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Basic Ukrainian Greetings and Everyday Phrases

Learn how to greet, introduce yourself, thank, apologize, and say goodbye in Ukrainian, with easy pronunciation guides.

Добрий день (Dobryi den, doh-BREE den) — Hello (formal)

Literally "good day" — used with strangers or in formal settings regardless of the time of day.

Привіт (Pryvit, pry-VEET) — Hi (casual)

A relaxed greeting for friends and peers.

Доброго ранку (Dobroho ranku, DOH-broh-hoh RAHN-koo) — Good morning

Used during the morning hours.

Добрий вечір (Dobryi vechir, doh-BREE VEH-cheer) — Good evening

Used when meeting or parting in the evening.

Добраніч (Dobranich, doh-BRAH-neech) — Good night

Used only right before going to bed, not as an evening greeting.

Мене звати ~ (Mene zvaty ~, meh-NEH ZVAH-tih) — My name is ~

Used to introduce yourself; fill in the blank with your own name.

Приємно познайомитися (Pryiemno poznaiomytysia, pree-YEM-noh poz-nah-YOH-mih-tih-syah) — Nice to meet you

Said right after greeting someone for the first time.

Як справи? (Yak spravy?, yahk SPRAH-vih) — How are you?

A casual way to ask how someone is doing.

Добре, дякую. А ти? (Dobre, diakuiu. A ty?, DOH-breh DYAH-koo-yoo ah tih) — Fine, thanks. And you?

A common reply to the question above.

Дякую (Diakuiu, DYAH-koo-yoo) — Thank you

The most basic way to say thanks; emphasize it with "Дуже дякую" (DOO-zheh DYAH-koo-yoo, "thank you very much").

Вибачте (Vybachte, VIH-bahch-teh) — Sorry / Excuse me

Used both to apologize and to politely get someone's attention.

Так / Ні (Tak / Ni, tahk / nee) — Yes / No

The most basic response words.

До побачення (Do pobachennia, doh poh-BAH-chen-nyah) — Goodbye (formal)

A formal farewell; a casual alternative among friends is "Бувай" (boo-VAI).

Ukrainian Is a Slavic Language Written in Cyrillic

Ukrainian belongs to the East Slavic branch alongside Russian and Belarusian, sharing some vocabulary roots, but it has its own distinct grammar, sounds, and cultural identity, and is written in the Cyrillic alphabet.

Formality Matters More Than in English

Ukrainian, like many Slavic languages, distinguishes clearly between formal and informal address. Using the formal greeting with strangers, elders, or in professional settings is considered basic courtesy, so it is worth learning both versions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ukrainian the same as Russian?

No — while both are East Slavic languages and share some vocabulary, they have distinct grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary, and are not mutually intelligible for most speakers.

Which greeting should I use with someone I just met?

Добрий день (Dobryi den) is the safer, more formal choice for strangers or professional settings; Привіт (Pryvit) is better saved for friends and peers.