# One-Part Sentences

https://langs123.com/en/ukrainian/sentence/one-part-sentences/
CEFR B2–C2 · 2026-10-19 · CC BY 4.0, langs123 contributors (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

> One-part sentences — definite-personal, indefinite-personal, impersonal and nominative — have one main member and need no second one. A one-part sentence has no subject, and none is needed: Іду́ додо́му. Світа́є.

## Cheatsheet

| Point | Rule | Example | English |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Definite-personal | the predicate is in the 1st or 2nd person; the doer is known | Чита́єш цю кни́жку? | Are you reading this book? |
| Indefinite-personal | 3rd person plural or past tense plural; the doer is not named | По ра́діо повідо́мили про погі́ршення пого́ди. | It was announced on the radio that the weather will get worse. |
| Impersonal | a predicate with no subject: a form in -но, -то, or an adverb + було́ | Там усе́ пра́вильно запи́сано. | Everything is written down correctly there. |
| Nominative | only a noun in the nominative; there is no predicate | Ве́чір. Прохоло́да. Спо́кій. | Evening. Coolness. Calm. |
| Definite-personal | 1st person plural and the imperative | У субо́ту пої́демо за мі́сто. | On Saturday we'll go out of town. |
| Indefinite-personal | the dative: who the action concerns; general statements | Нам подали́ ча́ю. | They served us some tea. |
| Impersonal | an infinitive; verbs of weather and state | Надво́рі вже світа́є. | It is already getting light outside. |
| Nominative | a noun with a modifier, or a row of nouns | Ти́хий ве́чір. Лю́ди, вогні́, му́зика. | A quiet evening. People, lights, music. |
| Definite-personal | a generalisation: everyone acts | Лю́бимо люде́й щи́рих. | We love sincere people. |
| Indefinite-personal | the focus is on the result: the meaning is close to the passive | Две́рі вже пофарбува́ли. | The door has already been painted. |
| Impersonal | the one who feels is in the dative; a reflexive verb | Нам ста́ло стра́шно у те́мряві. | We felt afraid in the dark. |
| Trap | in the past tense the impersonal predicate is було́ | У за́лі було́ ти́хо. | It was quiet in the hall. |

## Overview

- A one-part sentence has one main member, and you do not add a second: Іду́ додо́му. — I'm going home.
- The impersonal predicates тре́ба and мо́жна: Need, May, Must: треба, можна, мусити.

## Definite-personal sentences

| Predicate | Example | English |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1st person singular: the doer is I | Іду́ по ву́лиці й слу́хаю му́зику. / Не люблю́ втруча́тися в чуже́ життя́. | I walk along the street and listen to music. / I don't like interfering in other people's lives. |
| 2nd person singular: the doer is you | Чита́єш цю кни́жку? | Are you reading this book? |
| 2nd person plural: the doer is you (plural) | Вихо́дите на насту́пній зупи́нці? | Do you get off at the next stop? |
| 1st person plural: the doer is we | У субо́ту пої́демо за мі́сто. | On Saturday we'll go out of town. |
| the imperative: the person addressed acts | Подзвоні́ть мені́ за́втра. / Не забу́дьте взя́ти па́спорт. | Call me tomorrow. / Don't forget to take your passport. |
| a generalisation: everyone the thought concerns acts | Лю́бимо люде́й щи́рих, поважа́ємо люде́й наполе́гливих. | We love sincere people, we respect persistent people. |
| 2nd person singular: proverbs and advice | Тихі́ше ї́деш — да́лі бу́деш. | The slower you go, the further you get. |

- We add a subject pronoun only for emphasis; then the sentence is already a two-part one: Я люблю́ мандрува́ти. — I love travelling.

