Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Ukrainian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Море синє.
What does Море синє mean in English?
It translates to “The sea is blue.” Note that Ukrainian does not use articles like “the,” so the meaning is inferred from context.
Why is there no explicit verb (like “is”) in the sentence?
In Ukrainian, the present tense of the verb “to be” is typically omitted. The structure Море синє implicitly means “The sea is blue,” with the linking verb understood by speakers.
What grammatical gender and case are present in the sentence?
The noun Море is neuter and appears in the nominative singular. The adjective синє is also in the neuter nominative singular form, ensuring proper agreement with the noun.
Why does the adjective синє have the ending -є?
The ending -є is the standard form for neuter adjectives in the nominative singular in Ukrainian. It directly agrees with море, which is a neuter noun.
Can the word order be changed, for example, to Синє море, and does it affect the meaning?
Yes, Синє море is a noun phrase meaning “blue sea.” However, Море синє is a complete predicative sentence meaning “The sea is blue.” The difference lies in structure—one is a descriptive phrase, and the other is a full sentence where the adjective acts as the predicate describing the state of the sea.
How does adjective agreement in Ukrainian differ from English adjective usage?
In Ukrainian, adjectives change their form (endings) to agree with the noun’s gender, number, and case, as seen with синє matching море. In English, adjectives do not change form regardless of the noun they modify.