Decimal Fractions

Level 4Sounds Like desâtkoví drobi

Decimal fractions in Ukrainian use a comma (,) as a separator. The whole part is followed by 'цілих' (or 'ціла'), then the fractional part (tenths, hundredths, etc.), and finally the noun in the genitive singular.

How It Works

In Ukrainian, decimal fractions follow specific agreement rules for gender and case.

1. The Decimal Separator
Ukrainian uses a comma (,) rather than a period. When reading, this comma is voiced as ціла, цілі, or цілих. In speech, you can also add the conjunction і (and) between the parts (e.g., одна ціла і п'ять десятих).

2. Agreement of 'Whole' (ціла/цілі/цілих)

  • Use ціла if the whole number ends in 1 (but not 11): одна ціла (1,0).
  • Use цілі if the whole number ends in 2, 3, or 4 (but not 12-14): дві цілі (2,0).
  • Use цілих for 0, numbers ending in 5-9, and the teens (11-19): нуль цілих (0,0), п'ять цілих (5,0).

Note: In technical or mathematical registers, 'цілих' is often used as a universal form for any number except those ending in 1.

3. The Fractional Part
Fractional ranks (tenths, hundredths) are feminine because they refer to the word 'частина' (part).

  • 0,1 = одна десята (nominative singular)
  • 0,2 = дві десятих (genitive plural)
  • 0,01 = одна сота
  • 0,001 = одна тисячна

4. The Noun Rule (Crucial)
Regardless of the number, the noun following a decimal fraction must be in the genitive singular. For example: 2,5 метра (not метри) or 0,8 відсотка.

Examples (4)

  1. Нуль цілих вісім десятих відсотка.

    Zero point eight percent.

    Word by Word: Zero wholes eight tenths of-percent.

    Note that 'відсотка' is in the genitive singular, even though 0.8 is less than one.

  2. Висота становить одну цілу і дві десятих метра.

    The height is one point two meters.

    Word by Word: Height constitutes one whole and two tenths of-meter.

    In spoken Ukrainian, the conjunction 'і' (and) is often used to connect the whole and fractional parts. Since the whole number is 1, we use 'одну цілу' (accusative agreement).

  3. Додайте дві цілі п'ять сотих грама солі.

    Add two point zero five grams of salt.

    Word by Word: Add two wholes five hundredths of-gram of-salt.

    For whole numbers ending in 2, 3, or 4, the form 'цілі' is used. The noun 'грама' remains in the genitive singular because it follows a decimal.

  4. Інфляція склала три цілих одна десята відсотка.

    Inflation amounted to three point one percent.

    Word by Word: Inflation amounted-to three wholes one tenth of-percent.

    When the fraction ends in .1, the rank (десята) is in the nominative singular. Note that 'цілих' is also common in formal or mathematical contexts for numbers like 3.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the plural form of the noun after a decimal.

    дві цілих п'ять десятих метри
    дві цілих п'ять десятих метра

    In Ukrainian, any decimal fraction (no matter the last digit) requires the noun to be in the genitive singular.

  • Using masculine forms for fractional numbers.

    нуль цілих один десятих
    нуль цілих одна десята

    Fractional parts are always feminine (одна, дві) because they modify the implied feminine noun 'частина' (part).

  • Saying 'крапка' (dot) instead of 'кома' (comma) or 'цілих'.

    два крапка п'ять
    дві цілих п'ять десятих

    While 'крапка' is used in IT, in standard Ukrainian speech and math, say 'кома' or 'цілих' to separate the parts.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Decimal FractionsLevel 4

Learn This First

To understand decimal fractions, learners must first learn how Ukrainian numerals 2-4 and 5+ govern noun cases. Specifically, decimal fractions are treated as feminine constructions (referring to 'ціла частина' and 'дробова частина'), requiring knowledge of feminine numeral forms and the genitive case for the counted object.

Words in This Pattern

дрібцілий