Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Якщо помилка маленька, ми виправимо її швидко. - If a mistake is small, we will correct it quickly.

Ukrainian usually drops the present-tense verb to be (є) in sentences like this. So помилка маленька literally is “the mistake small,” which equals “the mistake is small.”

Can I add є and say Якщо помилка є маленька?

It’s best not to. Using є as a present-tense copula before an adjective sounds unnatural in everyday Ukrainian. Stick to Якщо помилка маленька. To emphasize future time, you might say Якщо помилка буде маленька, but for a general condition the original is perfect.

Why is the adjective маленька feminine?

Because помилка is a feminine noun. Adjectives agree with the noun in gender, number, and case, so you get feminine singular nominative маленька.

What case are the key words in?

помилка: nominative (it’s the subject).
її: accusative (direct object of виправимо).

Why is it її and not їй?

її is accusative (direct object: “fix it”). їй is dative (“to/for her”). Here we need the accusative.

Does її mean “her” or “it”?

Both are possible, depending on context. It’s the feminine object/possessive form. Here it means “it,” referring back to the feminine noun помилка. If the noun were masculine/neuter, you’d use його; if plural, їх.

What tense/aspect is виправимо?

It’s the simple future of a perfective verb (виправити “to fix/correct [once, successfully]”). So ми виправимо = “we will fix.”

Could I say ми виправляємо її швидко instead?

That uses the imperfective present (виправляємо) and means “we fix it quickly” (habitually/regularly), not “we will fix it.” For a single future fixing, виправимо is better.

How do I say “we will be fixing it quickly” (ongoing/process)?

Use the imperfective future:

Analytic: ми будемо виправляти її швидко
Synthetic: ми виправлятимемо її швидко These focus on the process rather than a single completed result.

Can I omit ми?

Yes. Ukrainian is pro-drop: the verb ending shows the subject. Якщо помилка маленька, виправимо її швидко is natural.

Why is there a comma after the first clause?

Subordinate clauses introduced by Якщо (“if”) are separated by a comma. You can also reverse the order: Ми виправимо її швидко, якщо помилка маленька.

Do I need то/тоді (“then”) after the if-clause?

Optional. Якщо помилка маленька, то ми виправимо її швидко or … тоді ми … are both fine, adding a clear “then.” The sentence works well without them.

Where can I put її and швидко? Is the word order flexible?

Yes, Ukrainian allows movement for emphasis. All are correct:

Ми виправимо її швидко. (neutral)
Ми її швидко виправимо. (slight focus on the object/process)
Ми швидко її виправимо. (focus on speed)
Її ми швидко виправимо. (contrastive focus on “it”)
Швидко ми її виправимо. (fronted adverb for emphasis)

What’s the difference between маленька помилка and помилка маленька?

маленька помилка = “a small mistake” (adjective directly modifies the noun).
помилка маленька = “the mistake is small” (predicate adjective; no present-tense “to be”).

Could I use невелика instead of маленька?

Yes. невелика (“not big”) is a common, slightly more neutral/formal alternative to маленька (“small”). Both fit here: Якщо помилка невелика, …

How do you pronounce її and швидко?

ї sounds like “yee,” so її is pronounced like “yee-yee” (both vowels are heard).
швидко is “sh-vyd-ko” (ш = “sh”; и = a short “ih” sound).