60 Ukrainian: A Comprehensive Grammar 2.3.1 DECLENSION OF FEMININE NOUNS Feminine nouns can end either in a vowel (-a), or in a consonant; these two major types are further subdivided according to the 'soft' or 'hard' nature of the final consonant, whether it is alone in final position or preceding final -a (on hard and soft consonants, see 1.1.6). 2.3.1.1 Feminine declensions ending in a vowel (-a): hard stems N. G. D. A. I. L. V. Singular -a -И -i -y -ОЮ -i -0 Plural -И -0 -ам -и -ами -ax = N. H. P. Д. 3. o. M. Кл. This stem-type is so termed because the consonant preceding the final -a of the nominative is hard; note that '-0' means 'zero ending', or 'no vowel following the stem-final consonant'. The following examples reflect different stress patterns within the hard stem paradigm, beginning with the common E + S type. stress e + s: вода 'water' N. G. D. A. I. L. V. Singular - Однина Plural - Множина вода води воді воду водою воді водо! води вод водам води водами водах = Н н. р. д. 3. 0. м. Кл. Like вода the following decline in the same way: рука 'hand'/'arm', нога 'footV'leg', голова 'head', дочка 'daughter'. Note the special characteristics of this type of noun in Ukrainian: stress can shift in any paradigm, but will do so almost always when it is stressed on the final vowel (as in the case of вода) typically in the A. and V. singular, but throughout the plural individual nouns may vary, and exceptions are noted in dictionaries. Now compare 'daughter', with the same stress pattern; note the consonant alternation in the D. and L. singular, as described in 1.1.9:
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