Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Невелика зміна розкладу дала змогу відвідати цікаву лекцію. - A small change in the schedule allowed me to attend an interesting lecture.

“Невелика зміна розкладу” translates roughly as “a small change in the schedule.” Here, “Невелика зміна” is the subject in the nominative case, while “розкладу” is in the genitive case. The genitive “розкладу” shows possession or specification, indicating that the change is related to or belongs to the schedule.

How do the adjectives agree with the nouns in this sentence?

The adjectives match the gender, number, and case of the nouns they modify. In “Невелика зміна,” the adjective “невелика” is feminine singular, matching “зміна” (feminine singular). Similarly, in “цікаву лекцію,” “цікаву” is in its feminine singular accusative form to agree with “лекцію,” which is also feminine singular. This agreement ensures that the descriptive words fit the nouns correctly according to Ukrainian grammar rules.

What does the phrase “дала змогу” mean and how is it used grammatically?

The phrase “дала змогу” literally means “gave the opportunity” and functions as the main predicate of the sentence. The verb “дала” is the past tense of “дати” (to give), and “змогу” (meaning “opportunity” or “chance”) is its direct object. Together, they express that the small change allowed or enabled something—in this case, the opportunity “відвідати” (to attend) an interesting lecture.

Why is the infinitive “відвідати” used after “дала змогу,” and what does it signify?

In Ukrainian, after expressions like “дала змогу” (gave the opportunity), the following verb is used in the infinitive form. “Відвідати” means “to attend” or “to visit” an event. This construction is similar to the English “allowed to attend,” where the infinitive follows the verb phrase that grants permission or enables an action.

What case is “цікаву лекцію” in, and why is that case used here?

“Цікаву лекцію” is in the accusative case. In Ukrainian, when using an infinitive that expresses an action (here, “відвідати” which means “to attend”), the object of that action is in the accusative. The adjective “цікаву” is also in the feminine singular accusative form to agree with “лекцію.” This mirrors the way English uses the direct object after verbs of attendance or participation.

How does the overall word order in this sentence compare to typical Ukrainian sentence structures?

The sentence follows a straightforward Ukrainian word order. The subject (“Невелика зміна розкладу”) comes first, followed by the predicate (“дала змогу”) and the complement in the form of an infinitive phrase (“відвідати цікаву лекцію”). Although Ukrainian word order can be flexible for emphasis, this structure clearly delineates the subject performing an action that enables another action, making it easy to follow for learners.