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Questions & Answers about Серветка лежить на столі.
What case is столі, and why is it used here?
столі is in the locative case. In Ukrainian, the locative (sometimes called the “prepositional” case) is used after certain prepositions—like на—to indicate a static location (“on the table”).
What’s the difference between на столі and на стіл?
- на столі (locative) means “on the table” (static position).
- на стіл (accusative) means “onto the table” (movement toward the table).
Why is there no article like “the” or “a” before серветка?
Ukrainian does not have definite or indefinite articles. Context alone tells you whether you mean “a napkin” or “the napkin.”
What gender and number is серветка, and how can I tell?
серветка is feminine singular. You can tell because it ends in -а, which is the most common feminine singular ending in Ukrainian.
How is the verb лежить formed, and what person/number is it?
лежить is the 3rd person singular present tense of the imperfective verb лежати (“to lie” or “to be lying”). It describes an ongoing state: “it is lying.”
Can I omit лежить and just say Серветка на столі?
Yes. Dropping the verb gives you a more telegraphic or labeled style (“Napkin on table”). It’s still understood as “The napkin is on the table,” but it feels like a caption or note rather than a full sentence.