Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Я ховаю ключі в сумці, щоб не загубити їх. - I hide the keys in the bag so as not to lose them.

Ховати literally means “to hide,” i.e., to put something away intentionally so it’s out of sight or safe. In this sentence it can sound like “I hide the keys (in my bag) so I don’t lose them.” If you just mean a neutral “put/keep,” these are common alternatives:

кладу ключі в сумку = I put the keys in the bag (now/each time)
тримаю ключі в сумці = I keep the keys in the bag (as a habit)
ношу ключі в сумці = I carry my keys in my bag (habitually)

Why is it ключі and not ключів?

Because ключі is the accusative plural of an inanimate masculine noun, and for inanimate masculine nouns the accusative plural equals the nominative plural. Ключів is genitive plural, used for quantities, absence, or after some prepositions (e.g., немає ключів “there are no keys”). Here, the keys are a direct object of ховаю, so accusative is required: ховаю ключі.

Why is it в сумці and not в сумку?

в/у + Locative (в сумці) expresses location “in the bag.”
в/у + Accusative (в сумку) expresses motion into “into the bag.” Your sentence describes where the keys are being hidden (their location), so Locative is correct. If you were describing the act of placing them in, you’d use Accusative: кладу ключі в сумку.

Can I use у instead of в here?

Yes. В and у are variants chosen mainly for euphony. Both в сумці and у сумці are acceptable. Broad guidelines:

Prefer у to avoid awkward clusters like two v/f sounds in a row (e.g., after a word ending in -в/-ф or before a word starting with в/ф).
Otherwise, choose the one that sounds smoother in context. Here, either is fine.

Why is there a comma before щоб?

Щоб introduces a purpose clause (“so that/in order to”). In Ukrainian, a comma is typically placed before щоб to mark the subordinate clause: …, щоб ….

Why is it щоб не загубити (infinitive) and not a full clause like “so that I don’t lose them”?

With the same subject in both parts, Ukrainian frequently uses щоб + infinitive to express purpose: “in order (not) to do X.” It’s concise and natural: щоб не загубити. A full clause is also possible: щоб (я) їх не загубив/загубила. The infinitive version avoids specifying gender and feels neutral/colloquial.

Why is the perfective загубити used and not the imperfective губити?

Purpose clauses often use the perfective to refer to a single, complete event you want to avoid: щоб не загубити = “so as not to lose (even once).” The imperfective щоб не губити would suggest an ongoing/habitual process (“so as not to be losing them (all the time)”), which is not what you usually mean here.

Can the pronoun move? Is щоб їх не загубити also correct?

Yes, both are correct:

щоб не загубити їх
щоб їх не загубити Placing їх earlier can add a touch of emphasis to “them,” but there’s no change in basic meaning.

What’s the difference between їх, них, and їхні?

їх = “them/their” as the genitive or accusative form without a preposition: не загубити їх (not lose them), їх немає (they are not there).
них is used after prepositions: у них, до них, для них.
їхні is the possessive adjective “their”: їхні ключі (their keys). In your sentence, the unstressed object pronoun without a preposition is їх.

Does в сумці automatically mean “in my bag”? How do I show it’s my bag?

Ukrainian has no articles, so в сумці is simply “in a/the bag.” To say “in my bag,” use:

у своїй сумці (reflexive possessive—preferred when the possessor is the subject)
у моїй сумці (also correct) Example: Я тримаю ключі у своїй сумці, щоб їх не загубити.

Can I drop Я and just say Ховаю ключі…?

Yes. Ukrainian often omits subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person. Ховаю ключі в сумці, щоб не загубити їх. is natural, especially in speech. Keep я if you need emphasis or clarity.

Is втратити a good synonym for загубити here?

Usually, no. Загубити is the standard verb for misplacing tangible items like keys. Втратити tends to be more formal and is common with abstract or figurative losses (e.g., втратити роботу, довіру). You might see втратити ключі, but загубити ключі is more natural. You may also encounter згубити (a close synonym of загубити), though it can also mean “to ruin/doom” in other contexts.

How is the sentence pronounced and where is the stress?

Stressed syllables marked: Я ховáю ключí в сýмці, щоб не загуби́ти їх.
Approximate transliteration: Ya khováyu klyuchí v súmtsi, shchob ne zahubýty yikh.

Could I say something like “I put the keys in the bag so I won’t lose them” in Ukrainian?

Yes. For a specific past action:

Male speaker: Я поклáв ключі в сумку, щоб їх не загубити.
Female speaker: Я поклáла ключі в сумку, щоб їх не загубити.
For a general habit: Я кладу/тримáю ключі в сумці, щоб їх не загубити.

Is до сумки ever correct for “into the bag”?

No. До сумки means “to the bag (up to it),” not “into.” Use в/у + Accusative for motion into: покласти ключі в сумку.

Why does сумка become сумці?

It’s the Locative singular form (used with в/у to express location). Many feminine nouns ending in -ка form Locative singular in -ці:

сумка → (у) сумці
книжка → (у) книжці
рука → (на) руці (note the preposition changes with meaning)

Do I have to repeat їх at the end? Could I just say …, щоб не загубити?

You can omit it if the object is clear from context: …, щоб не загубити. Repeating їх is also very natural and explicitly ties the purpose to the keys mentioned earlier. Both are fine; choose based on clarity and rhythm.

Can I use аби or щоби instead of щоб?

щоб is the most common neutral form.
щоби is a stylistic variant, acceptable but less frequent.
аби can also mean “so that,” often a bit more colloquial or regionally colored.
All three are understandable here: …, щоб/щоби/аби не загубити їх.