Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Мапа допомагає знайти високу будівлю.

They are in the accusative singular (feminine). The accusative is used for the direct object of the infinitive знайти (to find). The base forms are nominative singular: висока будівля, which change to високу будівлю in the accusative.

Why does the adjective високу end in -у?

In Ukrainian, feminine singular adjectives take the ending -у/-ю in the accusative (e.g., nominative висока, accusative високу). This is the regular pattern, regardless of animacy.

Why is it будівлю and not будівля?

Because будівля (feminine, ending in -я) changes to будівлю in the accusative singular: -я → -ю. So we get високу будівлю.

Why is знайти perfective and not the imperfective знаходити?

Perfective знайти focuses on the result: the act of finding something once/completely. Imperfective знаходити means “to find repeatedly/usually” or can describe an ongoing process. Since the sentence talks about achieving the result (finding a building), perfective знайти is natural.

Why is допомагає imperfective present? Could I use допоможе or допомогти?

допомагає (imperfective present, 3rd sg) states a general, ongoing ability or tendency: “A map helps (in general).”
допоможе (perfective future) would mean “will help (on a particular occasion).”
допомогти is the perfective infinitive “to help (once).” You’d use it in structures like мапа може допомогти знайти… when talking about a specific instance of help.

Why is there no “to” or щоб before знайти (as in “help to find”)?

Ukrainian uses a bare infinitive after verbs like допомагати: допомагати + інфінітив (help + infinitive). Adding щоб would introduce a purpose clause and is not used here. So say допомагає знайти, not допомагає щоб знайти.

Where is the person being helped? Should there be a dative like “to me/you”?

It’s implied. You can add a dative pronoun if you want to specify who is being helped:

Мапа допомагає мені/нам/вам знайти високу будівлю. Dative is used for the person who receives help.

Can I use карта instead of мапа?

Yes. Both мапа and карта are correct for “map.” Notes:

мапа avoids ambiguity with other meanings of карта (“playing card,” “menu,” various “charts”).
In contemporary Ukrainian, мапа is very common and stylistically safe; карта is also widely used and understood.

What’s the difference between висока будівля and висотна будівля?

висока будівля = a tall/high building (general description).
висотна будівля = a high-rise building (a specific urban/planning term for multi-story high-rises).

What’s the difference between будівля and будинок?

будівля = building/structure (neutral, any building).
будинок = house; also a building but often with a residential or specific “house” nuance. In many contexts they overlap, but будівля is the safe generic term for “building.”

Can I change the word order?

Yes, Ukrainian word order is flexible for emphasis:

Neutral: Мапа допомагає знайти високу будівлю.
Emphasizing the helper: Мапа допомагає знайти високу будівлю. (same as neutral; stress via context/intonation)
Emphasizing the result: Мапа допомагає високу будівлю знайти.
Emphasizing that it’s the map (contrastive): Саме мапа допомагає знайти високу будівлю. All are grammatical; nuance depends on intonation and context.

How do I pronounce it, and where is the stress?

Stresses: Ма́па допомага́є знайти́ висо́ку буді́влю. Approximate pronunciation (IPA):

мапа [ˈmapa]
допомагає [dopomɑˈɦajɛ] (note г = [ɦ], not [g])
знайти [znajˈtɪ]
високу [ʋɪˈsɔku] (initial в ≈ [ʋ], like English w/v)
будівлю [buˈdʲiʋlʲu] (soft л before ю)

Why isn’t there an article (“a/the”) in the Ukrainian sentence?

Ukrainian has no articles. Мапа can mean “a map” or “the map,” and високу будівлю can mean “a tall building” or “the tall building,” depending on context.

Can the adjective go after the noun, like будівлю високу?

Adjectives normally precede nouns in neutral style. Post-position (будівлю високу) is possible for emphasis or in poetic/literary contexts, but it sounds marked in everyday speech. Stick with високу будівлю for neutral style.

Could I use шукати (“to look for”) instead of знайти (“to find”)?

You can, but the meaning changes:

Мапа допомагає шукати високу будівлю. = “A map helps (you) look for a tall building” (process).
Мапа допомагає знайти високу будівлю. = “A map helps (you) find a tall building” (result). Use the one that matches your intent.

Is найти acceptable instead of знайти?

Standard Ukrainian uses знайти. The form найти is nonstandard/colloquial and influenced by Russian; avoid it in correct Ukrainian.