Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Я пам'ятаю, як вчора сонце сяяло при гарній погоді. - I remember how yesterday the sun shone during the pleasant weather.

The comma separates the main clause from the subordinate clause that begins with як. In Ukrainian, it’s common to use a comma to mark the boundary between a main clause and a following subordinate clause that explains or describes what is being remembered.

What role does the word як play in this sentence?

Як functions as a subordinating conjunction that introduces the subordinate clause. It connects the main clause (Я пам'ятаю) with the clause describing the remembered event (вчора сонце сяяло при гарній погоді), much like “how” or “when” can in English.

Why is the adverb вчора positioned before the subject сонце instead of after it?

Ukrainian often allows flexible word order. Placing вчора (yesterday) before сонце (the sun) emphasizes the timing of the event. This order is natural in Ukrainian and can help focus the listener’s or reader’s attention on when the event occurred.

What case is used in при гарній погоді, and why is it required here?

In при гарній погоді, both гарній and погоді are in the locative case. The preposition при requires the locative when indicating circumstances such as conditions or the setting in which something occurs—in this case, describing that the sun was shining under nice weather.

How is the verb сяяло formed, and what does it convey in this context?

Сяяло is the third person singular past tense form of the verb сяяти (to shine). It indicates that the sun was shining at a specific moment in the past (yesterday), expressing a completed action in the narrative.

What does Я пам'ятаю mean, and how is the verb conjugated?

Я пам'ятаю means “I remember.” It is the first person singular present tense form of пам'ятати. Even though the main clause is in the present, the subordinate clause describes a past event that the speaker recalls.