У бібліотеці є двісті книг.

the book

Breakdown of У бібліотеці є двісті книг.

• у: in
• бути: to be
• бібліотека: the library
• двісті: two hundred

Questions & Answers about У бібліотеці є двісті книг.

Why is the preposition У used before бібліотеці, instead of В?

In Ukrainian the choice between В and У often comes down to euphony (how easy it is to pronounce).

• У is preferred before words starting with the consonants б, п, в, м, or a vowel, because в + б/п/в/м is a heavy cluster to say.
• В is used before most other consonants (наприклад, в домі, в школі).
  So saying У бібліотеці flows more naturally than В бібліотеці.

What case is бібліотеці, and why is that case used here?

бібліотеці is the locative (also called prepositional) singular of бібліотека.

• The locative case answers the question “де?” (where?).
• After the prepositions В/У, you use the locative to indicate location.
  Thus У бібліотеці = “in the library.”

What is the function of the verb є here? English doesn’t use “to be” in present existential sentences.

є is the present-tense form of бути (“to be”) used in existential constructions to mean “there is/there are.”

• Ukrainian often drops “to be” in simple descriptions (e.g., Я студент = “I am a student”), but in “there is/there are” contexts it appears after the location: У мене є книга (“I have a book” literally “At me there is a book”), У бібліотеці є двісті книг.
• In casual speech you can sometimes omit є (especially in fast colloquial talk), but it’s considered more standard and clear to keep it.

Why is книга in the form книг instead of книга, книги, or something else?

After cardinal numbers, Ukrainian nouns take specific cases:

• Numbers 2–4 use the genitive singular (дві книги, три книги, чотири книги).
• Numbers 5 and above (including hundreds) use the genitive plural.
  Since 200 is ≥5 you use genitive plural книг.
  Hence двісті книг = “two hundred books.”

How is the number двісті formed and where does the stress fall?

• двісті is the Ukrainian word for 200. It historically comes from два (2)
  • сто (100).
• Its modern form is двісті, with stress on the second syllable: двіст́і.
• In general, hundreds in Ukrainian are:
  • 100 = сто (stó)
  • 200 = двісті (dvísti)
  • 300 = триста (trísta)
  • 400 = чотириста (chotýrysta)
  …and so on.

Can I drop є or rearrange the word order in У бібліотеці є двісті книг?

Yes, Ukrainian allows some flexibility:

• You can drop є in very informal speech: У бібліотеці двісті книг.
• You can front-focus the number for emphasis: Двісті книг є у бібліотеці. or Двісті книг в бібліотеці.
  However, the neutral, most common order in written and spoken Ukrainian is У бібліотеці є [quantity] [noun].

Why are there no articles like the or a in this sentence?

Ukrainian does not use definite or indefinite articles (no the, a, an). Specificity or definiteness is conveyed by context or by demonstratives (e.g., ця книга = “this book”). In existential or numeric statements you simply state the noun with the appropriate case.

How do I express the English phrase “There are X things in Y” in Ukrainian?

Use the pattern У + location-locative + є + quantity + noun-genitive.
Example:
• There are five apples in the basket. → У кошику є пять яблук.
• There are two hundred books in the library. → У бібліотеці є двісті книг.