Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Я дивлюся на розклад, щоб знати час.

Я дивлюся is the first-person singular present form of the verb дивитися, which means “to look” or “to watch.” It implies an ongoing or habitual action, so it can be understood as “I am looking” or simply “I look” depending on the context.

What does на розклад mean, and why is the preposition на used here?

Розклад translates to “schedule” or “timetable.” The phrase на розклад means “at the schedule” in the sense of “looking at the schedule.” In Ukrainian, the preposition на is commonly used with verbs like дивитися to indicate the target or object of the action—comparable to the English “to look at.”

What is the role of щоб in this sentence?

Щоб is a conjunction that introduces a purpose clause. It functions much like “in order to” or “so that” in English, explaining the reason behind the main action—in this case, explaining why the speaker is looking at the schedule.

Why is the verb знати used in its base form after щоб?

After щоб, the subordinate purpose clause typically uses the base (infinitive-like) form of the verb when the subject of both clauses is the same. Here, since Я (I) is the subject for both “diving” into the action of looking and the intention (to know), the verb remains in its base form as знати (“to know”).

Why is there a comma before щоб знати час?

A comma is used before щоб знати час because it marks the beginning of a subordinate clause that expresses the purpose of the main action. Ukrainian punctuation rules require separating the main clause from any subordinate clause introduced by conjunctions like щоб.

How flexible is the word order in this sentence, and can it be rearranged?

Ukrainian allows for a flexible word order due to its rich inflectional system, meaning elements of the sentence can often be rearranged for emphasis or style. However, the given structure—main clause followed by the purpose clause—is standard and clear, making it the most straightforward way to convey the intended meaning.