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Introduction to Ukrainian language and culture
Introduction to Ukrainian language and culture

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1 Mary’s garden

Viktoriia visits Mary at her home. Mary has shown Viktoriia her house and has taken her to the garden. Listen to their dialogue.

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Ukrainian Transliteration
Мері Вікторіє, дивись, це мій город. Mary Viktoriie, dyvys, tse mii horod.
Вікторія Що є на городі? Viktoriia Shcho ye na horodi?
Мері Помідори, цибуля і морква. Mary Pomidory, tsybulia i morkva.
Вікторія А що це? Viktoriia A shcho tse?
Мері А це груша і черешня. Mary A tse hrusha i chereshnia.
Вікторія Мері, твій город – просто диво! Як в Україні! Viktoriia Meri, tvii horod – prosto dyvo! Yak v Ukraini! (pronounced Ukra-yini)
Мері Дякую, город – моє хобі. Mary Diakuiu, horod – moie khobi.
Вікторія Ти молодець! ViktoriiaTy molodets!
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You’ll also find the audio version of this explanation useful, for the pronunciation and to listen to when you are on the go!

Now let’s have a closer look at this dialogue. Mary starts the dialogue saying Viktoriie, dyvys, tse mii horod which means ‘Victoria, look, this is my vegetable garden’. Useful word here is dyvys (‘look’). Let’s repeat this together: dyvys______, dyvys ________. I hope you remember word horod ('vegetable garden’, ‘allotment’) from last week: horod _______. It’s a masculine gender noun, this is why ‘my garden’ is mii horod.

Viktoriia asks: Shcho ye na horodi? which means ‘What’s in the garden?.’ Word shcho means ‘what’. Please repeat it: shcho _____. Mary answers: Pomidory, tsybulia i morkva, which means ‘Tomatoes, onions and carrots.’ Then Viktoriia asks: A shcho tse? which means ‘And what is this?’ The question What is it? What is this? is Shcho tse? in Ukrainian. Let’s repeat it: Shcho tse? ___________, Shcho tse? Mary replies: A tse hrusha i chereshnia, which means ‘And these are pear and cherry. ‘

Viktoriia continues: Meri, tvii horod – prosto dyvo! Yak v Ukraini! (‘Mary, your garden is simply a miracle! Like in Ukraine!’) Mary thanks Victoria for the compliment: Diakuiu, horod – moie khobi which means ‘Thank you, garden is my hobby.’ Khobi is neuter noun, this is why Mary says moie khobi, because moie is neuter form of the word my. Please repeat this phrase: moie khobi ___________.

Viktoriia closes the dialogue with the phrase ty molodets! which means ‘good for you!’. This term of congratulation can be expressed with one word only: ‘molodets’. Please say it with me: molodets! molodets!

Now listen to the dialogue once again.

Table 1: Key language from the dialogue
Ukrainian Transliteration English translation
дивись dyvys look! (sing.)
помідори pomidory tomatoes (pl.)
цибуля tsybulia onions
морква morkva carrots
груша hrusha pear
черешня chereshnia cherry
просто prosto simply
диво dyvo miracle
хобі khobi hobby
молодець molodets Good for you! Well done!