Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Петро змусив мене піти до школи.

In Ukrainian, verbs like змусити (to force/make someone do something) are typically followed by an infinitive. In this sentence, піти acts as the infinitive form of "to go." This construction indicates that Petro caused the action of going to school to occur, similar to the English structure in "Petro forced me to go to school."

Why is мене in the accusative case, and what does that tell me about its role in the sentence?

Мене is the accusative form of the first-person singular pronoun, used here as the direct object of the verb змусив. Since the person being forced is directly affected by the action, Ukrainian grammar requires the use of the accusative case. This marking clearly shows that I am the one who was made to go to school.

What is the aspect of the verb піти, and why is it used instead of its imperfective counterpart?

Піти is the perfective aspect of the verb meaning "to go," which indicates a completed, one-time action. The imperfective form (such as йти) would suggest an ongoing, habitual, or repeated action. Since the sentence describes a specific, completed event of going to school, the perfective піти is appropriately used.

How does the subject Петро agree with the verb змусив in this sentence?

Петро is a masculine noun and the subject of the sentence. The verb змусив is in the past tense, masculine singular form, which agrees in gender and number with Петро. This agreement is essential in Ukrainian grammar for ensuring that the subject and verb match correctly.

What function does the prepositional phrase до школи serve in this sentence?

The phrase до школи indicates direction or destination, answering the question "where to?" Here, до means "to," and школи is the noun "school" in the genitive case—a typical requirement with the preposition до. This shows that the action of going took place with school as the destination.

Is the causative construction used here typical in Ukrainian, and can it be applied to other contexts?

Yes, the causative construction with a verb like змусити followed by an object and an infinitive is common in Ukrainian. It is used to express that one person caused or forced another person to perform an action. For example, Мама змусила мене прибрати кімнату means "Mom made me clean the room." This structure is widely applicable for various situations where one person compels another to act.