Slavic · Cyrillic
UkrainianУкраїнська
40M speakers · Eastern Europe
250 terms
pryvit
Hello (casual)
The friendly everyday hello among friends and peers.
dobryy den
Good day (formal hello)
The polite hello for strangers, shops and offices.
dobroho ranku
Good morning
A morning greeting.
dobryy vechir
Good evening
An evening greeting.
dobranich
Good night
Said before going to sleep.
yak spravy
How are you?
The everyday way to ask how someone is doing.
dobre, dyakuyu
Fine, thank you
The standard reply to how are you.
dyakuyu
Thank you
The standard thank-you; shchyro dyakuyu — sincerely thank you.
bud laska
Please; you're welcome
Please when asking — and you're welcome when thanked.
vybachte
Sorry; excuse me
An apology or polite interruption.
nichoho
No problem; it's okay
Reassuring reply to an apology — no worries.
tak
Yes
Yes.
ni
No
No.
do pobachennya
Goodbye
The standard farewell — until we see each other again.
mene zvaty
My name is
How to introduce yourself — I am called.
pryyemno poznayyomytys
Nice to meet you
The polite phrase on meeting someone new.
slava ukrayini
Glory to Ukraine!
The patriotic salute — answered with Heroiam slava!, Glory to the heroes!
ya ne rozumiyu
I don't understand
Said when you need clarification.
vy hovoryte ukrayinskoyu
Do you speak Ukrainian?
A key question for language learners.
odyn
One
The number one.
dva
Two
The number two.
try
Three
The number three.
chotyry
Four
The number four.
pyat
Five
The number five.
shist
Six
The number six.
sim
Seven
The number seven.
visim
Eight
The number eight.
devyat
Nine
The number nine.
desyat
Ten
The number ten.
sto
Hundred
The number one hundred.
tysyacha
Thousand
The number one thousand.
sohodni
Today
The present day.
zavtra
Tomorrow
The day after today.
vchora
Yesterday
The day before today.
zaraz
Now
At this moment.
hodyna
Hour; o'clock
An hour — kotra hodyna, what time is it.
khvylyna
Minute
A minute of time.
tyzhden
Week
A period of seven days.
misyats
Month; moon
A month — or the moon itself; misyats also shines in folk songs.
rik
Year
A year; z novym rokom — Happy New Year!
simya
Family
The family — the heart of Ukrainian life.
mama
Mom
Mother — the endearing everyday word.
tato
Dad
Father — the warm everyday word.
brat
Brother
A male sibling.
sestra
Sister
A female sibling.
syn
Son
A male child.
dochka
Daughter
A female child.
baba
Grandma
Grandmother — and a beloved baking figure; babusya with extra affection.
did
Grandpa
Grandfather — didus with more affection.
cholovik
Husband; man
Husband — also man in general.
druzhyna
Wife
Wife.
dytyna
Child
A child.
druh
Friend
A friend — druzi, friends plural.
susid
Neighbor
A neighbor.
cholovik
Man
An adult male person (context separates from husband).
zhinka
Woman
An adult female person.
voda
Water
Water — Ukraine's rivers Dnipro and Dniester are lifelines.
kava
Coffee
Coffee — Ukrainians love strong espresso; Lviv is famous for its coffee culture.
chay
Tea
Tea with cherry jam and honey — Ukrainian hearth warmth.
borshch
Borscht
The iconic crimson beet-and-cabbage soup — Ukraine's proudest dish, protected by UNESCO.
varenyky
Varenyky (dumplings)
Plump boiled dumplings with potato, cherry or cabbage — staple of every holiday table.
salo
Salo (cured fatback)
Cured pork fatback — Ukraine's most beloved food symbol, eaten with rye bread and garlic.
khlib
Bread
Bread — khlib-sil, bread and salt, is the welcoming gesture for honored guests.
sil
Salt
Salt — part of the bread-and-salt welcome ceremony.
tsukr
Sugar
Sugar.
mid
Honey
Honey — Ukraine's bee-keeping tradition stretches back millennia.
myaso
Meat
Meat of any kind.
ryba
Fish
Fish — the Dnipro has always been Ukraine's great fishing river.
