How to Say “Hello” in Ukrainian

Ways to say it

What does it mean word for word?

The formal greeting добри́день is a contraction of добрий день, which literally means 'good day'.

Which one should you use?

For casual settings, use приві́т for friends and family. When you need to be formal, use здра́стуйте to address a group or a person formally, while здра́стуй is its singular counterpart used for one person. If you are speaking to a male informally, you might use здоро́в був.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

приві́т and здоро́в був are informal. добри́день is a formal, gender-neutral option. здра́стуйте is used for formal or plural situations. се́рвус is a colloquial greeting. In very formal situations, you can also use the phrase Вітаю Вас, which translates to 'Hello' or 'Welcome'.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In certain western regions of Ukraine, you may encounter the colloquial се́рвус, which is derived from Latin. Additionally, the phrase Здоровенькі були! is a regional variation meaning 'Hello' or 'Be healthy'.

How does it change in a sentence?

The phrase здоро́в був is specifically a masculine-specific greeting used when addressing a male person informally.

How do you pronounce it?

pryvít