Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Чиї це кросівки на підлозі?

Чиї means “whose.” It’s the plural nominative form of the interrogative pronoun чий and agrees with the plural noun кросівки (“sneakers”). The basic nominative forms are:

чий (masculine singular)
чия (feminine singular)
чиє (neuter singular)
чиї (plural)

Is чиї related to the yes/no particle чи?

They look similar but function differently. Чи is a particle meaning “whether/if” used in yes/no questions (e.g., Чи це твоя книга? — “Is this your book?”). Чиї is the interrogative pronoun “whose” and does not make the sentence a yes/no question.

Why is це used here, and why not ці?

Це is the invariable demonstrative used in identification sentences meaning “this is/it is/these are.” It doesn’t change for number or gender in this pattern: Це мої кросівки (“These are my sneakers”). Ці means “these” as an adjective modifying a plural noun: Ці кросівки мої (“These sneakers are mine”). In questions like this, Чиї це кросівки? is the most common pattern.

Can I omit це?

Yes: Чиї кросівки на підлозі? is also correct and natural. Adding це (Чиї це кросівки на підлозі?) is very common and keeps the “identification” feel.

Why is кросівки plural if we mean a pair?

As in English “shoes,” Ukrainian typically uses the plural кросівки for a pair. There is a singular form кросівок (“a sneaker”) that you use when you really mean one shoe: Я загубив один кросівок (“I lost one sneaker”).

How would I ask about one sneaker?

Use the masculine singular: Чий це кросівок на підлозі? (“Whose sneaker is on the floor?”).

What case is на підлозі, and why that ending?

It’s the Locative case (місцевий). With static location, на + Locative is used: на підлозі (“on the floor”). For motion to a surface, use на + Accusative: на підлогу (“onto the floor”), e.g., Поклади кросівки на підлогу (“Put the sneakers onto the floor”).

Could I say в підлозі instead of на підлозі?

No for this meaning. В підлозі would literally mean “in the floor” (inside it). To mean “on the floor,” use на підлозі.

Where is the verb “to be”? Why isn’t there є?

In present‑tense equational sentences, Ukrainian typically omits the verb бути (“to be”). Це plays the role of the “is/are” link: Чиї це кросівки? ≈ “Whose sneakers are these?” You use є mainly for existence/availability: На підлозі є кросівки (“There are sneakers on the floor”).

Does чий/чия/чиє/чиї always agree with the noun?

Yes, in gender/number (and case when needed). Examples:

Чий це стіл? (masc sg) — “Whose table is this?”
Чия це книга? (fem sg) — “Whose book is this?”
Чиє це яблуко? (neut sg) — “Whose apple is this?”
Чиї це кросівки? (plural) — “Whose sneakers are these?”

Is Чиї genitive because it means “whose”?

No. Here чиї is nominative plural, agreeing with кросівки. The pronoun чий has its own case forms, but you choose the form to match the noun’s grammatical role, not because the meaning is “of whom.”

Can I change the word order?

Yes. These are all natural, with little or no change in meaning:

Чиї це кросівки на підлозі? (default)
Чиї кросівки на підлозі?
Чиї кросівки це на підлозі? Context and intonation handle emphasis.

How do I answer this question naturally?

Common patterns:

Using possessive pronouns: Це мої / твої / його / її / наші / їхні.
Repeating the noun: Це мої кросівки.
Using a name (genitive): Це кросівки Антона / Ірини.
Using just a pronoun when the noun is obvious: Мої.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

ц in це = “ts” (like “pizza”): [tse].
ї in чиї = “yi”: [chy-YEE]; stress is on the last syllable: чиї́.
кросівки has stress on -сі́-: kro-SIV-ky (кросі́вки).
на підло́зі has stress on -ло́-: na pid-LO-zi.

Are there useful synonyms for кросівки?

кеди: canvas sneakers/plimsolls.
кроси: colloquial for sneakers/trainers. Note: The Russian word кроссовки is common in speech in some areas but the standard Ukrainian word is кросівки.