## Indefinite-personal sentences

| Predicate | Example | English |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3rd person plural: the doer is unknown | Ка́жуть, що за́втра бу́де дощ. / У нас буду́ють нову́ шко́лу. | They say it will rain tomorrow. / A new school is being built in our area. |
| past tense plural: the doer is unknown or unimportant | По ра́діо повідо́мили про погі́ршення пого́ди. / У магази́ні зни́зили ціни́. | It was announced on the radio that the weather will get worse. / They lowered the prices in the shop. |
| the dative: the person the action concerns | Нам подали́ ча́ю. | They served us some tea. |
| a general statement: what people usually do | Пе́ред свя́том прикраша́ють буди́нки. | Before the holiday, they decorate the buildings. |
| the doer is unimportant and the result comes first: the meaning is close to the passive | Лист уже́ відпра́вили. / Две́рі вже пофарбува́ли. | The letter has already been sent. / The door has already been painted. |

## Impersonal sentences

| Predicate | Example | English |
| --- | --- | --- |
| the form in -но, -то never changes; the object is in the accusative | Там усе́ пра́вильно запи́сано. / Кни́жку прочи́тано за ти́ждень. | Everything is written down correctly there. / The book was read in a week. |
| an adverb + було́ or бу́де; in the past tense, the neuter | У за́лі було́ ти́хо. / За́втра бу́де хо́лодно. | It was quiet in the hall. / It will be cold tomorrow. |
| an infinitive: a question or something unavoidable | Куди́ нам ї́хати? | Where should we go? |
| a verb of weather or time of day: світа́є / смерка́є / моро́зить | Надво́рі вже світа́є. | It is already getting light outside. |
| a verb of state; the one who feels is in the accusative | Мене́ трясе́ від хо́лоду. | I'm shivering with cold. |

## Impersonal sentences with the dative

| Predicate | Example | English |
| --- | --- | --- |
| an adverb after ста́ти; the one who feels is in the dative | Нам ста́ло стра́шно у те́мряві. | We felt afraid in the dark. |
| a reflexive verb in -ться, 3rd person singular; the one who wants is in the dative | Ду́же хо́четься відпочи́ти. / Мені́ не спи́ться. | I really feel like resting. / I can't get to sleep. |

- The dative with feelings and tastes: Liking: мені подобається. The case: Dative Case.

## Nominative sentences

| Structure | Example | English |
| --- | --- | --- |
| one noun in the nominative: a time, a place, a phenomenon | Зима́. / Ти́ша. | Winter. / Silence. |
| several nominative sentences: a picture, a mood | Ве́чір. Прохоло́да. Спо́кій. | Evening. Coolness. Calm. |
| a noun with a modifier | Ти́хий ве́чір. / Дале́ка доро́га. | A quiet evening. / A long road. |
| a row of nouns separated by commas | Лю́ди, вогні́, му́зика. | People, lights, music. |
| a chain of images: sentences replace one another like frames | Му́зика. Сце́на. Соло́ні сльо́зи. Ти́ша. | Music. A stage. Salty tears. Silence. |

- The case of the main member: Nominative Case.

## Typical errors

| ✗ | ✓ | Rule |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Надво́рі була́ хо́лодно. | Надво́рі було́ хо́лодно. | in the past tense the impersonal predicate is neuter: було́ |
| Кни́жка прочи́тано за ти́ждень. | Кни́жку прочи́тано за ти́ждень. | a form in -но takes the accusative, not the nominative |
| По ра́діо повідо́мила про погі́ршення пого́ди. | По ра́діо повідо́мили про погі́ршення пого́ди. | the doer is not named, so the predicate is plural |
| Воно́ вже світа́є. | Вже світа́є. | an impersonal sentence has no subject: do not add воно́ |
| Нас подали́ ча́ю. | Нам подали́ ча́ю. | the person served is in the dative: нам |
| Мені́ трясе́ від хо́лоду. | Мене́ трясе́ від хо́лоду. | a verb of state takes the accusative: мене́ |
| Ми ста́ло стра́шно у те́мряві. | Нам ста́ло стра́шно у те́мряві. | after ста́ти with an adverb, the dative: нам |
| Я хо́четься відпочи́ти. | Мені́ хо́четься відпочи́ти. | there is no subject: the one who wants is in the dative, мені́ |