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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.