Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Перед сном я беру рушник і йду під душ. - Before bed I take a towel and go to the shower.

The preposition перед (meaning “before”) requires its object to be in the instrumental case when indicating time. That’s why сон becomes сном (“before sleep”).

Why does рушник stay the same in the accusative singular?

The verb брати (to take) takes a direct object in the accusative case. Masculine inanimate nouns like рушник have identical forms in the nominative and accusative singular, so рушник remains рушник.

Why is беру (“I take”) in the imperfective aspect rather than a perfective form like візьму or взяв?

The imperfective aspect (беру) portrays an action in progress or a habitual action (“I take/I'm taking”), which fits the idea of describing a routine or steps in sequence. A perfective form (like візьму or взяв) would focus on a single completed action, altering the nuance.

Why are both verbs беру and йду in the present tense when the second action follows the first?

Ukrainian often uses the present tense to narrate a sequence of actions that occur one after another or are planned for the immediate future. This makes the sentence flow naturally: “I take a towel and (immediately) go to the shower.”

What does під душ mean, and why is душ undeclined?

Під душ literally means “under the shower,” i.e. “to take a shower.” The preposition під (under) takes the accusative case to express motion toward. Душ is a borrowed noun treated as indeclinable by many speakers, so it stays душ in this construction.

Can I use another preposition instead of під for “to the shower”?

Yes. You can say йду в душ (“I go into the shower”). В(в) + accusative also expresses entering something. Під + accusative emphasizes going under the stream of water.

Is the pronoun я necessary if the verb ending already shows the subject?

Not strictly. Ukrainian is a pro-drop language, so subject pronouns can be omitted. However, including я adds clarity or emphasis and is common in spoken language.