кіт
kit[kʲit]masculine
The Ukrainian word for cat is кіт (kit). Wiktionary also lists кі́шка (kíška).
Meaning: domestic species (noun)
Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| кіт | kit | [kʲit] (narrow) | masculine |
| кі́шка | kíška | feminine |
The word is used to refer to the domestic species of cat. While кіт is grammatically masculine, it is often used as the generic term for the species regardless of the animal's sex in casual conversation.
Which one should you use?
The form кіт specifically refers to a male cat, whereas кішка specifically refers to a female cat.
Is it said differently in some regions?
кітусь is an informal term used in some parts of Western Ukraine.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun кіт is a masculine noun, and кішка is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
kit
Did you know?
- While кіт means cat, the word кит (pronounced similarly but with a different vowel) means 'whale'.
- In Ukrainian folklore, a кіт is often seen as a guardian of the home that can sense supernatural presence or ward off evil spirits.
- The word кіт can be used in the phrase кіт в мішку, which translates to 'a cat in a bag' and means buying something without checking it first.
Examples in context
- У мене є кіт.I have a cat.This sentence shows how to state possession of a кіт.Tatoeba #6567611 by deniko, translation #2399188 by amazighgirl
- Бог – це кіт.God is a cat.This sentence uses кіт in a metaphorical or philosophical context.Tatoeba #11559185 by deniko, translation #11559182 by deniko
- Це кіт чи пес?Is that a cat or a dog?This sentence demonstrates how to use кіт when asking for an identification between a cat and a dog.Tatoeba #551223 by aandrusiak, translation #67041 by Eldad
- Оце наша домашня кітя.This is our domestic cat.
- 309 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dmitro and Iryna are looking at a photo of a pet.
- Дмитро DmytroПодивись, який гарний кіт!Podyvys, yakyi harnyi kit!Look, what a beautiful cat!
- Ірина IrynaТак, він дуже милий.Tak, vin duzhe mylyi.Yes, he is very cute.
- Дмитро DmytroЯк звати цього кота?Yak zvaty tsioho kota?What is this cat's name?
- Ірина IrynaЙого звати Мурчик.Yoho zvaty Murchyk.His name is Murchyk.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cat” translations and entries кіт, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