ovochi
Vegetables
Vegetables — Ukraine's black-soil harvests are legendary.
buryak
Beet
Beetroot — the heart of borshch and symbol of Ukraine.
frukty
Fruit
Fruit.
yabluko
Apple
An apple — Ukrainian orchards are famous.
pampushky
Pampushky (garlic rolls)
Fluffy garlic rolls served alongside borshch — you cannot have one without the other.
varenyky z vishneyu
Cherry varenyky
Sweet dumplings filled with sour cherries — a summer treat dusted with sugar.
holodets
Holodets (aspic)
Pork aspic — a festive staple on New Year's tables.
kvas
Kvass
Fermented rye bread drink — tangy and refreshing on hot summer days.
holodnyy
Hungry
Needing food; ya holodnyy — I am hungry.
dim
House; home
Home — vdoma, at home.
kvartyra
Apartment
An apartment — most urban Ukrainians live in Soviet-era bloks.
misto
City
A city — Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Odesa.
selo
Village
The Ukrainian village — its embroidered traditions and folk songs live on.
kyiv
Kyiv
Ukraine's capital — the mother of Slavic cities, home of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
lviv
Lviv
Ukraine's western cultural capital — cobblestones, cafés and Galician heritage.
rynok
Market
A market — Lviv's Rynok Square is its cobbled heart.
mahazyn
Shop; store
A shop.
vulytsia
Street
A street.
park
Park
A public park — Ukrainians love strolling in parks.
tserkva
Church
An Orthodox or Greek-Catholic church — their golden domes dot the Ukrainian skyline.
shkola
School
School for children.
universytet
University
A university.
likarnya
Hospital
A hospital.
avtobus
Bus
A bus.
metro
Metro (subway)
The subway — Kyiv's metro has the deepest station in the world.
mashyna
Car
An automobile.
doroha
Road; way
A road — and the word for journey or dear (doroha, adj.).
de
Where
Question word for place.
shcho
What
Question word for things.
khto
Who
Question word for people.
koly
When
Question word for time.
chomu
Why
Question word for reason.
yak
How
Question word for manner.
skilky
How much; how many
Asks quantity or price.
yakyy
Which; what kind
Question word for type or selection.
richka
River
A river — the Dnipro is Ukraine's mighty spine.
more
Sea
The sea — Ukraine meets the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.
ozero
Lake
A lake.
lis
Forest
A forest — Ukraine's Carpathian forests are the lung of Europe.
hora
Mountain
A mountain — the Carpathians are Ukraine's beloved highlands.
pole
Field
A field — Ukraine's steppe is the world's breadbasket.
pshenytsia
Wheat
Wheat — Ukraine's flag blue and gold echo sky over wheat fields.
sonyashnyk
Sunflower
The sunflower — Ukraine is the world's top sunflower oil producer; fields of them are iconic.
kvitka
Flower
A flower — vyshyvanka patterns are full of flowers.
derevo
Tree
A tree — the kalyna (viburnum) is Ukraine's most sacred tree.
sontse
Sun
The sun — and a beloved term of endearment, sontse moye.
misyats
Moon
The moon — місяць also means month; context tells you which.
zirka
Star
A star — and a popular Ukrainian girl's name.
nebo
Sky; heaven
The sky and heaven — blue and gold like the Ukrainian flag.
pohoda
Weather
The weather.
doshch
Rain
Rain.
snig
Snow
Snow — Ukrainian winters bring deep snow.
holova
Head
The head — also a chief or leader.
ochi
Eyes
Eyes — chornyi ochi, dark eyes, fill Ukrainian folk songs.
ruka
Hand; arm
Hand or arm.
noha
Foot; leg
Foot or leg.
sertse
Heart
The heart — the embroidered heart motif is central to vyshyvanka patterns.
bil
Pain
Pain or ache.
lyky
Medicine
Medication.
likar
Doctor
A doctor.
zdorovya
Health
Health — budmo! a toast to health; na zdorovya, to your health.
khvoryy
Sick
Ill, unwell.
son
Sleep; dream
Sleep — or the dream within it; solodkykh sniv, sweet dreams.
