Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Петро читає книгу тому що книга цікава. - Petro reads a book because the book is interesting.

It means "because". In Ukrainian, тому що is a compound subordinating conjunction used to introduce a clause that explains the reason or cause. Here, it connects the main clause with the explanation of why Peter is reading the book.

Why is the noun книга changed to книгу in the sentence?

In Ukrainian, nouns change their endings depending on their role in the sentence. Книга is the dictionary (nominative) form meaning "book." Since it is the direct object of the verb читає ("reads"), it appears in the accusative case, which for the feminine noun книга becomes книгу.

What is the form of the verb читає and what does it indicate about the subject?

The verb читає is the third person singular present tense form of the imperfective verb читати ("to read"). It indicates that the subject, Петро (Peter), is currently performing the action. The imperfective aspect also shows that the action is ongoing or habitual rather than completed.

Should there be a comma before тому що in this sentence?

According to standard Ukrainian punctuation rules, a comma is typically placed before a subordinating conjunction like тому що when it introduces a subordinate clause. Therefore, the formally correct punctuation would be: "Петро читає книгу, тому що книга цікава." However, in casual or informal writing, punctuation may sometimes be omitted.

How does the adjective цікава agree with the noun it describes?

The adjective цікава agrees with the noun книга in gender, number, and case. Since книга is feminine, singular, and in the nominative case in the subordinate clause, the adjective цікава also appears in its feminine singular nominative form. This agreement is essential for maintaining grammatical consistency in Ukrainian sentences.

Why is книга repeated in the subordinate clause instead of using a pronoun?

Repeating книга in the subordinate clause (книга цікава) serves to clarify which object is being discussed. It emphasizes that the book itself has an interesting quality, which is the reason for Peter’s action. While using a pronoun (like її) would be grammatically acceptable, repeating the noun helps to avoid ambiguity, especially for learners who are still getting familiar with sentence structure.