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Questions & Answers about Після обіду може йти дощ.
What does Після обіду mean, and why is обіду in the genitive case?
Після обіду translates to “after lunch” in English. The noun обід (“lunch”) appears in its genitive form (обіду) because the preposition після (“after”) requires its complement to be in the genitive case.
What is the role of the modal word може in this sentence?
Може functions as a modal verb indicating possibility. It conveys that it may rain, rather than stating that rain is definite. This is similar to how we use may in English to express uncertainty.
Why is the verb йти used to describe rain in this context?
In Ukrainian, weather phenomena are often expressed using verbs of motion. The verb йти literally means “to go,” but when referring to the weather—as in йти дощ—it is an idiomatic way to say that rain is falling. This is comparable to similar constructions in other Slavic languages.
How is the overall structure of the sentence organized?
The sentence is structured with a time indicator followed by a modal element and then the weather phenomenon. It starts with Після обіду (“after lunch”), sets the possibility with може (“may”), and finally describes the event with йти дощ (“rain goes” or simply “it may rain”). This order clearly establishes when the event might occur and what the event is.
How does this Ukrainian construction compare to expressing weather conditions in English?
In English, we might say “It may rain after lunch”, using a dummy subject (it) and a modal verb (may). Ukrainian, however, often omits an explicit subject and uses motion verbs like йти to describe weather phenomena. This impersonal construction is typical in Ukrainian weather expressions, making it a distinct but systematic approach compared to English.