How do Ukrainian noun genders work with examples
Navigate Ukrainian Grammar: A Beginner's Guide to Mastery: How do Ukrainian noun genders work with examples
Ukrainian nouns have three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. The gender of a noun is mainly determined by its ending in the nominative case, although some exceptions exist.
Masculine Nouns
- Typically end in a consonant or the vowel -й.
- Examples: дім (house), стіл (table), хлопець (boy).
- Masculine personal names and some nouns ending in -ь can be masculine.
- Adjective endings for masculine nouns: often -ий or -ій.
Feminine Nouns
- Usually end in -а or -я.
- Examples: жінка (woman), книга (book), річка (river).
- Adjective endings for feminine nouns: usually -а or -я.
Neuter Nouns
- Generally end in -о or -е.
- Examples: місто (city), поле (field), серце (heart).
- Adjective endings for neuter nouns: typically -е or -є.
The noun’s gender affects the forms of adjectives and pronouns used with it. For example, the possessive pronoun “my” agrees in gender: мій (masculine), моя (feminine), моє (neuter).
These rules help learners predict noun gender and properly match adjectives and pronouns accordingly. Exceptions exist but are fewer relative to these general patterns.