твари́на
tvarýnafeminine
The English word animal can be translated into Ukrainian as твари́на (tvarýna) or звір.
Meaning: organism other than human (noun)
Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| твари́на | tvarýna | feminine | |
| звір | zvir | [zʲʋʲir] (narrow) | masculine |
твари́на is the general, neutral term for any animal, often used in scientific or everyday contexts. звір typically refers to wild animals or beasts, often implying something untamed or potentially dangerous.
What does it mean word for word?
The word тварина is derived from the Ukrainian word творити which means 'to create'.
Which one should you use?
Use твари́на for a neutral description of an organism. Use звір when referring to a wild animal or a beast. Additionally, you may encounter звірятко, which is the diminutive form of звір, used to refer to a small or cute animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of звір is звіри.
How do you pronounce it?
tvarýna
Did you know?
- While твари́на is neutral, calling a person a твари́на is a common way to describe someone who is behaving in an incredibly cruel or inhuman manner.
- The word звір appears in many Ukrainian idioms to describe someone who is exceptionally skilled or fierce in a specific activity.
- The diminutive form звірятко is often used by Ukrainians to express affection, even if the animal in question is not particularly small.
Examples in context
- Що це за звір?What animal is it?This sentence shows how to ask what kind of звір is being referred to.Tatoeba #673786 by aandrusiak, translation #42662 by CK
- Він поставив пастку, що спіймати звіра.He set a trap to catch the animal.This sentence uses звір to describe an animal caught in a trap.Tatoeba #502165 by ChickenKiev, translation #291195 by CK
- Маленьке звірятко видало неприємний запах.The small animal gave off a bad smell.This sentence uses the diminutive form звірятко to refer to a small animal.Tatoeba #501693 by ChickenKiev, translation #46543 by Dejo
- СобакаDog
- КітCat
- КороваCow
- ВовкWolf
- ЛисицяFox
- ВедмідьBear
- КроликRabbit
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “animal” translations and entries звір, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
