Замок знаходиться біля річки.

The castle is located by the river.

Breakdown of Замок знаходиться біля річки.

• річка: the river
• біля: by
• знаходитися: to be located
• замок: the castle

Questions & Answers about Замок знаходиться біля річки.

What does Замок mean in this context?

Although замок can mean either “castle” or “lock” in Ukrainian, in this sentence it refers to a castle—a large, historic building usually found in a picturesque or strategic location.

Why is the verb знаходиться used in this sentence, and what does it convey?

Знаходиться is a reflexive verb that translates to “is located” or “lies,” expressing the state of being in a particular place. In Ukrainian, using this reflexive form is a common way to indicate location without needing a separate copula like “is.”

What does the preposition біля mean, and why is it important here?

Біля means “near” or “beside.” It establishes the spatial relationship between the subject (замок) and the object (річки). Importantly, in Ukrainian, біля requires the noun that follows to be in the genitive case.

Why is the noun річки in the genitive case instead of the nominative?

Ukrainian grammar rules dictate that after the preposition біля, the following noun must be in the genitive case. The nominative form річка changes to річки to correctly indicate “near the river.”

How do the inflected forms in the sentence help clarify the relationships between its parts?

The inflections signal the grammatical roles of the words. For instance, the unchanged form замок serves as the subject, while the genitive form річки (triggered by біля) clearly marks the object of the prepositional phrase. This grammatical marking allows for flexible word order without losing clarity about each word’s function.

What role does the reflexive suffix -ся in знаходиться play?

The suffix -ся converts the verb into a reflexive form, which here is used to indicate a state or condition—in this case, the location of the castle. This reflexive formation is typical in Ukrainian when describing where something is situated, effectively conveying the idea of “being located” at a place.