affect the meaning?

Yes, changing the word order is possible. For instance, Мій сильний батько can be used to mean "my strong father" with the adjective directly modifying the noun. In Мій батько сильний, the adjective follows the subject as a predicate, offering a plain statement about his strength. The shift in order can subtly change the emphasis—from a descriptive quality that inherently belongs to the father to a straightforward assertion about his strength.

Why is the first word Мій capitalized in the sentence?

The word Мій is capitalized because it is the first word in the sentence. In Ukrainian, as in English, the first word of a sentence always starts with a capital letter, regardless of its type or function.