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Questions & Answers about Взимку холодно, особливо в січні і лютому.
What is the grammatical function of взимку in this sentence and why is it written as one word?
Взимку is an adverb of time meaning in winter. It originates from the preposition в (in) + the noun зима (winter), but in temporal expressions these two parts merge into a single adverb rather than a prepositional phrase.
Why is there no verb equivalent to “is” in Взимку холодно?
In Ukrainian, present-tense copula verbs (like “to be”) are usually omitted. Instead of saying “Взимку є холодно”, you simply say “Взимку холодно” – an impersonal construction where холодно (coldly) functions like “it is cold.”
What part of speech is холодно, and why is it in the neuter form?
Холодно is an adverb or an impersonal predicate adjective in its neuter form. Impersonal statements about weather or general states use the neuter singular ending -о/-е to express “it is …” without a subject.
What case are січні and лютому, and why is the preposition в used before them?
Both січні and лютому are in the prepositional case (locative) because after the preposition в (in) we describe location in time (months). The endings are:
- січні (January, prepositional singular)
- лютому (February, prepositional singular)
What does особливо mean, and can its position in the sentence change?
Особливо means especially. It emphasizes what follows. You could also say “Особливо взимку в січні і лютому холодно”, but the most natural position here is before the specific months: Взимку холодно, особливо в січні і лютому.
Why is there a comma before особливо?
The comma sets off the adverb особливо and its phrase в січні і лютому as a parenthetical or clarifying remark. It signals that you’re adding extra emphasis (“especially in January and February”) to the main clause.
Is there a difference between взимку and зимою?
They’re largely interchangeable. Both mean “in winter.”
- Взимку is a fused form (preposition + noun).
- Зимою is the instrumental case of зима used adverbially.
Stylistically, зимою can sound a bit more poetic, but both are perfectly correct.
Why is і used for “and” instead of та or й in в січні і лютому?
All three can mean “and,” but:
- і is neutral and very common before consonant-initial words.
- й is a shortened form used before vowels (й осінь).
- та often feels more formal or emphatic.
Here, і is simply the most colloquial and straightforward choice.