robota
Work; job
Work — the word robot comes from the Ukrainian/Slavic word for labor.
ofis
Office
An office.
hroshi
Money
Money.
hryvnya
Hryvnia (currency)
Ukraine's currency — named after an old Kyivan Rus necklace of gold.
tsina
Price
The cost of something.
vchytel
Teacher
A teacher.
uchenytsia
Student (girl)
A female student — uchyen for a boy.
zarobitok
Earnings
Wages or earnings from work.
knyha
Book
A book — Shevchenko's Kobzar is every Ukrainian's treasured book.
shevchenko
Shevchenko (poet-symbol)
Taras Shevchenko — Ukraine's national poet, painter and symbol of the spirit.
ukrayinska mova
Ukrainian language
The language of Ukraine — melodic, ancient, and fiercely cherished.
ukrayina
Ukraine
The nation of Ukraine — land of wheat, sunflowers and indomitable spirit.
prapor
Flag
Ukraine's blue-and-yellow flag — sky over a sunlit field.
vyshyvanka
Vyshyvanka (embroidered shirt)
The embroidered folk shirt — worn with pride, each region has its own patterns.
pisnya
Song
A song — Ukraine's folk songs (narodni pisni) carry centuries of memory.
muzyka
Music
Music.
tanets
Dance
Dance — Hopak, Ukraine's national dance, is sheer athletic exuberance.
hopak
Hopak (folk dance)
The explosive national folk dance — leaps, squats and whirls to bandura music.
kozak
Cossack
The legendary Cossacks — free warriors of the steppe, founders of Ukrainian identity.
svyato
Holiday; celebration
A holiday or festival.
rizdvo
Christmas
Ukrainian Christmas on January 7 — with didukh wheat sheaves, caroling and twelve-dish Svyata Vyechera.
velykden
Easter
Ukrainian Easter — pysanky eggs, paska bread, and Khrystos Voskrese!
pysanka
Pysanka (decorated egg)
The wax-resist decorated Easter egg — geometric patterns carry ancient cosmic symbols.
bandura
Bandura (folk instrument)
Ukraine's national instrument — a harp-lute hybrid, the kobzar's companion.
ity
To go (on foot)
To walk or go; ya idu — I am going.
prykhodyty
To come
To come or arrive.
yisty
To eat
To eat.
pyty
To drink
To drink.
bachyty
To see
To see or notice.
slukhaty
To listen
To listen or hear.
hovoryty
To speak
To speak or say.
rozumity
To understand
To understand.
znaty
To know
To know; ya znayuy — I know.
kupuvaty
To buy
To purchase.
prodavaty
To sell
To sell.
davaty
To give
To give; day — give!
braty
To take
To take or grab.
chytaty
To read
To read.
pysaty
To write
To write — the same root as pysanka (decorated egg).
spaty
To sleep
To sleep.
prokydatysya
To wake up
To wake up.
zapytaty
To ask
To ask a question.
vidpovisty
To answer
To answer or reply.
kokhaty
To love (romantically)
To love romantically — kokhannya is romantic love.
lyubyty
To love; to like
To love broadly — family, country, food; lyublyu — I love.
velykyy
Big; great
Large — Velykden, Easter, is the Great Day.
malenkyi
Small; little
Small — and used endearingly, malenkyi + diminutive suffix.
harnyy
Beautiful; nice
Beautiful or handsome — the most versatile compliment.
krasyvyy
Beautiful; handsome
Strikingly beautiful — krasyvyi cholovik, a handsome man.
novyy
New
New; novyi rik, new year.
staryy
Old; ancient
Old — for things and people.
dobryy
Good; kind
Good or kind — dobra lyudyna, a good person.
pohanyy
Bad
Bad or poor quality.
haryachyy
Hot
Hot in temperature.
kholodnyy
Cold
Cold in temperature.
syniу
Blue
Blue — the top half of Ukraine's flag.
zhovtyy
Yellow
Yellow — the bottom half of Ukraine's flag, the wheat fields.
chervonyy
Red
Red — chervona kalyna, the red viburnum, is a beloved folk symbol.
zelenyy
Green
Green — the Carpathian forests and the hope of spring.
