100 ESSENTIAL UKRAINIAN WORDS FOR BEGINNERS
Ukrainian vocabulary doesn't have to be overwhelming. Once you know these 100 words, you'll be able to greet people, introduce yourself, count, order food, and talk about your day — a solid foundation for anyone learning Ukrainian as a foreign language.
But remember that real progress comes from speaking and hearing Ukrainian in context. If you'd like personalized guidance on pronunciation, grammar, and everyday conversation, we invite you to book a $1 trial Ukrainian language lesson with Speak Ukrainian. It's a no-pressure way to see how a structured, one-on-one approach can speed up your learning and help these 100 words turn into real conversations.
1. GREETINGS AND EVERYDAY PHRASES
Every Ukrainian language course starts here, and for good reason — these are the words you'll use in almost every conversation.
- Hello — Привіт
- Good morning — Доброго ранку
- Good afternoon — Добрий день
- Good evening — Добрий вечір
- Goodbye — До побачення
- Please — Будь ласка
- Thank you — Дякую
- You're welcome — Будь ласка
- Yes — Так
- No — Ні
- Excuse me — Перепрошую
- Sorry — Вибачте
- How are you? — Як справи?
- My name is... — Мене звати...
- Nice to meet you — Приємно познайомитися
2. FAMILY AND PEOPLE
Talking about the people in your life is one of the first things beginners want to do in Ukrainian.
- Mother — Мама
- Father — Тато
- Sister — Сестра
- Brother — Брат
- Grandmother — Бабуся
- Grandfather — Дідусь
- Son — Син
- Daughter — Донька
- Friend — Друг
- Wife — Дружина
- Husband — Чоловік
- Child — Дитина
- Family — Сім'я
- Man — Чоловік
- Woman — Жінка
3. NUMBERS
Numbers are essential Ukrainian vocabulary for shopping, telling time, and everyday transactions.
- One — Один
- Two — Два
- Three — Три
- Four — Чотири
- Five — П'ять
- Six — Шість
- Seven — Сім
- Eight — Вісім
- Nine — Дев'ять
- Ten — Десять
- Twenty — Двадцять
- Hundred — Сто
4. COMMON VERBS
Verbs are the backbone of any sentence. These high-frequency Ukrainian verbs will let you build simple, useful phrases right away.
- To be — Бути
- To have — Мати
- To want — Хотіти
- To go — Йти
- To speak — Говорити
- To eat — Їсти
- To drink — Пити
- To live — Жити
- To work — Працювати
- To understand — Розуміти
- To know — Знати
- To love — Любити
5. FOOD AND DRINK
Whether you're ordering in a café in Kyiv or cooking at home, this Ukrainian vocabulary for food will come in handy.
- Bread — Хліб
- Water — Вода
- Tea — Чай
- Coffee — Кава
- Milk — Молоко
- Meat — М'ясо
- Fish — Риба
- Vegetables — Овочі
- Fruit — Фрукти
- Soup — Суп
- Egg — Яйце
- Cheese — Сир
6. TIME AND DAYS OF THE WEEK
Learning how to talk about time and schedule your week is a key milestone for any beginner learning Ukrainian.
- Today — Сьогодні
- Tomorrow — Завтра
- Yesterday — Вчора
- Morning — Ранок
- Evening — Вечір
- Monday — Понеділок
- Tuesday — Вівторок
- Wednesday — Середа
- Thursday — Четвер
- Friday — П'ятниця
- Saturday — Субота
- Sunday — Неділя
7. TRAVEL AND DIRECTIONS
If you're planning a trip or living in Ukraine, these words will help you get around with confidence.
- Street — Вулиця
- City — Місто
- Train — Потяг
- Bus — Автобус
- Airport — Аеропорт
- Ticket — Квиток
- Left — Ліворуч
- Right — Праворуч
- Straight ahead — Прямо
- Where? — Де?
- How much? — Скільки?
8. EVERYDAY OBJECTS AND PLACES
Rounding out your beginner Ukrainian vocabulary with common nouns you'll encounter daily.
- House — Будинок
- Room — Кімната
- Book — Книга
- Table — Стіл
- Chair — Стілець
- Phone — Телефон
- Money — Гроші
- Shop — Магазин
- School — Школа
- Work (place) — Робота
9. ADJECTIVES AND FEELINGS
Descriptive words help you express opinions and emotions — an important step toward speaking Ukrainian fluently.
- Good — Добре
- Bad — Погано
- Big — Великий
- Small — Маленький
- Beautiful — Красивий
- Happy — Щасливий
- Tired — Втомлений
- Hungry — Голодний
- Cold — Холодно
- Warm — Тепло
KEEP LEARNING: FROM AN ABSOLUTE BEGINNER TO A CONFIDENT SPEAKER
Ready to go beyond individual words and start building real fluency? Our course "From an Absolute Beginner to a Confident Speaker" is designed to take you step by step from your very first words in Ukrainian to holding full conversations with confidence. The course begins on September 7th, and spots are filling up.
Whether you're learning Ukrainian for travel, family, work, or personal connection, this is your chance to move from memorizing vocabulary lists to actually speaking Ukrainian with confidence.