Я даю змогу другу слухати музику.

I allow my friend to listen to music.

Breakdown of Я даю змогу другу слухати музику.

• я: I
• друг: the friend
• музика: the music
• слухати: to listen
• дати змогу: to allow

Questions & Answers about Я даю змогу другу слухати музику.

Why is the noun другу in this sentence in the dative case?

In Ukrainian, the dative case is used to mark the indirect object—or the beneficiary—of an action. In this sentence, другу (meaning "to the friend") is in the dative because the friend receives the opportunity being given. The construction shows that the speaker is granting or allowing the friend something, hence the use of the dative.

What does the phrase даю змогу literally mean, and how does it function to express allowance?

The phrase даю змогу literally translates to "I give the opportunity" or "I provide the chance." It is a common construction in Ukrainian to express that someone is being allowed or enabled to do something. Here, it conveys that the speaker is granting the friend the opportunity to listen to music—similar to saying "I let my friend listen to music" in English.

Why is the infinitive слухати used after змогу, and what role does it play in the sentence structure?

In Ukrainian, when expressing that someone is given the opportunity or permission to perform an action, the verb that describes the action is typically used in its infinitive form. Слухати means "to listen" and it directly follows змогу to show what action the opportunity entails. This pattern is standard and helps maintain clarity by linking the concept of opportunity with the action being permitted.

Could this sentence be rephrased using a different verb like дозволяю instead of даю змогу? What would be the difference in nuance?

Yes, the sentence could be rephrased as Я дозволяю другу слухати музику. Both forms express that the friend is being allowed to listen to music. However, даю змогу emphasizes the idea of providing an opportunity or chance, while дозволяю focuses directly on granting permission. The choice between the two depends on the nuance the speaker wishes to convey.

Is the word order in Я даю змогу другу слухати музику fixed, or can it be rearranged for emphasis in Ukrainian?

Ukrainian has a relatively flexible word order due to its case system, which clearly marks grammatical relationships. The given word order is standard: the subject (Я), then the verb (даю), followed by the object (змогу), the beneficiary (другу), and finally the infinitive phrase (слухати музику). While you can rearrange parts of the sentence for emphasis, doing so may alter the focus or cause ambiguity. The provided order is both clear and conventional.