Nominalization in Ukrainian

In Brief

Ukrainian can turn an action expressed by a verb into a noun phrase, especially with neuter verbal nouns ending in -ння or -ття: завершити будівництво “to complete construction” becomes завершення будівництва “the completion of construction.” The thing affected by the action normally becomes a genitive complement, while the person or institution performing it can be expressed in the instrumental case. This compact pattern is especially common in academic, administrative, legal, and news writing.

Overview

Nominalization means presenting an event, process, or result as a noun rather than as a clause. A clause contains a verb and normally says who does what: Уряд запровадив нові правила “The government introduced new rules.” A nominalized version packages the same event into a noun phrase: запровадження нових правил урядом “the introduction of new rules by the government.” A noun phrase is simply a group of words built around a noun.

At C1, nominalization matters less as a word-building exercise than as a way of organizing information. It allows a whole event to follow a preposition, serve as the subject or object of another verb, or link smoothly to an earlier sentence. You will encounter it in reports, policies, research papers, contracts, instructions, and serious journalism.

English also uses nouns such as “approval,” “completion,” and “implementation,” so the basic idea is familiar. The important difference is grammatical: Ukrainian has no articles, and its case system changes word endings to show each word’s role. When a verb becomes a noun, its former subject and object therefore need new case forms. A good learner must control both the derived noun and the phrase built around it.

How It Works

From a verb to a verbal noun

A verbal noun is a noun derived from a verb while retaining the meaning of an action, process, or result. Ukrainian very often uses forms in -ння and -ття.

Verb	Verbal noun	Basic meaning
писати	писання	writing
читати	читання	reading
обговорювати	обговорювання	discussing as a process
запровадити	запровадження	introduction, implementation
завершити	завершення	completion
прийняти	прийняття	acceptance; adoption
відкрити	відкриття	opening; discovery
досягти	досягнення	achievement; attainment

These formations are productive, but they are not made by attaching one ending mechanically to the infinitive. Stems may alternate, shorten, or use -ення, -ання, -ювання, or -ття according to the established word. Learn the noun with its source verb: зберегти → збереження, дослідити → дослідження, розвинути → розвиток. The last example also shows that not every natural action noun ends in -ння or -ття.

Most nouns in -ння and -ття are neuter. They decline like neuter nouns, although the visible ending is sometimes the same in several cases.

Case	прийняття	Example function
Nominative	прийняття	subject: Прийняття тривало довго.
Genitive	прийняття	after після, до, без
Dative	прийняттю	recipient or target
Accusative	прийняття	direct object
Instrumental	прийняттям	means, cause, or complement
Locative	прийнятті	after у/при

Turning clause roles into noun-phrase roles

Start with a finite clause—that is, a clause whose verb shows tense or person:

Комісія розглянула заяву.
“The committee considered the application.”

The direct object (the person or thing directly affected), заяву, normally becomes genitive after the action noun:

розгляд заяви
“consideration of the application”

If the performer must be stated, it can be put in the instrumental case:

розгляд заяви комісією
“consideration of the application by the committee”

The core mapping is:

In the clause	In the nominal phrase	Example
action expressed by a verb	action noun	розглянула → розгляд
direct object	usually genitive	заяву → заяви
performer or agent	often instrumental	комісія → комісією

This pattern is particularly useful because it keeps the affected item and the performer distinct: підписання договору сторонами means “the signing of the agreement by the parties.” Here договору is what was signed, and сторонами names who signed it.

The genitive complement

A genitive complement is a noun in the genitive case that completes the meaning of another noun. It commonly corresponds to an English “of” phrase:

• писання листа — the writing of a letter
• прийняття пропозиції — the acceptance of the proposal
• запровадження нових правил — the introduction of new rules
• завершення будівництва — the completion of construction

Adjectives and other modifiers agree with their own noun: нових правил is genitive plural because правил is genitive plural. A chain may contain more than one genitive: обговорення результатів дослідження “discussion of the research results.” Such chains are grammatical, but too many in a row can be hard to read.

