-тий

Passive Participle in -тий

Level 4Sounds Like pasivnij díêprikmetnik na -tij

The passive participle in -тий is a 'verbal adjective' that describes a noun's state after an action has happened (e.g., 'broken', 'washed'). It is used instead of the more common -ний for specific verb types, such as those with stems ending in -ну-, -ер-, or monosyllabic roots.

How It Works

The passive participle in -тий is a productive form used to describe a resultative state.

1. When to use -тий instead of -ний:

  • Stems in -ну-: Verbs that have the suffix -ну- in the infinitive. Example: зігнути (to bend) → зігнутий (bent). Note: Some verbs in -ну- also allow a variant form in -нений, such as замкнути (to lock) → замкнений or замкнутий.
  • Monosyllabic roots: Short verbs where the root ends in a vowel. Example: мити (to wash) → митий (washed), бити (to beat/hit) → битий (beaten/broken).
  • Stems in -ер-: Verbs where the root ends in -ер-. Example: терти (to grate) → тертий (grated).
  • Stems in -о-: Certain verbs ending in -оти. Example: колоти (to chop/stab) → колотий (chopped).
  • Nasal roots (-ня-): Verbs where the root historically contained a nasal sound, often appearing as -ня-. Example: взяти (to take) → взятий (taken), зайняти (to occupy) → зайнятий (occupied).

2. Agreement:
Because these function as adjectives, they change their endings to match the noun: митий (masc.), мита (fem.), мите (neut.), миті (pl.).

3. Usage Nuance:
Ukrainian distinguishes between the state of an object and the action performed on it. Use the participle to describe the quality (e.g., 'the closed door'). To describe the event ('the door was closed'), Ukrainians prefer the impersonal -но/-то construction.

Examples (4)

  1. На столі стояв розбитий келих.

    A broken glass stood on the table.

    Word by Word: On table stood broken glass.

    Here, 'розбитий' (broken) comes from 'розбити'. It agrees with the masculine noun 'келих'.

  2. Мені потрібен тертий сир для пасти.

    I need grated cheese for the pasta.

    Word by Word: To me needed grated cheese for pasta.

    The participle 'тертий' comes from the stem 'тер-' (to grate) and describes the state of the cheese.

  3. Він увійшов крізь відкриті двері.

    He entered through the opened doors.

    Word by Word: He entered through opened doors.

    The plural form 'відкриті' agrees with 'двері' (doors), which is always plural in Ukrainian.

  4. Зігнутий цвях неможливо забити.

    It is impossible to drive in a bent nail.

    Word by Word: Bent nail impossible to drive-in.

    The verb 'зігнути' contains the '-ну-' suffix, so it takes the '-тий' ending.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the wrong suffix (-ний instead of -тий) for monosyllabic roots.

    Я купив миний овоч.
    Я купив митий овоч.

    Verbs like 'мити' (to wash) have short roots and must use the -тий suffix. 'Миний' is not a valid form.

  • Failing to agree the participle with the noun's gender.

    Підлога вже митий.
    Підлога вже мита.

    Since 'підлога' (floor) is feminine, the participle must take the feminine ending -а.

  • Using the participle to describe an action instead of a state.

    Different MeaningЦя книга була відкрита мною.
    Цю книгу було відкрито.

    The first sentence is grammatical, but it sounds like a translation from English. The impersonal -но/-то form is more natural for describing the act of opening, and it normally does not name the doer.

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-тийLevel 4Passive Participle in -тий

Learn This First

To understand the passive participle in -тий, you need to know how to identify the verb stem from the infinitive, understand how adjectives agree with nouns in gender and number, and recognize the perfective aspect, as these participles typically describe a completed action's result.

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-тий