Days Of The Week In Ukrainian Language
In this post, let’s learn the days of the week with the help of a popular humorous Ukrainian folk song “Pidmanula, Pidvela”.
In the Ukrainian language, all days of the week (дні тижня (dni tyzhnya) are written in lowercase.
1. In Ukraine, the week starts with понеділок (ponedilok) – Monday. The name is formed out of two Proto-Slavic words *po nedělě which mean “the first after Sunday”.
“Pidmanula, Pidvela” song lyrics:
Ти казала в понедiлок Пiдем разом по барвінок Я прийшов, тебе нема, Підманула, підвела. Chorus: Ти ж мене підманула, Ти ж мене підвела, Ти ж мене молодого З ума-розуму звела.
Ty kazala v ponedilok pidem razom po barvinok Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela. Chorus: Ty zh mene pidmanula, Ty zh mene pidvela, Ty zh mene molodoho Z uma-rozumu zvela.
You have told me that on Monday We’ll gather periwinkles together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down. Chorus: You tricked me, You let me down, You’re making me, a young man, Lose my mind.
2. The second day is вівторок (vivtorok) – Tuesday. The name “вівторок” originated from Proto-Slavic “*vъtorъkъ, vъtorьnikъ” which means “the second after Sunday”.
Ти казала у вiвторок Поцiлуєш разiв сорок Я прийшов, тебе нема, Підманула, підвела. (chorus)
Ty kazala u vivtorok Potsiluyesh raziv sorok Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela.
You have told me that on Tuesday You will kiss me forty times I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down.
3. The next day of the week is середа (sereda) – Wednesday. It comes from the Proto-Slavic word *serdа which means “in the middle of the week”.
Ти казала у середу Пiдем разом по череду Я прийшов, тебе нема, Підманула, підвела. (chorus)
Ty kazala u seredu Pidem razom po cheredu Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela.
You have told me that on Wednesday We’ll wrangle up the cattle together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down.
Postcard 1961
4. The fourth day of the week is четвер (chetver )which is formed out of the Proto-Slavic word *četvr̥-tъ(jь) – “the fourth day after Sunday”.
Ти казала у четвер Пiдем разом на концерт Я прийшов, тебе нема, Підманула, підвела. (chorus)
Ty kazala u chetver Pidem razom na kontsert Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela.
You have told me that on Thursday We’ll go to the concert together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down.
5. The next day is п’ятниця (piatnytsia) and, as you might have guessed, comes from the word “п’ятий” which means “the fifth day”.
Ти казала у п’ятницю Пiдем разом по суниці Я прийшов, тебе нема, Підманула, підвела. (chorus)
Ty kazala u piatnytsyu Pidem razom po sunytsi Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela.
You have told me that on Friday We’ll gather wild strawberries together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down.
6. The sixth day of the week is субота (subota), and finally, the word derives not from Proto-Slavic but Old Hebrew word Shabbat – “the end of the work”, is Judaism’s day of rest and the seventh day of the week.
Ти казала у суботу Пiдем разом на роботу Я прийшов, тебе нема, Підманула, підвела. (chorus)
Ty kazala u subotu Pidem razom na robotu Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela.
You have told me that on Saturday We’ll go to work together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down.
Postcard XX century
7. The last day is неділя (nedilia) which is formed out of Proto-Slavic *ne dělati – “не робити”, “don’t do anything, don’t work”.
Ти казала у недiлю Пiдем разом на весiлля Я прийшов, тебе нема, Підманула, підвела. (chorus)
Ty kazala u nedilyu Pidem razom na vesillya Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela.
You have told me that on Sunday We’ll go to the wedding together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down.
Here you can listen to “Pidmanula, pidvela” song in modern processing:
Do you like this song? Do you know any other Ukrainian folk songs? And what is your favorite day of the week?