Word order and emphasis
Because cases show who does what, Ukrainian word order is free. It is used to show what is known and what is new or important: new information usually comes at the end.
| sentence | answers the question |
|---|---|
| Олена купила машину. | What did Olena buy? |
| Машину купила Олена. | Who bought the car? |
| Олена машину купила (а не орендувала). | Did she buy or rent it? |
Neutral order
Without special emphasis: subject – verb – object, with time and place often at the beginning: Учора в кафе я зустріла подругу.
Examples
- Цю книжку мені подарувала мама.It was my mum who gave me this book.
- Мама подарувала мені цю книжку.Mum gave me this book.
- Квитків уже немає.There are no tickets left.
- Цю пісню написала моя мама.My mum wrote this song.
- Квитки купила Оксана.Oksana bought the tickets.
Common mistakes
- ✗ Кого ти говориш з?✓ З ким ти говориш?A preposition cannot stand at the end as in English who are you talking to.
- ✗ Що ти дивишся на?✓ На що ти дивишся?The preposition precedes the question word in Ukrainian, unlike English what are you looking at.
- ✗ Ніколи не я знав.✓ Я ніколи не знав.The subject comes first and не stands directly before the verb, as English I never knew.
- ✗ Українська мова вивчаю я.✓ Я вивчаю українську мову.The object must be in the accusative, and the word order shows emphasis, not function.
- ✗ Тато подарував мені цю ручка.✓ Тато подарував мені цю ручку.The object ends in -у, since case endings show who does what.