Breakdown of Після вечері миска та каструля миються в раковині.
в
in
та
and
після
after
вечеря
the dinner
каструля
the pot
миска
the bowl
митися
to wash
раковина
the sink
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Questions & Answers about Після вечері миска та каструля миються в раковині.
Why is вечері in the genitive case?
Because the preposition після (“after”) requires its object to be in the genitive. The noun вечеря becomes вечері in the genitive singular.
Why are миска and каструля in the nominative case rather than the accusative?
In this passive-reflexive construction, the items being washed act as the grammatical subjects. With verbs ending in -ся forming an impersonal passive, what would be an object in an active sentence stays in the nominative.
What does the suffix -ся on миються mean, and what voice does it indicate?
The -ся suffix marks a reflexive or passive verb. Here, миються is passive (impersonal): “are washed.” The agent (who washes) is unspecified or irrelevant.
What case is раковині, and why is it used here?
раковині is the locative case (місцевий відмінок). It’s used with the preposition в to express location: “in the sink.”
Why is the preposition в used before раковині instead of у?
Both в and у mean “in.” в is standard before most consonants, while у appears to avoid awkward clusters or before vowels. In everyday speech в раковині is most common, though у раковині is also correct.
Why is та used instead of і to link миска and каструля?
Both і and та mean “and.” та is often chosen for euphony after vowel endings or for stylistic variety. миска та каструля flows more smoothly than миска і каструля, though both are grammatically acceptable.
Why is the verb миються placed at the end of the sentence when in English we’d expect it near the beginning?
Ukrainian has relatively free word order. Starting with the adverbial phrase Після вечері and placing the verb at the end is natural and emphasizes the sequence: “first dinner, then washing.”
What aspect does миються have, and how would you express a completed action instead?
миються is imperfective, indicating a habitual or ongoing action (“get washed”). To express a single completed event, use a perfective verb like помити in active form (хтось помив миску та каструлю) or passive participle with бути: Після вечері миска та каструля були помиті.
How could you rephrase this sentence in the active voice with an unspecified agent?
You can say: Після вечері миють миску та каструлю в раковині (“After dinner, [they] wash the bowl and pot in the sink”), or specify the person: Після вечері мама миє миску та каструлю в раковині.