Breakdown of Моя сім'я збирається на святкову вечерю, щоб відсвяткувати день народження.
мій
my
щоб
in order to
на
for
відсвяткувати
to celebrate
вечеря
the dinner
сім'я
the family
збиратися
to gather
святковий
festive
день народження
the birthday
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Questions & Answers about Моя сім'я збирається на святкову вечерю, щоб відсвяткувати день народження.
What does the verb збирається mean in this sentence?
Збирається is the third-person singular form of the verb збиратися. In this context, it means "is going to" or "is planning to." Even though it appears in the present tense, it expresses a future intention.
Why is the preposition на used before святкову вечерю?
In Ukrainian, на is often used to indicate direction or the destination of an activity. Here, it signals that the family is going "to" the festive dinner. This usage is common when referring to attending events.
How does the clause щоб відсвяткувати день народження function in the sentence?
The clause щоб відсвяткувати день народження is a purpose or intent clause. The word щоб can be understood as "in order to" or "so that," linking the action of gathering to the reason for the event—celebrating a birthday.
What is the significance of using the perfective form відсвяткувати instead of the imperfective святкувати?
The perfective form відсвяткувати emphasizes that the celebration is viewed as a complete, one-time event. If the imperfective святкувати were used, it might imply an ongoing or habitual action. In this sentence, the perfective aspect shows that the celebration is a specific planned occurrence.
How do the adjective and noun agree in the phrase Моя сім'я?
In Ukrainian, adjectives must agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case. Сім'я (family) is a feminine singular noun, so the possessive adjective моя also takes the feminine singular form—even though a family consists of multiple people, it is grammatically treated as singular.
What does the phrase день народження literally mean, and why is it used for "birthday"?
День народження literally translates as "day of birth." It is the standard way in Ukrainian to refer to a "birthday." This literal construction is common in many Slavic languages and conveys the same meaning as the English term.
Why is there a comma before щоб in the sentence?
The comma before щоб separates the main clause from the subordinate purpose clause. This punctuation clarifies that the reason for the family gathering (to celebrate a birthday) is provided in a distinct, dependent clause, thereby aiding comprehension.