Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Ukrainian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Петро сидить серед друзів.
What case does the noun друзів take in this sentence and why?
друзів is in the genitive plural form. In Ukrainian, the preposition серед (meaning "among" or "in the midst of") requires the following noun to be in the genitive case. Although the basic plural form of "friend" is друзі (nominative), it changes to друзів in the genitive.
What does the verb сидить indicate in terms of tense and aspect?
The verb сидить is the third-person singular present tense form of сидіти ("to sit"). It expresses a current or habitual action, similar to how English uses "sits" or "is sitting" in the present tense. Note that Ukrainian does not have a distinct continuous tense, so the simple present form covers both simple and ongoing actions.
How does the word order in Петро сидить серед друзів compare to English?
The sentence follows a subject-verb-adverbial phrase structure, which is similar to English. Петро (the subject) comes first, followed by сидить (the verb), and then серед друзів (an adverbial phrase indicating location). Although Ukrainian word order can be flexible due to its case system, this ordering is natural and directly parallels the English "Petro sits among friends."
Why are there no articles such as “the” or “a” in this sentence?
Ukrainian does not use articles at all, unlike English. The absence of articles in Петро сидить серед друзів is completely standard. Definite or indefinite meanings are understood from context rather than marked by words like “the” or “a”.
What is notable about the usage of Петро in this sentence?
Петро is a proper noun in the nominative case, functioning as the subject of the sentence. While many Ukrainian names can change form when declined into other cases, in the nominative form—used for the subject—the name remains as Петро. This makes it clear who is performing the action.