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Questions & Answers about Подача чаю важлива.
What part of speech is подача, and what does it mean in this sentence?
подача is a feminine noun in the nominative singular. It comes from the verb подавати and means “the serving” or “the presentation” (in this context, “serving of tea”).
Why is чаю in the genitive case here?
чаю is the genitive singular of чай. In Ukrainian, when one noun (here подача) denotes an action or service, the thing being served is often put in the genitive. So подача чаю literally means “serving of tea.”
Why do we use важлива instead of важливий?
Adjectives in Ukrainian agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case. Since подача is feminine, singular, nominative, the matching form of важливий is важлива.
There’s no verb “to be” in Подача чаю важлива. Is that normal, and can I add one?
Yes. In present-tense nominal sentences, Ukrainian typically omits the copula є. It’s grammatically complete without it. You can add it for emphasis or stylistic reasons:
• Подача чаю є важливою.
Note that when you add є, you shift важлива to the instrumental case важливою.
Could I change the word order to Важлива подача чаю? Would that sound odd?
No, it’s not wrong. Важлива подача чаю simply puts the emphasis on важлива (“Important is the serving of tea”). The original order, Подача чаю важлива, is more neutral: it first introduces the topic (подача чаю) and then asserts its importance.
How do I pronounce Подача чаю важлива? Where are the stressed syllables?
Stress falls on the second syllable of each word:
• по-ДА-ча (po-DA-cha)
• ча-Ю (cha-YU)
• важ-ЛИ-ва (vazh-LI-va)
Can I use подавання instead of подача?
Yes, подавання is a deverbal noun meaning “the act of serving.” However, подача is more common in everyday speech when talking about serving food or drink. Подавання чаю важливе is correct but sounds slightly more formal or technical.