The genitive is not automatically an object. With some nouns it can name a performer instead: приїзд делегації means “the delegation’s arrival,” because приїхати does not take a direct object. Context and the source verb determine the relation. If a transitive action could be ambiguous, the instrumental is the clearer way to identify the performer.

Putting the noun phrase into a larger sentence

Once formed, the whole nominal expression behaves like a noun phrase. Its head noun changes case according to its new job; its genitive complement normally stays genitive.

Function	Ukrainian pattern	Meaning
subject	Прийняття рішення затрималося.	The adoption of the decision was delayed.
direct object	Ми підтримуємо запровадження змін.	We support the introduction of changes.
after після + genitive	після завершення будівництва	after the completion of construction
after до + genitive	до підписання договору	before/up to the signing of the agreement
after завдяки + dative	завдяки впровадженню системи	thanks to the implementation of the system
after шляхом + genitive	шляхом проведення опитування	by means of conducting a survey

Notice the two layers in завдяки впровадженню системи: впровадженню is dative because завдяки requires the dative, while системи remains the genitive complement of the action noun.

Keeping aspect and meaning in view

Ukrainian verbs distinguish aspect: imperfective verbs present an action as ongoing, repeated, or unbounded, while perfective verbs present it as a complete whole. Related action nouns may reflect a process/result contrast, but the relationship is lexical rather than perfectly automatic.

• обговорювати → обговорювання can emphasize the process of discussing.
• обговорити → обговорення commonly names the discussion as an event or completed unit.
• виконувати / виконати → виконання serves broadly for carrying out, performance, or completion; one noun covers meanings associated with both verbs.

Do not assume that every aspectual pair produces two equally common nouns. Check actual usage and learn frequent combinations such as ухвалення рішення, виконання завдання, and проведення дослідження as complete units.

Examples in Context

Ukrainian	English	Note
Писання листа забрало більше часу, ніж я очікував.	Writing the letter took more time than I expected.	The nominal phrase is the subject.
Прийняття пропозиції залежить від умов договору.	Acceptance of the proposal depends on the terms of the agreement.	The affected item is genitive.
Уряд оголосив про запровадження нових правил.	The government announced the introduction of new rules.	про takes the accusative here; the form remains запровадження.
Після завершення будівництва дорогу відкриють для руху.	After the completion of construction, the road will be opened to traffic.	після requires the genitive.
Підписання угоди сторонами відбулося в Києві.	The signing of the agreement by the parties took place in Kyiv.	Object in genitive; agents in instrumental.
Комітет відклав розгляд заяви до наступного засідання.	The committee postponed consideration of the application until the next meeting.	A lexical action noun without -ння.
Завдяки впровадженню електронної системи черги скоротилися.	Thanks to the implementation of an electronic system, the queues became shorter.	Head noun is dative after завдяки.
Дослідники наголосили на необхідності проведення додаткових вимірювань.	The researchers stressed the need to carry out additional measurements.	A formal chain of dependent nouns.
Раптове закриття кордону спричинило затримки.	The sudden closure of the border caused delays.	The adjective agrees with the neuter noun.
Ми чекаємо на підтвердження отримання документів.	We are waiting for confirmation that the documents were received.	Two nested nominalizations.
Для зменшення витрат компанія переглянула бюджет.	To reduce costs, the company revised its budget.	Formal purpose phrase with для + genitive.
Регулярне читання фахових текстів розширює словниковий запас.	Regular reading of specialist texts expands vocabulary.	A process or habitual activity.

Common Mistakes

Leaving the former object in the accusative

• Wrong: прийняття пропозицію
• Right: прийняття пропозиції
• Why: After the action noun, the former direct object normally becomes a genitive complement. Пропозиції is genitive singular.

Using the nominative for a stated performer

• Wrong: підписання договору сторони
• Right: підписання договору сторонами
• Why: When the affected item is already genitive, use the instrumental to mark the performer clearly: “by the parties.”

Freezing the action noun in one form

• Wrong: завдяки впровадження нової системи
• Right: завдяки впровадженню нової системи
• Why: The nominalized phrase is still part of the larger sentence. Завдяки governs the dative, so the head noun must be впровадженню.

