Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: У кав'ярні відчувається чудовий аромат свіжої кави. - In the coffee shop, there is a wonderful aroma of fresh coffee.

У кав'ярні means “in the café.” The preposition у indicates location, and кав'ярні is the locative case form of кав'ярня (“café”). This structure is similar to saying “in the café” in English, clearly showing where the sensory experience (the aroma) occurs.

What is the role of the reflexive verb відчувається in this sentence?

The verb відчувається translates roughly to “is felt” or “can be sensed.” It is used in a reflexive, impersonal construction common in Ukrainian for sensory perceptions. This form implies that the aroma is experienced without an active subject, much like the impersonal English expression “There is a wonderful aroma…”

Why is свіжої кави in the genitive case, and how does it relate to the noun аромат?

In Ukrainian, when expressing a quality like “the aroma of fresh coffee,” the noun describing the source (кави, meaning “coffee”) is put in the genitive case to indicate possession or association. The adjective свіжої agrees with кави in the genitive, feminine, singular form. This is comparable to the “of” construction in English, showing that the aroma comes from fresh coffee.

How do adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in чудовий аромат свіжої кави?

In чудовий аромат, the adjective чудовий is masculine, singular, and in the nominative case to match аромат. In свіжої кави, свіжої is the feminine, singular, genitive form that agrees with кави. This illustrates the importance of adjective-noun agreement in gender, number, and case in Ukrainian.

What is the purpose of the apostrophe in кав'ярні?

The apostrophe in кав'ярні signals a phonetic separation, indicating that the preceding consonant should not be palatalized before the following sound. This orthographic detail helps ensure correct pronunciation, especially in words that are borrowings or have undergone specific phonetic adaptations in Ukrainian.