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Questions & Answers about У мене є копія.
What does У мене є копія mean in English?
It means I have a copy. Literally, the sentence breaks down as "at me is copy", which in natural English is rendered as "I have a copy".
What is the role of the preposition У in this sentence?
The preposition У indicates location or possession. In the phrase У мене, it literally means "at me" and is used to express that something belongs to or exists with the speaker, much like the Russian "у меня".
Why is the verb є included in the sentence?
The verb є functions as an existential or linking verb similar to the English "is/are". It connects the possessor (У мене) with the possessed noun (копія), thereby conveying that the copy exists in the speaker’s possession.
Why is there no article such as a or the before копія?
Ukrainian does not have articles like English. The definiteness or indefiniteness of a noun is determined by context, not by an article. In this sentence, копія stands alone, and from context it is understood to mean "a copy".
What does the word копія mean and what is its grammatical gender?
Копія means "copy" in English. It is a feminine noun in Ukrainian. Its form in this sentence is the nominative case because it serves as the existent item that the speaker possesses.
Can the sentence be alternatively expressed using the verb мати?
Yes, it can. An equivalent expression is Я маю копію, which also means "I have a copy." Although both constructions are correct, У мене є копія is more common in everyday Ukrainian to indicate possession.
What case is the pronoun in У мене and why is it used that way?
In У мене, the pronoun мене (appearing as мене in some contexts but traditionally fixed as мене after У) is in the genitive case. This is standard in Ukrainian possessive constructions with the preposition У, similar to how possession is expressed in Russian with у меня.