Building a noun mechanically from any infinitive

• Wrong: treating an invented form as natural because its ending looks possible
• Right: use established forms such as зберегти → збереження and розвинути → розвиток
• Why: Stem changes and lexical convention matter. A dictionary or corpus is safer than simply replacing -ти with -ння.

Copying an English string of nouns

• Wrong: forcing several uninflected noun-like units together in English order
• Right: план розвитку міського транспорту — “urban transport development plan”
• Why: Ukrainian shows the relationships with case endings and adjectives. Work outward from the head noun rather than copying English word order.

Overloading every sentence with nominalizations

• Heavy: Після здійснення проведення перевірки було виконано прийняття рішення.
• Better: Після перевірки комісія ухвалила рішення.
• Why: Nominal style is useful, but stacked abstract nouns and empty support verbs obscure who acted. A finite verb is often shorter and clearer.

Usage Notes

Nominalization is neutral and natural in many fixed expressions, but its concentration strongly affects register. Phrases such as після закінчення роботи, під час обговорення, and ухвалення рішення occur beyond academic prose. Long chains such as з метою забезпечення виконання вимог sound distinctly administrative or legal.

Formal Ukrainian often combines action nouns with general-purpose verbs: здійснювати контроль “exercise control,” проводити дослідження “conduct research,” ухвалювати рішення “make/adopt decisions.” Some are standard collocations; others can be replaced by a direct verb for livelier prose. Compare здійснювати перевірку документів with перевіряти документи. The second directly identifies the action and is usually preferable in plain language.

English can comfortably leave the agent implicit in “the approval of the plan.” Ukrainian can do the same: затвердження плану. Add an instrumental agent only when it matters: затвердження плану міністерством. Word order usually places the action noun first, the affected item next, and the agent later, but context and information focus can alter this order.

Beyond the Basics: Information Structure and Style

Nominalization lets a writer turn an earlier event into a compact topic. For example: Міністерство оприлюднило звіт. Оприлюднення звіту викликало дискусію. “The ministry published the report. The publication of the report prompted debate.” The second sentence treats the whole first event as already known information. This is one reason nominalization contributes to cohesion in academic writing.

It can also deliberately suppress the agent. Було допущено порушення and допущення порушення focus on the violation rather than on who committed it. This may be appropriate when the agent is unknown or irrelevant, but in public and institutional writing it can blur responsibility. Compare:

• Під час перевірки було виявлено помилки. — During the inspection, errors were found.
• Аудитори виявили помилки під час перевірки. — The auditors found errors during the inspection.

The second is more transparent because it names the actor. Advanced control therefore means not merely producing nominalizations, but deciding when a clause communicates better.

A verbal noun may gradually acquire a concrete or specialized lexical meaning. Відкриття can mean the act of opening, an opening ceremony, or a discovery; видання can mean publishing, an edition, or a publication; завдання normally means a task rather than simply “giving.” Context and collocation determine whether the noun describes a process, an event, a result, or a concrete item.

Finally, nested nominalizations are grammatical but require careful editing: підтвердження отримання повідомлення means “confirmation of receipt of the message.” Add another layer and processing becomes difficult. In polished prose, keep a chain when its hierarchy is clear and terminologically useful; otherwise unpack one layer into a clause: підтвердження того, що повідомлення отримано “confirmation that the message was received.”

Practice Tips

1. Transform in both directions. Rewrite Комісія схвалила проєкт as схвалення проєкту комісією, then turn it back into a clause. This trains the genitive object and instrumental agent together.
2. Collect complete collocations. Record ухвалення рішення, проведення дослідження, запровадження правил, and виконання вимог, not isolated nouns. Note the source verb and one prepositional frame for each.
3. Edit for clarity. Take a paragraph from a report and underline every noun in -ння or -ття. Keep nominalizations that organize information; replace unnecessary ones with finite verbs and name the actor where responsibility matters.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Word Formation — provides the broader derivational patterns needed to recognize and build Ukrainian nouns.