chystyy
Clean; pure
Clean — and pure in spirit; chysta dusha, a pure soul.
brudnyy
Dirty
Dirty, unclean.
deshevyy
Cheap
Inexpensive.
dorogyy
Expensive; dear
Expensive — or beloved; doroha lyudyna, dear person.
ranok
Morning
Morning — dobroho ranku, good morning.
vechir
Evening
Evening — dobryy vechir, good evening.
nich
Night
Night — dobranich, good night.
odyah
Clothes; clothing
Clothing in general.
stil
Table
A table.
stilets
Chair
A chair.
vikno
Window
A window.
dveri
Door
A door.
telefon
Phone
A phone — dzvonyty, to phone.
internet
Internet
The internet.
dnipro
Dnipro River
Ukraine's great river — Shevchenko called it wide and mighty.
kokhannya
Romantic love
Deep romantic love — the theme of countless Ukrainian folk songs.
radist
Joy
Joy and happiness.
sumnyy
Sad
Sad; sum, sadness.
smiyatysya
To laugh
To laugh.
plakaty
To cry
To weep.
nadiya
Hope
Hope — also one of Ukraine's most beloved women's names.
zhyttya
Life
Life — zhyttya prodovzhuetsya, life goes on.
myr
Peace
Peace — Slava Ukraini and a wish for myr underpin every greeting.
svoboda
Freedom
Freedom — the Maidan is its living symbol.
lyudy
People
People; lyudyna, a person.
sertse moye
My heart (term of endearment)
A warm address for someone you love.
svitanok
Dawn
Dawn — svitanok fills Ukrainian poetry as a metaphor of hope.
vesna
Spring
Spring — the season of renewal and Easter.
lito
Summer
Summer.
zyma
Winter
Winter — Ukrainian winters bring deep frost and Christmas magic.
traven
May (month)
May — the month of flowers and Victory Day.
snidanok
Breakfast
Breakfast.
obid
Lunch
The midday meal.
vecherya
Dinner
The evening meal — Svyata Vecherya, the Holy Supper on Christmas Eve.
zustrytysya z druzyamy
To meet with friends
Meeting up with friends — a beloved Ukrainian pastime.
veselo
Fun; merrily
Joyfully, with merriment.
vitaty
To greet; to congratulate
To greet someone or offer congratulations.
dopomahaty
To help
To help or assist.
zhyty
To live
To live or reside.
pratsyuvaty
To work
To work; pracyuyu — I work.
tysha
Silence; quiet
Silence — the deep quiet of a Carpathian forest at dawn.
ridni
Loved ones; family
Dear ones — family and close relatives collectively.
patriot
Patriot
A patriot — Ukrainian patriotism is fierce and celebrated.
viter
Wind
Wind — steppe winds blow across Ukraine's open plains.
tvaryny
Animals
Animals.
kit
Cat
A cat.
sobaka
Dog
A dog.
ptakh
Bird
A bird — the nightingale (solovey) sings in folk poems.
korova
Cow
A cow — Ukrainian cows produce the milk for salo and butter.
muzey
Museum
A museum — Ukraine's museums preserve extraordinary heritage.
mystetstvo
Art
Art — Ukrainian folk art (vyshyvanka, pysanka) is world renowned.
yaytse
Egg
An egg — decorated, it becomes the pysanka.
tradytsiya
Tradition
A tradition — Ukrainian traditions survived centuries of hardship.
nezalezhnist
Independence
Independence — Ukraine's Independence Day is August 24.
kartoplya
Potato
The potato — central to varenyky and draniki (potato pancakes).
kapusta
Cabbage
Cabbage — into borshch, into holubtsi (stuffed rolls), into salads.
holubtsi
Holubtsi (stuffed cabbage rolls)
Cabbage rolls filled with rice and meat — another classic Ukrainian dish.
vitannya z nahody
Congratulations on the occasion
A standard congratulatory phrase for birthdays, holidays and milestones.
duzhe dyakuyu
Thank you very much
A warmer, stronger thank-you.
budmo
Let us be! (toast)
The Ukrainian toast — may we be (alive, together, healthy) — shouted three times at every celebration.