The word молоко, which correctly renders as молоко (moloko) meaning 'milk' in Cyrillic, is of neuter grammatical gender.
Understanding Grammatical Gender in Slavic Languages
Grammatical gender is a fundamental characteristic of nouns in many languages, including Ukrainian. Unlike the biological gender of living beings, grammatical gender is a linguistic classification that dictates how words interact within a sentence. It influences the forms of adjectives, pronouns, and verbs that accompany the noun.
The Gender of Молоко (Moloko)
In Ukrainian, as in many Slavic languages, the grammatical gender of a noun is frequently determined by its ending. The word молоко ends in -o, which is a definitive indicator of neuter gender for nouns. This rule helps learners categorize words and ensures proper grammatical agreement in sentences.
Here's a quick overview of common noun endings and their corresponding genders in Ukrainian:
| Gender | Common Endings | Example (Ukrainian) | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | Consonant (e.g., -б, -в, -г) | стіл | stil | table |
| Feminine | -а, -я | вода | voda | water |
| Neuter | -о, -е, -я (after soft consonant) | молоко | moloko | milk |
| сонце | sontse | sun | ||
| життя | zhyttia | life (often derived from verbs) |
Understanding these specific endings is crucial for anyone learning Ukrainian or other Slavic languages. It simplifies the process of correctly declining adjectives and pronouns, ensuring that your communication is grammatically sound and natural.
