що (з'ясувальне)

The що з'ясувальне (content clause with що) is used to complete the meaning of words in the main clause by answering questions of indirect (oblique) cases, such as що? (what?), кого? (whom?), чому? (to what?), чим? (with what?), or про що? (about what?). It typically completes verbs, adjectives (e.g., Я певен, що... - I am sure that...), or adverbs/state words (e.g., Відомо, що... - It is known that...).

Note: In formal academic grammar, clauses answering the Nominative case (e.g., Здається, що... - It seems that...) are technically classified as subject clauses (підрядні підметові), though they are often grouped with content clauses in language learning contexts.

1. Usage with Specific Verbs:
It typically follows verbs of:

• Speech: казати (to say), розповідати (to tell).
• Thought/Knowledge: думати (to think), знати (to know), розуміти (to understand).
• Perception: бачити (to see), чути (to hear), відчувати (to feel).

2. Noun Completion and Classification:
In Ukrainian grammar, a clause following a noun (e.g., думка, що він прийде) is usually classified as an attributive clause (означальне) because it answers the question яка? (which?). To become a true content clause (з'ясувальне), it must complete a demonstrative pronoun in an oblique case, such as про те, у тому, or з тим. For example: думка про те, що він прийде (the thought about the fact that he will come). If the clause describes a quality, it is a relative clause and frequently uses який, though що is also a very common relative pronoun in these constructions.

3. 'That' vs. 'What':
In Ukrainian, що can mean both 'that' (conjunction) and 'what' (pronoun).

• Conjunction: It is never stressed in speech and its form never changes.
• Pronoun: It can be logically stressed and it declines by case depending on its role in the subordinate clause. For example: Я знаю, чого ти хочеш (I know what you want).

4. Demonstrative Words (те, що):
The main clause often uses a form of the demonstrative pronoun той (such as те, того, тому, тим). If the verb in the main clause governs the Accusative case, те is typically optional (e.g., Я знаю [те], що він прийде). However, if the main verb requires a specific preposition, the demonstrative word is mandatory (e.g., наполягати на тому, що...).

5. Punctuation and Homogeneous Clauses:
A comma is generally required before the first що. However, if two homogeneous що-clauses are joined by a single coordinating conjunction (like і, й, та, або, чи), no comma is placed before the conjunction. For example: Я знаю, що він тут і що він чекає (I know that he is here and that he is waiting).

6. Tense Consistency:
Unlike English, Ukrainian does not use 'tense backshifting' in reported speech (indirect speech with що and no tense backshift). If the original statement was in the present tense, it remains in the present tense even if the reporting verb is in the past. For example: Він сказав, що він працює (He said that he is working/was working).

7. Contrasting with Other Conjunctions:
While що reports a stated fact, other conjunctions serve different purposes. Verbs of volition, desire, or command (e.g., хотіти, просити, вимагати) strictly require щоб, not що. Use чи for indirect yes/no questions, and як to emphasize the process or manner of an action.