Підлога чиста.

The floor is clean.

Breakdown of Підлога чиста.

• чистий: clean
• підлога: the floor

Questions & Answers about Підлога чиста.

Where is the verb “is” in this sentence?

Ukrainian normally drops the present-tense verb бути (to be). So Підлога чиста. literally reads “Floor clean,” but means “The floor is clean.” In the present, the linking verb is understood and usually omitted.

Why is the adjective чиста (clean) in the feminine form?

Because підлога (floor) is a feminine noun. Adjectives agree in gender, number, and case:

• Masculine: чистий (Стiл чистий — The table is clean.)
• Feminine: чиста (Підлога чиста.)
• Neuter: чисте (Вікно чисте — The window is clean.)
• Plural: чисті (Підлоги чисті — The floors are clean.)

Can I explicitly add the verb є (is)?

You can, but it’s usually unnecessary in neutral speech. If you do add it, the predicate adjective is typically in the instrumental case:

• Natural: Підлога чиста.
• Also acceptable, more formal/emphatic: Підлога є чистою. Avoid: Підлога є чиста. (sounds off in standard Ukrainian)

How do I say it in the past or future?

Use бути and put the adjective in the instrumental:

• Past: Підлога була чистою.
• Future: Підлога буде чистою. Negation: Підлога не була чистою. / Підлога не буде чистою.

How do I make a yes/no question?

• Just use rising intonation: Підлога чиста?
• Or add the particle чи: Чи підлога чиста? (You may also hear Чи чиста підлога?) Short answers:
• Так, чиста.
• Ні, не чиста. / Ні, брудна.

What’s the best way to say “not clean” or “dirty”?

You can negate the adjective: Підлога не чиста. But the natural opposite of чиста is брудна: Підлога брудна. Note: нечиста can mean “unclean/impure” and also appears in set phrases (e.g., about evil spirits), so prefer брудна for “dirty.”

What’s the pronunciation and stress?

• Підло́га: [pid-LO-ha], IPA [pidˈloɦa]. The letter г is a voiced h-like sound [ɦ], not [g]. Stress on the second syllable.
• Чи́ста: [CHYS-ta], IPA [ˈt͡ʃɪstɑ]. The letter ч is [t͡ʃ] as in “church.” The letter и is a short, centralish vowel [ɪ], not “ee.” Stress on the first syllable.

What cases are used here, and why?

Both words are in the nominative: Підлога (subject) and чиста (predicate adjective). In such present-tense equational sentences (with the copula omitted), the predicate adjective stays in nominative. When you use бути (past/future, or present with є), the adjective is commonly instrumental: чистою. Useful related forms:

• Locative (place): на підлозі (on the floor), e.g., На чистій підлозі.
• Accusative (direct object): прибираю підлогу (I am cleaning the floor).

Can I swap the word order to Чиста підлога?

Not for the same meaning. Чиста підлога is an attributive noun phrase (“a clean floor”), not a full sentence. For emphasis in a sentence, you can add a dash: Підлога — чиста.

Are there articles like “a” or “the” in Ukrainian?

No. Підлога чиста. can mean “The floor is clean” or “A floor is clean,” depending on context. Definiteness is inferred from the situation.

Does підлога mean “floor” as in a building level?

No. Підлога is the surface you walk on inside a room. For a building’s floor (story), use поверх: Вони живуть на третьому поверсі.

Are there synonyms for підлога?

You might encounter долівка, which often refers to an earthen or rustic floor and sounds regional/old-fashioned. In standard modern usage for the surface in a room, підлога is the go-to word.

How can I make the statement stronger or softer?

• Stronger: Підлога дуже чиста. / Підлога абсолютно чиста.
• Softer: Підлога досить чиста. / Підлога доволі чиста. Colloquial/diminutive tone: Підлога чистенька.

How do I say “cleaner” or “cleanest”?

• Comparative: чистіша (fem.) — Підлога чистіша, ніж учора.
• Superlative: найчистіша (fem.) — Це найчистіша підлога в будинку. Other genders: чистіший (masc.), чистіше (neut.), чистіші (pl.)

Is чиста a special short-form adjective?

No. Ukrainian does not use the Russian-style short adjective system. Чиста here is simply the regular feminine nominative form of чистий. (Some adjectives have rare short forms like рад, згоден, but чистий is normally used in its full forms.)