How to Use Past Tense Forms in Ukrainian for English Speakers

Understanding the Past Tense in Ukrainian

The past tense in Ukrainian is used to describe actions that have already happened. Unlike English, Ukrainian verbs in the past tense change according to gender and number, which is important to express the subject correctly.

Key Differences from English Past Tense

In English, the past tense form of a verb is usually the same regardless of the subject (e.g., "I walked," "she walked"). In Ukrainian, the verb changes depending on whether the subject is masculine, feminine, neuter, or plural.

Forming the Past Tense in Ukrainian

To form the past tense in Ukrainian, you start with the infinitive form of the verb, remove the ending -ти, and add the appropriate past tense ending based on gender and number.

For example, the verb писати (to write):

• Remove -ти: писати → писа-
• Add ending for masculine singular: писав
• Add ending for feminine singular: писала
• Add ending for neuter singular: писало
• Add ending for plural (all genders): писали

Past Tense Endings Summary

• Masculine singular: -в
• Feminine singular: -ла
• Neuter singular: -ло
• Plural (all genders): -ли

Examples of Past Tense Usage

Here are some examples of past tense verbs with different subjects:

• Він читав книгу. (He read a book.)
• Вона читала книгу. (She read a book.)
• Воно читало книгу. (It read a book.)
• Вони читали книгу. (They read a book.)

Using the Verb "To Be" in the Past Tense

In Ukrainian, the verb "to be" (бути) is often omitted in the past tense when used in simple sentences. However, when necessary, it conjugates as follows:

• Я був (masculine) / Я була (feminine) – I was
• Ти був / Ти була – You were (singular)
• Він був – He was
• Вона була – She was
• Воно було – It was
• Ми були – We were
• Ви були – You were (plural/formal)
• Вони були – They were

Common Irregularities and Tips

Most Ukrainian verbs follow the regular pattern for past tense formation, but some verbs have irregular forms or stem changes. Practice and exposure will help you recognize these exceptions.

Practice Phrases in Past Tense