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Questions & Answers about На стіні висить картина.
Why is стіні used instead of стіна?
Because стіні is the locative (prepositional) case, which follows на to express a static location (“on the wall”). If you wanted to convey motion “onto the wall,” you would use на стіну (accusative).
What grammatical role does картина have, and why is it in the nominative case?
картина is the subject of the verb висить. In Ukrainian the nominative case marks the subject, even when word order is inverted.
What’s the difference between висить and вішати?
• висіти (imperfective, intransitive) means “to hang” in the sense of “be hanging.”
• вішати (imperfective, transitive) means “to hang” as an action you perform on something.
So you say Картина висить, but if you’re the one hanging it you say Я вішаю картину.
Can I also say Картина висить на стіні instead of На стіні висить картина?
Yes. Both orders are correct.
– На стіні висить картина emphasizes the location.
– Картина висить на стіні emphasizes the object.
Why isn’t there a word for “is” like є in the sentence?
In present-tense Ukrainian the copula є is usually omitted. You may insert it for clarity or emphasis—На стіні є картина—but it’s not necessary.
How do you ask “What is on the wall?” in Ukrainian?
You can say:
• Що на стіні?
• Що висить на стіні?
Both are common; the second uses the verb explicitly.
If there are two pictures, would you change висить to висять?
Yes. With a plural subject use висять:
На стіні висять дві картини.
Why is there no a or the before картина?
Ukrainian has no articles. картина alone can mean either a picture or the picture depending on context.
How do you say “He is hanging a picture on the wall” in Ukrainian?
Use the transitive verb and accusative case:
Він вішає картину на стіну.
What is the form of висить in terms of conjugation?
It’s the 3rd-person singular present indicative of the verb висіти (to hang).