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Questions & Answers about Я думаю про зиму.
Why is the preposition про used in Я думаю про зиму? Could I use о or об instead?
In Ukrainian, про is the standard preposition meaning about when you talk, think or write about a topic. Although о or об also translate as “about,” they are mostly archaic, poetic, or fixed in certain expressions. With verbs like думати, you always use про + accusative. So it’s думаю про зиму, never думаю о зиму.
What case is зиму in, and why is the accusative case used here?
The noun зима is feminine. When you put it in the accusative singular, it becomes зиму. The preposition про always requires the accusative case, so зиму must stay accusative to show the object of your thoughts.
Could I say Я думаю на зиму or Я думаю в зиму instead?
No.
- думаю на зиму would mean “I’m thinking for the winter,” as in “planning something for winter.”
- думаю в зиму doesn’t exist in Ukrainian.
To express “I’m thinking about winter,” you must use думаю про зиму.
Can I drop the pronoun Я and just say Думаю про зиму?
Yes. Ukrainian often omits the subject pronoun because the verb ending -ю in думаю clearly indicates “I.” So Думаю про зиму is perfectly natural and conversational.
How is зиму pronounced, and which syllable is stressed?
Break it into two syllables: зи-му. The stress is on the second syllable: zi-MU.
- и sounds like the “i” in “bit.”
- у sounds like the “oo” in “boot.”
Does Я думаю про зиму ever mean “I believe winter is…”?
No. Я думаю про зиму strictly means “I am thinking about winter.”
If you want to express an opinion like “I believe that winter is cold,” you would say:
Я думаю, що зима холодна (“I think that winter is cold”).
Can I change the word order and say Я про зиму думаю?
Yes, you can, but it shifts the emphasis.
- Я думаю про зиму is neutral.
- Я про зиму думаю highlights “about winter”—it may sound more emotional, poetic, or colloquial.