Петро розмовляє з братом.

Petro

Breakdown of Петро розмовляє з братом.

• брат: the brother
• з: with
• розмовляти: to speak

Questions & Answers about Петро розмовляє з братом.

What does the preposition з indicate in this sentence?

The preposition з means “with.” In Ukrainian, when expressing that someone is talking with another person, the preposition з is used along with the instrumental case, which is why брат becomes братом.

Why is the noun брат changed to братом?

The ending -ом marks the noun as being in the instrumental case. In this context, after the preposition з (“with”), Ukrainian requires the accompanying noun to appear in the instrumental case, hence брат (brother) transforms into братом.

What is the grammatical form of the verb розмовляє and why is it used here?

Розмовляє is the third person singular present tense form of the verb розмовляти (“to talk” or “to converse”). It agrees with the subject Петро, indicating that he is performing the action of talking.

Why doesn’t the sentence include a possessive like “his” before братом?

Ukrainian often relies on context to show relationships. In this case, the use of the instrumental case with з implies that Петро is talking with his own brother. Adding a possessive is not necessary unless extra emphasis or clarity is needed.

Can the word order of this sentence be rearranged without changing its meaning?

Yes, Ukrainian allows for flexible word order. Although Петро розмовляє з братом follows the typical subject-verb-object (SVO) order, alternate arrangements (like starting with з братом) are possible and can be used to emphasize different parts of the sentence without altering the overall meaning.