Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Всі машини червоні.

In Ukrainian, the present tense typically omits the copula (the equivalent of “to be”). So instead of saying “All cars are red,” the language simply states “Всі машини червоні,” with the meaning understood without an explicit “are.”

What does Всі mean, and how does it function in the sentence?

The word Всі means “all.” It functions as a quantifier modifying the noun машини (“cars” or “machines”). In Ukrainian, quantifiers like всі must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case—in this case, the noun is feminine plural in the nominative.

How can I tell that машини is in the plural form?

The singular form is машина (meaning “car”). In Ukrainian, one common way to indicate the plural is by changing the ending; here, машини ends with -и, which is a typical plural ending for feminine nouns in the nominative case.

Why is the adjective червоні written with the ending -і?

Adjectives in Ukrainian must agree with the noun they describe. Since машини is a feminine plural noun in the nominative case, the adjective червоні also takes the nominative plural form. That’s why its ending is -і.

What case are the words in the sentence, and why are they in that case?

All key words—Всі машини and червоні—are in the nominative case. This is because the sentence is a simple declarative statement where машини serves as the subject and червоні is the predicate complement. In such constructions, the nominative case is used for both parts of the sentence.