The Genitive Case: Possession, Absence, and More
The Genitive case indicates possession (like 'of' or 's), absence (with без - without), origin (with з/із - from), or location at/having ('at' or 'have' with у). Its primary role is showing belonging or relation, or being required by certain prepositions.
Nouns: Endings vary based on gender and hard/soft stem.
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: hard -а / -а, soft -я / -я. (e.g., дом брата - brother's house, книга учителя - teacher's book, окно села - village window, цвіт поля - field flower)
- Singular Feminine: ending -ы / -ы or -і / -и. (e.g., книга сестры - sister's book, голос землі - voice of the earth)
- Plural (all genders): Various endings, often -ов (masculine), or a zero ending (feminine and neuter). (e.g., домы братов - brothers' houses, книгы учителїв - teachers' books, книгы жон∅ - women's books, окасел∅ - village windows)
Adjectives:
- Singular (all genders): hard -ого / -ого, soft -ого / -ього. (e.g., дом доброго брата - house of a good brother, книга нової учителкы - book of a new female teacher, окно синього села - window of the blue village)
- Plural (all genders): hard -ых / -ых, soft -их / -ых. (e.g., домы добрых братов - houses of good brothers, книгы синіх учителїв - books of blue teachers)
Prepositions: Used after без (without), з/із (from), у (at/by/have), and others like до (to/until), од (from).
Examples: То є робота мого отця (This is my father's work). Я єм з города (I am from the city). У мене є годинка (I have a watch - literally "At me there is a watch"). Они идут без воды (They are going without water). Видїв єм много красных жон (I saw many beautiful women).