Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Атмосфера в кафе була затишною, тому я залишився там довше. - The atmosphere in the cafe was cozy, so I stayed there longer.

In Ukrainian, when using the linking verb була (“was”), adjectives that describe a state or quality are often placed in the instrumental case. This shows that затишною (cozy) functions as a predicate complement describing атмосфера (atmosphere), even though the subject remains in the nominative case.

What role does the word тому play in this sentence?

The word тому acts as a conjunction or adverb meaning "therefore" or "so." It links the two clauses by indicating a cause-effect relationship: because the atmosphere in the cafe was cozy, the speaker stayed there longer.

Why is there a comma before тому in the sentence?

The comma is used to separate two independent clauses. In this sentence, the first clause describes a condition (the cozy atmosphere), and the second expresses the consequence (staying longer). Ukrainian punctuation rules often require a comma before conjunctions like тому that introduce a result.

How is the phrase залишився там довше structured grammatically?

The phrase breaks down as follows: залишився is the past tense, reflexive verb meaning “stayed” (with the reflexive ending -ся); там is an adverb meaning "there," indicating location; and довше is a comparative adverb meaning “longer,” specifying an extended duration. Together, they tell us that the speaker remained in that location for a longer period.

What is the function of the prepositional phrase в кафе, and why doesn’t кафе change its form?

The prepositional phrase в кафе indicates the location where the described atmosphere was experienced. The noun кафе is a borrowing (often from French or international usage) and is typically indeclinable in Ukrainian; therefore, its form remains unchanged regardless of the preposition.

How does subject-predicate agreement work in the clause Атмосфера в кафе була затишною?

In this clause, атмосфера is a feminine noun serving as the subject. The predicate adjective затишною is in the instrumental case and agrees with атмосфера in gender and number. This agreement, along with the use of the instrumental after the linking verb була, conforms to standard Ukrainian grammar rules.

Why is the verb залишився in its masculine form?

The form залишився is used because the speaker is male. In Ukrainian, past tense verbs agree in gender with the subject. If a female speaker were conveying the same action, she would use the feminine form залишилася.