Prepositions governing the locative

There is only one such preposition, but it is extremely important and widely used. Some of the examples below show just how difficult it is to translate into English; the reader is advised to assimilate sample patterns and not to rely too heavily on English equivalents.

при 'beside', 'by', 'at', 'in the presence of (spatially and temporally), 'during'

при вході до кімнати by/at the entrance to the room

при самому Дністрі (right) by/along the river Dniester

при нашому інституті є кафедра ... at our institute there is a department of...

при заході сонця at (the time of) sunset

при початку XX ст. at the beginning of the twentieth century

при Ользі at/during the time of Ol'ha

Він прибув у формі при всіх Не arrived in (his) uniform (with) all

орденах. of his medals/orders.

Хай бог її держить при здоров'ї. May God keep her in (good) health. (Л.У.)

При здоров'ї він мав такі сили. When he was healthy, he had such strength(s).

При мізерному лиці брата, (Given/in the presence of) the miserable/

Івасько здавався щасливим sickly face of his brother, Ivas'ko appeared

та здоровим happy and healthy.

Він живе при матері. Не lives with his mother (in her presence). бути при смерті То be on the verge of death.

Prepositions governing the locative in addition to other cases

Of the following prepositions, на and в (у) are by far the most common, as they are used in a wide variety of contexts, most of which are temporal and spatial. It is the spatial constructions in particular that make their joint pre­sentation with the L. and A. necessary: use with the L. commonly expresses location 'in', 'on', 'at', while the corresponding use with the A. expresses motion to that location (in addition to до + G.).

Spatial constructions

на + L. 'on', 'at' (a location), generally used with words denoting outdoor or uncovered locales, or surfaces of objects (e.g. street, floor, roof.. . ); some words must simply be learnt as 'на' words, as English equivalents may require 'in'.

бути на станції be at the station (implied: outdoor, platform)

бути на вулиці be on the street

бути на тротуарі be on the pavement

бути на базарі be at the market, bazaar

бути на морі be at the sea

бути на чужині be in a foreign land

на глибині 200 метрів at a depth of 200 metres

на + A. 'to', 'onto' (a location); motion can also be figurative.

їхати на станцію go to the station (implied: outdoor, platform)

іти на вулицю go (out) onto the street

іти на тротуар go onto the pavement

іти на базар go to the market, bazaar

їхати на море go to the sea

їхати на чужину go to a foreign land

у = в + L. 'in' (a location, situation, or state)

бути в (у) кімнаті, хаті be in the room, cottage (house, hut)

бути в Україні be in Ukraine

бути в (у) журбі be in sorrow

брати участь у святкуванні take part in the celebration (of. . .)

у ролі Гамлета in the role of Hamlet

сад у росі a garden in (covered with) dew

драма в 4 діях a drama in four acts

кричати у гніві shout in anger (very elevated style)

жити в дружбі live in friendship (harmoniously)

у = в + A. 'into' (a location); in certain expressions motion can be figurative (cf. дo + G.).

іти в (у) кімнату, хату go into the room, cottage (house, hut)

їхати в Україну go to Ukraine

ідея прийшла мені в голову an idea came into my head

летіти у вікно fly into/through the window

стукати у двері knock on the door

вдаватися в тугу become/enter into melancholy

узяти в полон to take prisoner, into captivity

в ім'я свободи in the name of freedom

іти в гості go visiting