Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Вони обговорюють ціну нового авто. - They are discussing the price of the new car.

The sentence follows a Subject–Verb–Object pattern. Вони is the subject (nominative case), обговорюють is the verb in the third person plural present tense, and ціна нового авто is the object. Within the object, ціна (“price”) is in the accusative case, and нового авто (“of the new car”) is in the genitive case to indicate possession.

Why is the adjective нового in the genitive form instead of the nominative form?

In Ukrainian, adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify. Although the base form of the adjective is новий (“new”), it appears as нового here because it agrees with авто (a shortened form of автомобіль) in the genitive case. The genitive is required since the phrase expresses possession—the price of the new car.

How is the noun авто treated in this sentence, especially regarding declension?

Авто is an abbreviated form of автомобіль. In everyday usage, авто is often treated as an indeclinable noun. However, its relationship with ціна (price) is shown by the modifying adjective нового, which is in the genitive masculine form. This indicates that even if авто appears unchanged, it is understood to be in a possessive (genitive) relationship.

Why is there no equivalent to the English definite article "the" before price or car?

Ukrainian does not use articles like English does. Definiteness or indefiniteness is inferred largely from context. So, although English requires "the price" or "the new car," Ukrainian conveys the same meaning without any articles.

What does the verb обговорюють mean and how is it conjugated?

The verb обговорюють comes from обговорювати, meaning to discuss. In this sentence, it is conjugated in the 3rd person plural present tense, matching the subject Вони (“they”). Ukrainian does not have a separate continuous form, so обговорюють can be understood as either "discuss" or "are discussing" depending on the context.

How does the expression ціна нового авто reflect the idea of possession in Ukrainian?

In Ukrainian, possession is often shown by using the genitive case rather than a preposition (like English "of"). In ціна нового авто, ціна (“price”) is the head noun, and нового авто (“of the new car”) is in the genitive case to indicate that the price belongs to or is associated with the new car.