Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Ukrainian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Петро ховає подарунок.
What does the ending -є in ховає tell me?
It marks third person singular present of an imperfective verb (first conjugation). The infinitive is ховати “to hide.”
- я ховаю (I hide / am hiding)
- ти ховаєш (you hide)
- він/вона/воно ховає (he/she/it hides)
- ми ховаємо
- ви ховаєте
- вони ховають Note: The letter є is pronounced like “ye.”
Why does подарунок look like the base form—shouldn’t it change for the object?
It’s in the accusative case as a direct object, and because подарунок is inanimate and singular, its accusative form equals the nominative: подарунок. Animate masculine nouns change (e.g., ховає кота “(he) hides the cat”), but inanimate ones don’t.
How do I express “is hiding” versus “hides” in Ukrainian?
Ukrainian present imperfective covers both ongoing and habitual:
- Петро ховає подарунок = “Petro is hiding the gift” or “Petro hides the gift.” Add an adverb for clarity:
- Петро зараз ховає подарунок = “Petro is hiding the gift right now.”
How do I say “Petro will hide the gift”?
Use a perfective verb: Петро сховає подарунок (or заховає). Note that perfective “present” forms like сховає actually refer to the future result.
What’s the difference between ховати and сховати/заховати?
- ховати (imperfective): the process or repeated action (to be hiding, to hide habitually).
- сховати/заховати (perfective): a single, completed act (to hide successfully, to have hidden).
Can I say “Petro is hiding himself” with this verb?
Yes, use the reflexive: Петро ховається = “Petro is hiding (himself).”
Transitive: ховати щось/когось (to hide something/someone).
Intransitive/reflexive: ховатися (to hide oneself).
Can I change the word order, and what changes in meaning?
Ukrainian word order is flexible. Default is SVO: Петро ховає подарунок. Variations:
- Петро подарунок ховає (focus on the verb/action)
- Подарунок ховає Петро (focus on who is doing it—Petro, not someone else) Context and intonation convey emphasis.
How would I form questions from this sentence?
Use question words and usually keep similar order:
- “Who is hiding the gift?” → Хто ховає подарунок?
- “What is Petro hiding?” → Що ховає Петро?
- “Where is Petro hiding the gift?” → Де Петро ховає подарунок?
How do I pronounce the sentence?
Roughly: “Pe-tró kho-vá-ye po-da-rú-nok.”
Stress: Петро́, хова́є, подару́нок.
Notes: х = a harsh “kh” (like in “Bach”); в is a light “v/w”-like sound; є = “ye.”
Why is there no word for “the” in the sentence?
Ukrainian has no articles. Definiteness/indefiniteness is inferred from context or can be clarified with words like цей (this), той (that), etc. For example: Петро ховає цей подарунок = “Petro is hiding this gift.”
How do I say this in the past?
- Imperfective (process/habit): Петро хова́в подарунок (he was hiding/used to hide).
- Perfective (completed): Петро схова́в подарунок (he hid/has hidden).
How do I make the future with the imperfective?
Two options:
- Compound: Петро буде ховати подарунок (will be hiding).
- Synthetic: Петро ховатиме подарунок (same meaning; more bookish).
How do I negate the sentence?
Place не before the verb:
- Петро не ховає подарунок = “Petro is not hiding the gift” (a specific gift).
- Петро не ховає подарунка = “Petro doesn’t hide any gift” (genitive under negation; more general/indefinite).
How do I replace “the gift” with a pronoun?
Use його (it/him) for a masculine inanimate object:
- Петро ховає його. For emphasis you can front it: Петро його ховає.
What gender is подарунок, and does the verb agree with gender?
Подарунок is masculine inanimate. In the present, verbs agree with person/number, not gender, so ховає is the same with Петро or Марія. In the past they do: Петро ховав, Марія ховала.
Could I say Петра instead of Петро?
Not here. Петро is nominative (subject). Петра is genitive/accusative (animate). For example: Він ховає Петра = “He is hiding Petro.”
Are there useful synonyms or related verbs?
- приховувати = to conceal (often abstract info: feelings, facts).
- сховувати/заховувати = hide repeatedly/gradually (imperfective partners of сховати/заховати).
- ховатися = to hide oneself.
How does подарунок decline in the most common forms?
- Nom/Acc sg (inanimate): подару́нок
- Gen sg: подару́нка
- Dat/Loc sg: подару́нку
- Inst sg: подару́нком
- Nom/Acc pl: подару́нки
- Gen pl: подару́нків
How do I say “hide the gift from someone”?
Use від + genitive:
- Петро ховає подарунок від Марії. = “Petro is hiding the gift from Maria.”