How to Say Hello in Ukrainian: Top Ukrainian Greetings for Beginners
Are you planning a trip to Ukraine or looking to connect with Ukrainian speakers? One of the best ways to start is by learning how to say “hello” in Ukrainian. Greetings are the foundation of polite and respectful communication, and mastering them can open doors to meaningful interactions. In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to the top Ukrainian greetings every beginner should know. From formal to casual, these phrases will help you navigate the Ukrainian language with confidence, enhance your future travel experiences and interactions with native speakers.
Contents
- Добрий день – [dobryi den’] – Hello (formal)
- Привіт – [pryvit] – Hello (informal)
- Добрий ранок – [dobryi ranok] – Good morning
- Доброго дня – [dobroho dnya] – Good afternoon
- Добрий вечір – [dobryi vechir] – Good evening
- Вітаю / Вітаємо – [vitayou] / [vitayemo] – Greetings!
- Ласкаво просимо – [laskavo prosymo] – Welcome!
- Слава Ісусу Христу! – [slava isusu khrystu] – Glory to Jesus Christ!
- Як справи? – [yak spravy] – How are you?
- Дуже приємно – [duzhe pryemno] – Nice to meet you!
1. Добрий день [dobryi den']
Hello! (formal)
Добрий день (dobryy den’) is the formal way to say “hello” in Ukrainian. It translates directly to “Good day” but can be used at any time of the day. This greeting is suitable for various settings, including professional environments, interactions with strangers, and any situation where respect and formality are necessary.
2. Привіт [pryvit]
Hello! (informal)
The most common informal way to say “hello”, you’ll be sure to hear привіт frequently either in Ukraine or speaking with Ukrainians elsewhere. Привіт can be used at any time of the day either with friends, some family or even friendly acquaintances.
3. Добрий ранок [dobryi ranok]
Good morning!
A greeting used in all settings, formal and informal. But of course it can only be used in the morning, i.e. before lunchtime.
4. Доброго дня [dobroho dnya]
Good afternoon!
As per good morning, it can be used in both formal and informal settings, but only for the correct time of day.
5. Добрий вечір [dobryi vechir]
Good evening!
Our final time limiting greeting is good evening, usually when the sun has set.
6. Вітаю / Вітаємо [vitayou] / [vitayemo]
Greetings!
This phrase can have multiple uses. It can be used as part of a general and informal greeting to replace Добрий день or it can be used to congratulate someone on an accomplishment, anniversary or birthday.
7. Ласкаво просимо [laskavo prosymo]
Welcome!
This phrase can be used on its own or to welcome a person to a place or event. For example, “ласкаво просимо до України” is “Welcome to Ukraine” or simply “ласкаво просимо” when someone comes to your home.
8. Слава Ісусу Христу! [slava isusu khrystu]
Glory to Jesus Christ!
A religious greeting which is more commonly used in western Ukraine. There are lots of religious greetings which are generally used at Easter, Christmas and other religious dates.
9. Як справи? [yak spravy]
How are you?
Following a greeting, we usually ask how a person is. Used in both formal and informal settings, it is polite to ask your friends and new acquaintances how they are and is great to initiate a conversation.
10. Дуже приємно [duzhe pryemno]
Nice to meet you
And to end our greetings, we can use this phrase to tell a person we have met for the first time that it is “nice to meet you”. This is the short form of the phrase “приємно познайомитись”, which can be a mouth-full!
Were these phrases helpful?
Did you find these top Ukrainian greetings for beginners helpful? Why not try practicing these greetings with those around you, whether it’s with your friends, in language exchange groups and lessons, or with the Ukrainians in your life! Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be greeting everyone like a local!
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