Howtosay“hello”inUkrainian?
The Ukrainian language is quite rich in words for greetings. The choice of the appropriate form may depend on the level of formality and the time of the meeting.
How do you say “hi” in Ukrainian?
The most popular phrase is “pryvit” – which is the equivalent of “hi” or “hello” in Ukrainian. This form is commonly used for informal communication, for instance, with friends and family members. Still, it is unlikely to hear Ukrainians say “pryvit” to their boss or teacher in the morning.
For a more formal setting, one may say “Dobroho ranku” (Good morning), “Dobryi den” (Good day), “Dobryi vechir” (Good evening), depending on the time of day.
By the way, you might have already heard the words “Dobryi den” used by the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson! His witty “Dobryi den everybody” was even used in one of the popular remixes by Ukrainian musicians.
“Good evening, we are from Ukraine” has also become a popular phrase, a motto, in times of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It has been commonly used by Vitalii Kim, Head of Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, and also found its place in remixes, memes, and postcards.
Alternative forms of Ukrainian greetings
You can shorten your greeting by saying “Vitaiu” which literally means “greetings”, as well as “welcome” and “congratulations”.
One of the unique ways to greet in Ukrainian can be “Bazhaiu zdorovia” аnd several alternative forms of the phrase that mean “I wish you good health”. There are also Ukrainian greetings traditionally used in some regions of the country or on specific occasions. For example, “Glory to Jesus Christ” with the response “Glory Forever”.
How to say “goodbye” in the Ukrainian language?
If you want to say “goodbye” in Ukrainian, you may use the phrase “Do pobachennia” (“Goodbye”) or “Do zustrichi” (“See you”). When saying goodbye late at night or before going to bed, traditionally, Ukrainians say “Dobroi nochi” or “Dobranich”. Those mean “Good night” and are rather informal.