Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Він сумлінніший за своїх товаришів, тому отримує високі оцінки. - He is more diligent than his peers, which is why he gets high grades.

The adjective is formed from the positive “сумлінний” by adding the suffix -ший. This form shows that “he is more conscientious” than someone or something else—in this case, more conscientious than his friends.

Why does the sentence use the preposition за in the phrase “за своїх товаришів” instead of a preposition like ніж?

In Ukrainian, adjectives that form their comparative with the -ший ending are customarily paired with the preposition за to introduce the standard for comparison. Although both за and ніж can sometimes be used in comparisons, the traditional and more natural pairing with a -ший adjective is with за.

What case is “своїх товаришів” in, and why is that case used here?

“Sвоїх товаришів” is in the genitive plural. In comparative constructions like this one, the noun phrase that specifies the group being compared typically appears in the genitive case. This shows whose group of friends is being compared.

What role does the word тому play in this sentence?

The word тому functions as a causal connector, similar to “therefore” or “thus” in English. It links the first clause (explaining that he is more conscientious) to the second clause (explaining that he consequently receives high grades), showing the cause-effect relationship.

Which verb tense is used in “отримує високі оцінки,” and what does it tell us about the action?

The verb “отримує” is in the present tense, third person singular. This indicates that the action—receiving high grades—is either a current, ongoing situation or a habitual occurrence as a result of his conscientiousness.