Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Вона читає книгу на планшеті перед сном. - She reads a book on the tablet before sleeping.

Because книгу is the accusative case, used for the direct object of the verb. Feminine nouns ending in -а/-я change to -у/-ю in the accusative singular.

Nominative: книга (book)
Accusative: книгу (a/the book) after a transitive verb like читає (reads/is reading)

Why is it на планшеті and not на планшет?

Ukrainian uses different cases with на depending on meaning:

Location (where?): на
- locative → на планшеті (on the tablet)
Direction/motion (onto where?): на
- accusative → e.g., покласти щось на планшет (to put something onto the tablet)

Here it’s a location, so locative singular of планшет is планшеті.

Why перед сном and not something like перед сон?

The preposition перед (before/in front of) always takes the instrumental case. The noun сон (sleep) in instrumental singular is сном. Compare:

перед сном (before sleep/bedtime)
перед уроком (before the lesson)
перед обідом (before lunch)

Does читає mean “reads” (habitually) or “is reading” (right now)?

It can mean either; Ukrainian present tense covers both ongoing and habitual actions. Context or adverbs clarify:

Habit: Вона зазвичай читає книгу... (She usually reads a book...)
Right now: Вона зараз читає книгу... (She is reading a book right now…)

Can I drop the pronoun вона?

Often yes—Ukrainian is a “pro-drop” language because the verb ending shows the person. However, without context, Читає книгу на планшеті перед сном can sound incomplete/impersonal. Use вона to avoid ambiguity unless the subject is obvious from context.

How do I say “on her tablet”? Do I need a possessive?

If it’s her own tablet (the subject’s), use the reflexive possessive: на своєму планшеті (locative of свій). If it belongs to another woman, use на її планшеті. Often Ukrainian omits possessives when it’s clear from context, but adding them is fine for clarity.

What’s the difference between книга and книжка?

Both mean “book.” Книжка is a diminutive/colloquial form and is very common in everyday speech. Книга is neutral and slightly more formal. Accusatives: книгу, книжку.

Can I say з планшета instead of на планшеті?

Both are used, with a nuance:

читати на планшеті = to read on the tablet (the device/screen is the reading surface)
читати з планшета = to read from the tablet (the device is the source) In practice, both can describe digital reading; на планшеті is very common. Note the case: з
- genitive → планшета.

Are there other ways to say “before bed”?

Yes:

перед сном — neutral and very common
на ніч — “for the night/at bedtime”; common in set phrases (e.g., читати дітям на ніч)
перед тим, як (іти/лягати) спати — more explicit: “before going to sleep” All are fine; choose based on tone and specificity.

How is the sentence pronounced? Where is the stress?

Stress marks:

Вона́ (vo-NA)
чита́є (chy-TA-ye)
кни́гу (KNY-hu)
на планше́ті (na plan-SHE-tee)
пе́ред (PE-red)
сном (snom)

Tip: The letter є is pronounced “ye” (as in чита́є = chy-TA-ye).

Can I change the word order?

Yes; Ukrainian word order is flexible for emphasis:

Перед сном вона читає книгу на планшеті. (emphasizes the time-frame)
Вона перед сном читає книгу на планшеті. (neutral, slight emphasis on “before bed”)
Вона читає на планшеті книгу перед сном. (focus moves to “on the tablet”) All are grammatical; the original is the most neutral.

What’s the difference between читати and прочитати?

Aspect:

читати (imperfective): ongoing/repeated process. Present: вона читає (she reads/is reading). Future: вона буде читати / вона читатиме (she will be reading).
прочитати (perfective): a single completed action. “Present” form has future meaning: вона прочитає книгу (she will read/finish the book). Past: вона прочитала книгу (she read/finished the book).

Why isn’t there “a/the” before книгу? How do I specify?

Ukrainian has no articles. Definiteness/indefiniteness comes from context or determiners:

цю книгу (this book)
ту книгу (that book)
одну книгу (one book; emphasizes quantity)
якусь книгу (some book)

How do I conjugate читати in the present?

я читаю
ти читаєш
він/вона/воно читає
ми читаємо
ви читаєте
вони читають

Is there a quick rule for на with location vs direction?

Think “static vs movement”:

Static location: на
- locative → на столі, на пляжі, на планшеті
Movement onto: на
- accusative → на стіл, на пляж, (e.g., покласти планшет на стіл)