What does it mean word for word?
The verb сумував stems from сумувати, which literally means "to feel sadness" or "to grieve". In Ukrainian, instead of using "miss" as a direct verb like in English, you use this verb paired with the preposition за to express missing someone.
Which one should you use?
While English uses "miss" as a transitive verb, Ukrainian uses the intransitive verb сумувати followed by the preposition за (for/after).
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb must agree with the gender of the speaker: if the speaker is female, use я сумувала за тобою instead of the masculine я сумував за тобою. To address more than one person, or to address one person formally/politely, replace the informal за тобою with за вами. The phrase за тобою specifically uses the instrumental case to address one person informally.
How do you pronounce it?
ya sumuvav za toboyu
Did you know?
- While English 'miss' can be used for a bus or a target, сумувати is strictly emotional and cannot be used for failing to hit a mark or arriving late.
- Ukrainian has a distinct word for 'longing' that is deeper than сумувати, often used in poetry to describe a soul-aching desire for a homeland or a lost love.
- The word я descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *éǵh₂, making it a distant linguistic cousin to the English 'I' and the Latin 'ego'.
Examples in context
- Я сумував за тобою.I missed you.This sentence is useful for expressing that you missed someone.Tatoeba #5958043 by deniko, translation #407574 by Scott
- Скучив за тобою, ОлександреI missed you, Alexander
- Дуже сильно скучив за тобоюI missed you so much
Example conversation
Serhii returns home after a long trip and greets Olena.
- Олена OlenaПривіт, Сергію! Нарешті ти вдома.Pryvit, Serhiyu! Nareshtsi ty vdoma.Hi, Serhii! Finally you are home.
- Сергій SerhiiПривіт, Олено! Я сумував за тобою.Pryvit, Oleno! Ya sumuvav za toboyu.Hi, Olena! I missed you.
- Олена OlenaЯ теж сумувала за тобою!Ya tezh sumuvala za toboyu!I missed you too!
- Сергій SerhiiЯ так радий тебе бачити.Ya tak radyi tebe bachyty.I am so glad to see you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries за, тобою, я, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
