Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: У меню також є бутерброди з сиром і свіжим яйцем. - The menu also has sandwiches with cheese and fresh egg.

Because this is an existential sentence (“there are/there is”). In Ukrainian, the present-tense copula is usually omitted in simple equational sentences, but for existence/availability you normally use є:

У меню є бутерброди… = “There are sandwiches on the menu…” Without є, У меню бутерброди can sound like a headline or an incomplete sentence. The negative counterpart is нема(є): У меню немає бутербродів.

Why is it у меню and not в меню?

Both are correct. Ukrainian alternates в/у for euphony. At the start of a sentence before a consonant, many speakers prefer у to avoid a heavy consonant cluster. You can also say В меню, and it won’t be wrong; it’s a stylistic/phonetic choice.

Why doesn’t меню change its form?

Меню is an indeclinable (non‑inflecting) neuter noun borrowed from French. It stays меню in every case:

Nom.: Це нове меню.
Locative: У меню є…
Gen.: Нема меню. Context and prepositions show the case role.

What cases are used in з сиром і свіжим яйцем, and why?

After з (“with”), Ukrainian normally uses the instrumental case:

сиром (instrumental singular of сир)
свіжим яйцем (instrumental singular of свіжий
- яйце)

Why is яйцем singular when бутерброди is plural?

Because Ukrainian often names fillings/toppings in the singular to indicate the type of sandwich, not the number of items inside each one. It’s like saying “sandwiches with cheese and (fresh) egg” as ingredients. Use plurals if you need to emphasize multiple discrete items:

Typical/type: з сиром і свіжим яйцем
Emphasizing many eggs: з сиром і свіжими яйцями

How is яйцем formed?

Base noun: яйце (neuter). Instrumental singular takes -ем: яйце → яйцем. The adjective agrees in case, number, and gender: свіжий → свіжим (neuter instrumental singular) to match яйцем.

Why is it свіжим яйцем, not свіжому яйцю?

Because after з (“with”), you need the instrumental case, not the dative. Neuter instrumental singular endings are -им for adjectives (свіжим) and -ем for many neuter nouns (яйцем).

Could I say з сиром і свіжими яйцями instead?

Grammatically yes, but it changes the nuance: it highlights multiple eggs (e.g., slices/pieces of egg) rather than the “egg” ingredient in general. For menu item types, singular after з is the norm.

What’s the deal with з / із / зі? Which one should I use?

They’re euphonic variants of the same preposition “with”:

з is the default.
із is common before clusters or to ease pronunciation (e.g., із двома).
зі is used before certain consonants or clusters, especially sibilants (e.g., зі шкварками, зі сметаною). Here, з сиром is fine; зі сиром is also heard for smoother speech.

Where can також go, and does word order matter?

Common options:

У меню також є… (neutral; very common)
Також у меню є… (slight emphasis on “also” as a discourse link)
У меню є також… (emphasizes the addition to what was already listed) All are correct; differences are about emphasis and flow.

What’s the difference between також, ще, and так само?

також = “also/too” in writing and neutral speech; safe in most contexts.
ще can mean “still/yet/more,” and sometimes “also,” but in this slot it could be heard as “there are still” or “there are more.”
так само = “in the same way/likewise,” not a general “also” for listing menu items.

Why is it і and not й before свіжим?

І/й are euphonic variants of “and.” Й often appears between vowels to smooth pronunciation. Here we have consonant + і + consonant (…ом і св…), so plain і is natural. If you had vowel–vowel contact, й would be preferred.

Could I say Меню має бутерброди… or Меню містить…?

It’s grammatical but not idiomatic for listing availability. Ukrainian typically uses the existential pattern:

Natural: У меню є бутерброди…
Bookish/technical: Меню містить… (sounds like documentation) Меню має… is uncommon here.

Are there synonyms for бутерброди?

Yes:

бутерброди: the most common general word for sandwiches (often any kind).
сендвічі: closer to the English “sandwich,” often implying a closed sandwich.
канапки: widely used, especially in western Ukraine; can suggest smaller/open-faced snacks depending on context.

How is this pronounced and where is the stress?

Approximate stresses:

меню́ (me-NU)
бутербро́ди (boo-ter-BRO-dy)
тако́ж (ta-KOZH) is the standard stress; many also say та́кож
си́ром (SEE-rom)
яйце́м (yai-TSEM)
сві́жим (SVI-zhym) These are guideposts; pronunciation varies slightly by region.