-ний

Passive Participle in -ний

Level 4Sounds Like pasivnij díêprikmetnik na -nij

The passive participle in -ний (e.g., написаний - written) functions as an adjective that describes a noun based on a completed action. It is the most productive passive form in modern Ukrainian.

How It Works

The passive participle in -ний is a verbal adjective. Unlike English, which uses 'written' for both the action and the state, Ukrainian uses this form primarily to describe the resultant state of an object.

1. Formation Rules:

  • Stem in -а- or -я-: Simply add -ний after removing the -ти ending.
    Example: прочитати → прочитаний (read); посіяти → посіяний (sown).
  • Stem in -и-, -і-, or a consonant: For vowel stems, the vowel drops and -ен- (or -єн-) is added. For stems ending in a consonant, the suffix -ен- is added directly to the stem (e.g., принести → принесений). This often triggers consonant mutations:

2. Usage and Agreement:
Because it is a verbal adjective, it must follow participle agreement rules, matching the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case.

3. Syntax:
In Ukrainian, we often omit the present tense copula. So, 'The letter is written' is simply Лист написаний. If you want to emphasize the action itself rather than the state, Ukrainian prefers the impersonal form in -но/-то (e.g., Лист написано).

Examples (4)

  1. На столі лежав залишений зошит.

    A left-behind notebook lay on the table.

    Word by Word: On table lay left-behind notebook.

    'Залишений' is the passive participle of 'залишити' (to leave), describing the state of the notebook. It shows the 'ш' mutation from 'с'.

  2. Я бачу виконану роботу.

    I see the completed work.

    Word by Word: I see completed work.

    Here, 'виконану' (completed) agrees with 'роботу' in the feminine accusative case.

  3. Усі запрошені гості вже прийшли.

    All the invited guests have already arrived.

    Word by Word: All invited guests already came.

    'Запрошені' is the plural form of the participle from 'запросити' (to invite).

  4. Це був добре зроблений проєкт.

    It was a well-made project.

    Word by Word: It was well made project.

    'Зроблений' shows the 'л' insertion typical for verbs ending in 'б' (зробити).

Common Mistakes

  • Using double 'нн' in the suffix.

    Лист був написанний.
    Лист був написаний.

    Ukrainian passive participles take a single 'н' (написаний), unlike Russian. Double 'нн' appears in some adjectives, such as 'нездоланний', 'священний' and 'натхненний'.

  • Using 'є' as a copula in the present tense.

    Вікно є відчинене.
    Вікно відчинене.

    Ukrainian typically uses a zero copula in the present tense. Adding 'є' sounds like a literal translation from English or German.

How It Connects

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-нийLevel 4Passive Participle in -ний

Learn This First

To understand passive participles in -ний, you need to know how to identify the infinitive stem of a verb, understand the concept of perfective aspect (as these participles usually describe a completed result), and be familiar with adjective endings, as the participle agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case.

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-ний