Verbs Used with -ся

Level 2Sounds Like díêslova tílʹki z -sâ

In Ukrainian, some verbs are 'born' with the suffix -ся. Unlike regular reflexive verbs where -ся means 'self', these verbs (reflexiva tantum) cannot exist without it. They usually describe feelings, natural reactions, or specific actions.

How It Works

These verbs are essential for everyday communication. In these cases, the -ся is lexical, meaning it is a permanent part of the word's identity rather than a separate pronoun.

Key Characteristics:

  • Historical Origin: The suffix -ся is a shortened, 'frozen' form of the reflexive pronoun себе (self) that became attached to the verb over time.
  • Word Structure: It is a postfix, meaning it attaches after the personal endings of the verb (e.g., смі-єш-ся, смі-ють-ся).
  • Transitivity: While most of these verbs are intransitive (they don't take a direct object), some take objects in specific cases. For example, дивитися (to watch) takes the Accusative, while боятися (to fear) takes the Genitive.
  • Internal States: Many of these verbs describe psychological or physiological states, such as боятися (to fear) or сподіватися (to hope).
  • Phonetic Variants: The suffix changes to -сь after vowels for better flow (euphony). For example: смієшся (consonant ending) vs сміємось (vowel ending).
  • Pronunciation: In the 3rd person (ending in -ться), the combination is pronounced as a long, soft [ц’:]: сміється sounds like [смієцця].

Examples (4)

  1. Дитина часто сміється.

    The child laughs often.

    Word by Word: Child often laughs.

    The verb сміятися (to laugh) is inherently reflexive. You cannot say 'дитина сміє'.

  2. Я не боюся темряви.

    I am not afraid of the dark.

    Word by Word: I not fear dark.

    The verb боятися (to fear) always takes -ся. Note that 'темряви' is in the genitive case, which this verb requires.

  3. Ми дивимося цікавий фільм.

    We are watching an interesting movie.

    Word by Word: We watch interesting movie.

    Although дивитися (to watch) is inherently reflexive, it is transitive and takes a direct object in the accusative case.

  4. Він дуже старався написати листа.

    He tried very hard to write the letter.

    Word by Word: He very tried to-write letter.

    The verb старатися (to try/strive) is inherently reflexive and describes an internal effort.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the -ся suffix.

    Я бою темряви.
    Я боюся темряви.

    Learners often forget that -ся is not optional for these verbs. Without it, the sentence is grammatically incorrect.

  • Confusing 'сміятися' (to laugh) with 'смішити' (to make laugh).

    Він сміяв мене.
    Він смішив мене.

    You cannot remove -ся from 'сміятися' to make it act on someone else. You must use a different verb entirely.

How It Connects

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

Verbs Used with -сяLevel 2

Learn This First

To understand verbs that are used exclusively with the -ся suffix, you first need to be familiar with basic Ukrainian verb structures, including the infinitive form and present tense conjugation. It is also helpful to understand the general reflexive function of -ся before learning the specific group of verbs where this suffix is mandatory and does not necessarily imply a reflexive action.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

-ся