Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| приві́т | pryvít | informal |
| здоро́в був | zdoróv buv | informal |
| чоло́м | čolóm | |
| се́рвус | sérvus | |
| здра́стуйте | zdrástujte | |
| здра́стуй | zdrástuj | |
| добри́день | dobrýdenʹ | formal, gender neutral |
While приві́т is a simple way to say hello, other forms like the colloquial се́рвус are used among specific social groups or in certain regions.
What does it mean word for word?
The greeting добри́день is a contraction of добрий день, which means "good day".
Which one should you use?
Приві́т is much more casual and is typically used among friends or peers, whereas здра́стуйте is the standard polite greeting for strangers or elders.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Приві́т and здоро́в був are informal. Добри́день is a formal and gender-neutral option. Се́рвус is a colloquialism.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form здра́стуй is the singular/informal version of the greeting, used when addressing one person you know well. In contrast, здра́стуйте is the plural or polite version, used when addressing a group or someone you wish to show respect to.
How do you pronounce it?
pryvít
Did you know?
- The word се́рвус is a loanword from the Latin 'servus', meaning 'slave'. It was adopted into Ukrainian via German and Hungarian to imply 'I am your servant'.
- The formal здра́стуйте is built upon the root for 'health', making the greeting a direct prayer for the listener's wellness.
- The greeting приві́т contains a root related to the idea of 'bringing news' or 'bringing a message'.
Examples in context
- Доброго ранку, пані Світлано.Good morning, Mrs. Svitlana.
- Привіт, Олександре!Hello, Alexander!
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a cafe.
- Дмитро DmytroПриві́т, Маріє!Pryvit, Mariye!Hello, Mariia!
- Марія MariiaПриві́т, Дмитре!Pryvit, Dmytre!Hello, Dmytro!
- Дмитро DmytroРадий тебе бачити.Radyy tebe bachyty.Glad to see you.
- Марія MariiaЯ теж!Ya tezh!Me too!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
