We would like to give you some useful Ukrainian and Russian phrases of everyday use. We hope it helps you to feel more comfortable in Ukraine.
To say the truth, both languages Ukrainian and Russian are spoken in Ukraine. Russian is mostly prevalent in Eastern, Central Ukraine and Crimea and Ukrainian – in Western part of country. These two languages are similar in many aspects and words, everybody in Ukraine can understand both of them. The soviet times influenced deeply on Ukrainian culture, when people were primarily Russian speaking. Actually we’d recommend to speak Ukrainian in Western Ukraine and Russian in Eastern part and Crimea. And remember: official language in our country is Ukrainian and all documents and contracts have to be in Ukrainian.
Now the question about the second official language is the point of political discussions and manipulations. Meanwhile most of us speak Ukrainian in offices and schools and Russian with relatives and friends.
Words and phrases of everyday use
English |
Ukrainian
(transliteration) |
Russian
(transliteration) |
| Hello! |
Vitayu |
Zd`rastvuyte (formal) |
| Hi! |
Pryvit |
Priviet! (informal) |
| Goodbye! |
Do pobachennya |
Da svi`daniya (formal) |
| Bye! |
Pa-pa! |
Pa 'ka! (informal) |
| Good morning |
Dobrogo rankoo |
Dobroye utro |
| Good afternoon |
Dobryy' den' |
Dobryi vecher |
| Good evening |
Dobryy' vechir |
Dobryi vecher |
| Good night |
Dobranich |
Spokoinoi nochi |
| Yes |
Tak |
Da |
| No |
Ni |
Nyet |
| Thank you |
Dyakuyu |
Spa`siba |
| Thank you very much |
Duzhe dyakuyu |
Bol'shoye spa`siba |
| You're welcome |
Proshu, bud' laska |
Pa`zhalsta |
| Please |
Proshu, bud' laska |
Pa`zhalsta |
| Excuse me |
Pereproshuyu, vybachte |
Izvi`neete |
| I am sorry |
Vybachte |
Izvi`neete |
| Okey! |
Harazd, dobre |
Hara`sho |
| How are you? |
Yak spravy? |
Kak de`la? |
| Good |
Dobre |
Hara`sho |
| Bad |
Pohano |
Ploho |
| So-so |
Tak sobi |
Tak syebe |
| Just a moment |
Khvylynku |
Mi`noutku |
| I do not understand |
Ya ne rozumiyu |
Ya ne pani`mayu |
| Do you undersand? |
Rozumiyesh?
Rozumiyete? |
Pani`mayesh? (informal)
Pani`mayete? (formal) |
| How do you say this in (Ukrainian) (Russian)? |
Yak vy tse skazhete po (ukrayins'ky)? |
Kak vy eto skazhetye po (russki)? |
Do you speak (English)?
German
French
Italian |
Chy vy hovoryte po anglyis'ki?
po nimets'ky
po frantsuz'ky
po italyis'ky |
Vy govoritye po angleeski?
po nimyets'ki
po frantsuzki
po ital'yans'ki |
| Nice to meet you |
Pryyemno z vamy poznayomytys' |
Priyatno s vami poznakomitsa |
| What is your name? |
Yak vas zvut'? (Yake vashe imya?) |
Kak vas za-vout? |
| My name is |
Mene zvaty.... |
Me`nya za`vout |
| Where are you from? |
Zvidky Vy? |
Otkuda Vy? |
| I love you! |
Ya tebe kohayu! Ya tebe lyublyu!
|
Ya tebya lyublyu!
|
| I like you! |
Ty meni podobayeshsya!
|
Ti mnye nravishsya! |
| How old are you? |
Skil'ky tobi rokiv? |
Skol'ko tyebe lyet? |
| How much (does it cost)? |
Skil'ky tse koshtuye? |
Skol'ko eto stoit? |
| I want (to know)! |
Ya hochu (znaty)! |
Ya hochu (znat')! |
| I need |
Meni treba |
Mnye nuzhno |
| Where is a bathroom (toilet)? |
De tut uborna (tualet) |
Gde tut ubornaya (tualyet) |
| Let's go |
Pishly |
Poshli |
| I don't have..! (time) |
V mene nemaye..! (Ya ne mayu!) (chasu) |
U menya nyet! (vremeni) |
| Cheers! (when drinking) |
Bud'mo! |
Na zdarov'ye! Za vashe zdarovye! (for your health) |
| I would like a beer please |
Meni, bud' laska pyva |
Mne pa`zhalsta `piva |
| Do you have a menu in English? |
U vas ye menyu na anliis'kyi? |
U `vas `yest’ me`nyu na ang`liiskom? |
| Today |
Syohodni |
Syegodnya |
| Tomorrow |
Zavtra |
Zavtra |
| Yesterday |
Vchora |
Vchyera |
|
|
|
