Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Вона прибрала стіл після обіду, а я прибираю підлогу. - She cleaned the table after lunch, and I am tidying the floor.

Прибрала is past tense, feminine singular, perfective (from прибрати) — a completed action: “she cleaned/cleared.”
Прибираю is present tense, 1st person singular, imperfective (from прибирати) — ongoing or habitual: “I am cleaning / I clean.”

Why is прибрала in the feminine form?

In Ukrainian, past-tense verbs agree with the subject’s gender and number:

masculine: прибрав
feminine: прибрала
neuter: прибрало
plural: прибрали
Since the subject is вона (she), the verb is прибрала.

Why is it стіл (not changed) after прибрала?

Because стіл (table) is an inanimate masculine noun, and in the accusative singular it looks the same as the nominative: стіл. Animate masculine nouns would take genitive in the accusative (e.g., “I see the man” → бачу чоловіка).

What case is підлогу, and why does it end in -у?

Підлогу is accusative singular of підлога (feminine). Many feminine nouns take -у/-ю in the accusative singular when they’re direct objects: (що?) підлогу.

What case is обіду after після, and why?

Після always takes the genitive. Обід → genitive singular обіду. So після обіду = “after lunch.”

Can I use і instead of а here?

You could, but the meaning shifts.

І = simple “and,” just adding information.
А = “and/whereas,” marks contrast or a different perspective.
Here а contrasts her action with yours (division of tasks).

Does я прибираю mean “I am cleaning” or “I clean”?

Both. Ukrainian doesn’t have a separate progressive form. The present imperfective can be ongoing (“I am cleaning right now”) or habitual (“I clean the floor [regularly]”). Context decides.

How do I say “I will clean the floor”?

Two natural options:

Perfective (completion/result): Я приберу підлогу.
Imperfective (process/habit): Я прибиратиму підлогу.
The perfective focuses on finishing the task; the imperfective focuses on the activity or repeated action.

If I want “She was cleaning the table,” can I use вона прибирала стіл?

Yes. Вона прибирала стіл (imperfective past) presents the action as ongoing or repeated, without saying it was completed. Вона прибрала стіл (perfective past) implies completion.

Is прибирати the best verb for wiping or washing?

Прибирати/прибрати is general “to tidy/clean.” For specific actions:

витерти стіл = to wipe the table
помити підлогу = to wash/mop the floor
пропилососити килим = to vacuum the carpet
In many contexts прибрала стіл means “cleared/tidied the table (removed dishes, wiped, etc.).”

Could I say вона прибрала зі столу? What does that mean?

Yes. Вона прибрала зі столу means “She cleared (things) off the table.” Зі requires the genitive: зі столу. It emphasizes removing items from the table’s surface.

Why is it прибираю підлогу and not прибираю на підлозі?

With a direct object you clean the thing itself: прибираю підлогу (“I clean the floor”).
На підлозі is a location phrase (“on the floor”) and would mean “I tidy on the floor,” which is not the intended meaning here.

Can I drop the pronoun я?

Often Ukrainian drops subject pronouns. Here, а я is kept for contrast (“but I”). You could say … а прибираю підлогу, but it’s less natural; the explicit я makes the contrast clear.

Are there articles like “a/the” in Ukrainian? How do we know if it’s “the table”?

Ukrainian has no articles. Стіл can mean “a table” or “the table.” Specificity comes from context or additional words (e.g., цей стіл = “this table”).

Where is the stress in key words?

вона́
прибира́ти, я прибира́ю
perfective: прибра́ти, past fem: прибра́ла
пі́сля
обі́ду
підло́гу

Why is there a comma before а?

In Ukrainian, a comma is used before the coordinating conjunction а when it links two clauses. So …, а … is correctly punctuated.