Мати (to have) in Ukrainian

Overview

Ukrainian has two main ways to express possession, and understanding both is essential at the CEFR A1 level. The verb "мати" (to have) is conjugated like a regular first-conjugation verb and directly translates the English concept of having. The alternative construction "у мене є" (literally "at me there-is") is equally common and often preferred in colloquial speech.

Both constructions are grammatically correct and widely used, though they carry slightly different nuances. Learning when to use each one will help you sound more natural from the very beginning of your Ukrainian journey.

The verb "мати" also appears in several common idiomatic expressions that go beyond simple possession, making it one of the most versatile verbs in the language.

How It Works

Conjugation of мати

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	маю	маємо
2nd	маєш	маєте
3rd	має	мають

The "у мене є" Construction

This construction uses a preposition + pronoun in genitive case + є:

Person	Construction	Example
I have	у мене є	У мене є собака.
you have	у тебе є	У тебе є час?
he has	у нього є	У нього є машина.
she has	у неї є	У неї є брат.
we have	у нас є	У нас є проблема.
you (pl) have	у вас є	У вас є питання?
they have	у них є	У них є діти.

Negation

• With мати: Я не маю часу. (genitive after negation)
• With construction: У мене немає часу. (немає + genitive)

Examples in Context

Ukrainian	English	Note
Я маю собаку.	I have a dog.	Direct verb usage
У мене є час.	I have time.	"At me there-is" construction
Ти маєш рацію.	You are right.	Idiomatic: "to have rightness"
У нас є проблема.	We have a problem.	Plural construction
Вона має двох дітей.	She has two children.	Animate accusative
У тебе є ручка?	Do you have a pen?	Question with construction
Не маю часу.	I don't have time.	Negation + genitive
У них немає грошей.	They don't have money.	Немає + genitive
Маємо все, що треба.	We have everything we need.	Common expression
Він має талант.	He has talent.	Abstract possession

Common Mistakes

Using nominative after negation

• Wrong: Я не маю час.
• Right: Я не маю часу.
• Why: After negated "мати," the object shifts to genitive case.

Mixing up pronoun forms in the "у ... є" construction

• Wrong: У він є машина.
• Right: У нього є машина.
• Why: The construction requires the genitive form of the pronoun, not the nominative.

Forgetting немає in negative existence

• Wrong: У мене не є час.
• Right: У мене немає часу.
• Why: The negative of "є" in this construction is the single word "немає," not "не є."

Usage Notes

The "у мене є" construction is generally preferred when emphasizing existence or asking whether something exists at all. "Мати" is more common in formal contexts, with abstract nouns, and in idiomatic expressions. In everyday speech, both are used interchangeably for concrete possession.

Common idioms with мати: мати рацію (to be right), мати на увазі (to mean/have in mind), мати змогу (to be able), мати намір (to intend).

Practice Tips

1. Parallel sentences: Express the same possession using both "мати" and "у ... є" to internalize both structures.

2. Negation practice: Take affirmative sentences and negate them, paying attention to the case change (accusative to genitive).

3. Idiom collection: Learn three to five "мати" idioms and use them in short dialogues.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Personal Pronouns -- pronoun forms needed for the "у ... є" construction