Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Після роботи я обгорнувся червоною ковдрою. - After work, I wrapped myself in a red blanket.

In Ukrainian, the preposition після (“after”) requires the noun that follows to be in the genitive case. In this phrase, роботи is the genitive singular form of робота (“work”), indicating the time when the action occurred—after work.

What role does the reflexive suffix ся in обгорнувся play?

The suffix ся is a reflexive marker. It shows that the subject performs the action on itself. In this sentence, обгорнувся means “wrapped myself up,” indicating that the action of wrapping was done by the subject on themself.

Why are червоною and ковдрою used in the instrumental case?

In Ukrainian, the instrumental case is used to express the means or instrument by which an action is performed. Here, червоною (the instrumental form of червона “red”) and ковдрою (the instrumental form of ковдра “blanket”) indicate that the red blanket is the means or object with which the subject wrapped themselves.

What does the verb form обгорнувся tell us about the aspect and timing of the action?

Обгорнувся is in the past tense and carries a perfective aspect. This indicates that the action of wrapping oneself was completed, highlighting a clear start and finish—consistent with the temporal cue Після роботи.

How does the sentence structure inform us about the sequence of events?

The sentence begins with Після роботи to set the time frame (“after work”), followed by the subject я (“I”), then the completed action обгорнувся (“wrapped myself”), and finally specifies the instrument червоною ковдрою (“with a red blanket”). This word order emphasizes that, after work, the speaker concluded the action by wrapping themselves in a red blanket.