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У мене є готівка.

У мене є готівка.
I have cash.
FromLesson 19inHardcore Ukrainian
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Breakdown of У мене є готівка.

я
I
мати
to have
готівка
the cash

Questions & Answers about У мене є готівка.

What does "У мене є" literally mean, and why does it translate as "I have"?
Literally it’s "At me there is…". Ukrainian often expresses possession with the pattern у/в + Genitive (the possessor) + є + Nominative (the thing). So У мене є готівка = "There is cash at me" → "I have cash." It’s the most neutral, common way to say “have.”
Why is it у мене, not в мене? Are both correct?

Both are correct. Ukrainian alternates у/в for euphony:

  • Use whichever avoids awkward clusters or a clash of vowels.
  • At the start of a sentence before a consonant (as in мене), у is very typical: У мене…
  • Before vowels, в often sounds smoother: в університеті. Regional and personal preferences vary; both forms are standard.
Can I omit є?

Sometimes, but be careful:

  • У мене є готівка is the default existential/possessive sentence.
  • У мене готівка (without є) is possible in speech to emphasize contrast or the type of thing you have (“I’ve got cash [not card]”), but it can sound elliptical. For clear, neutral statements of possession, keep є.
Why мене and not мені? What case is it?

Мене is Genitive; in the possession pattern у/в + Genitive marks the possessor.
Contrast:

  • У мене є… = "I have…" (possessor in Genitive).
  • У мені means "inside me" (Locative), e.g., У мені є надія ("There is hope in me"), which is different.
What is the gender and countability of готівка? How do I say “some cash” or “a lot of cash”?
  • Готівка is feminine and typically uncountable (a mass noun).
  • Use Genitive after quantity words:
    • “some cash” = трохи/трішки готівки
    • “a lot of cash” = багато готівки
    • You can also say якась готівка (“some cash” of unspecified kind), but quantity words with Genitive are more common.
How do I say “in cash” as a payment method?

Use the instrumental form готівкою:

  • Платити готівкою = “to pay in cash.” You don’t need a preposition here.
How do I pronounce the sentence and where is the stress?
  • Stress: У меНЕ є гоТІвка.
  • Approximate pronunciation: "oo me-NEH yeh ho-TEE-vka"
  • IPA: [u ˈmɛnɛ je ɦoˈtʲiʋkɑ]
    Notes:
  • Ukrainian г is a voiced “h” [ɦ], not a hard English “g.” The letter for [g] is ґ.
  • т before і is slightly softened ([tʲ]).
  • в often sounds like [ʋ] (between v and w).
How do I make it negative?

Say: У мене немає готівки. (“I don’t have cash.”)

  • Use немає/нема and switch the thing to Genitive (готівки) in the negative existential.
  • Don’t write не має here; не має is the negated verb “(he/she) does not have,” not the existential “there is not.”
Can I use the verb мати (“to have”) instead?

Yes: Я маю готівку.

  • It’s correct and common, especially in Western Ukraine; elsewhere it can sound a bit more formal or general (“I possess cash”).
  • У мене є готівка often implies availability “on me/at my disposal (now).”
  • In casual speech you can drop the pronoun: Маю готівку.
How would I ask someone, politely or informally, “Do you have cash?”
  • Polite (to a stranger, using plural/formal you): У вас є готівка? or Чи у вас є готівка?
  • Informal (to a friend): У тебе є готівка? Both are perfectly natural.
Can I change the word order for emphasis?

Yes. Word order is flexible:

  • Neutral: У мене є готівка.
  • Contrast/confirmation: Готівка у мене є. (“I do have cash.”)
  • Focus on the possessor: У мене готівка (є). (“As for me, it’s cash [that I have].”) Choose order based on what you want to emphasize.
Do I need an article (“a/the”) in Ukrainian?

No. Ukrainian has no articles. У мене є готівка covers both “I have cash” and “I have some cash.” To be more specific, use other words:

  • ця готівка = “this cash”
  • та готівка = “that cash”
  • трохи готівки = “some cash (a bit)”
What’s the difference between готівка, готівкою, and plural-looking forms like готівки?
  • готівка (Nom.) = cash (subject form), as in …є готівка.
  • готівку (Acc.) = after verbs like мати: Я маю готівку.
  • готівки (Gen.) = after negation/quantities: немає готівки, багато готівки.
  • готівкою (Instr.) = “in cash” (payment method): платити готівкою. The plural of готівка is rare and not used for “cash” in the everyday sense.

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