Questions & Answers about Діти граються на подвір’ї.
Why is діти used instead of something like a regular plural of дитина?
Діти is the standard plural form of дитина (child). It is an irregular plural, so it does not follow the most basic noun-plural patterns learners may expect.
- дитина = child
- діти = children
This is similar to English child → children, where the plural is also irregular.
What does граються mean exactly, and why does it end in -ся?
Граються means are playing / play.
It comes from the verb гратися, which means to play in the sense of children playing, having fun, playing around.
The ending -ся is a very common Ukrainian verb ending. In many verbs it has a reflexive or middle-like function, but you should not always translate it directly as oneself. Here, гратися is simply the normal verb for to play when talking about children playing.
So:
- грати = to play (for example, play an instrument, play a game in some contexts)
- гратися = to play, have fun, play around
And:
- діти граються = the children are playing
Why is граються plural?