кінь
kinʹ[kʲinʲ]masculine
The English word horse is кінь (kinʹ) in Ukrainian.
кінь is a masculine noun used to refer to members of the species Equus ferus. While кінь is the general term for the animal, you can use more specific words depending on the gender of the horse: Жеребець is used to emphasize a male horse or a stallion and Кобила specifically refers to a female horse or a mare.
Meaning: members of the species ''Equus ferus'' (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes depending on its role in a sentence. Use коня when the horse is the direct object of a verb, such as in 'I see a horse'. The form changes to коні when the word is used in the dative or locative cases.
How do you pronounce it?
kinʹ
Did you know?
- While кінь is the standard term, the word коник is often used colloquially or affectionately to describe a small horse or even a grasshopper, depending on the context.
- The term кобила for a mare is sometimes used colloquially in Ukrainian to describe a woman who is seen as stubborn or strong-willed, though this is often considered an insult.
- In traditional Ukrainian village life, the health of the кінь was often seen as a barometer for the prosperity of the entire household, leading to specific rituals to protect horses from illness.
Examples in context
- У Тома є кінь.Tom has a horse.This sentence shows how to express possession of a кінь.Tatoeba #7334233 by deniko, translation #2648945 by CK
- У мене є кінь.I have a horse.Tatoeba #8763785 by deniko, translation #3720011 by CK
- У вас гарний кінь.Your horse is beautiful.This sentence uses кінь to describe its appearance.Tatoeba #6580009 by deniko, translation #2779759 by Gulo_Luscus
- 50 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nataliia and Dmytro are visiting a farm.
- Наталія NataliiaДивись, який великий кінь!Dyvys', yakyi velykyi kin!Look, what a big horse!
- Дмитро DmytroВін виглядає дуже сильним.Vin vyhliadaie duzhe syl'nym.He looks very strong.
- Наталія NataliiaЧи можна погладити цей кінь?Chy mozhna pohladyty tsei kin?Can I pet this horse?
- Дмитро DmytroТак, він дуже спокійний.Tak, vin duzhe spokiinyi.Yes, he is very calm.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “horse” translations and entries кінь, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
