коро́ль
korólʹmasculine
The English word 'king' is translated into Ukrainian as коро́ль (korólʹ) or цар.
Meaning: a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| коро́ль | korólʹ | masculine | |
| цар | car | [t͡sar] (narrow) | masculine |
Both terms refer to a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.
Which one should you use?
The term коро́ль is typically used for kings of European or Western monarchies. In contrast, цар is used for kings in a more traditional Slavic or Eastern context and it is also the standard term for the 'king' of animals, such as the king of beasts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word цар changes to царя in the genitive case, which is used when saying 'king of…'
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization of коро́ль is korólʹ.
Did you know?
- Because цар comes from the Latin 'Caesar', it shares a common ancestor with the English word 'emperor' and the German word 'Kaiser'.
- Ukrainian uses коро́ль to refer to the 'king' in a deck of playing cards, regardless of the origin of the card game.
- While коро́ль is used for Western monarchs, calling a ruler a цар can evoke an image of an absolute, old-world autocrat rather than a constitutional monarch.
Examples in context
- Лев цар звірів.The lion is the king of beasts.This sentence is useful for seeing how to refer to the цар of beasts.Tatoeba #5734539 by deniko, translation #29839 by CK
- Орел – цар птахів.The eagle is king of birds.This sentence is useful for seeing how to refer to the цар of birds.Tatoeba #656860 by aandrusiak, translation #29139 by slyfin
- Він був добрим царем.He was a good king.This sentence is useful for seeing how the word цар appears in a sentence.Tatoeba #1557375 by aandrusiak, translation #1356323 by CK
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a historical novel they are reading.
- Марія MariiaЦей коро́ль був дуже мудрим.Tsei korol' buv duzhe mudrym.This king was very wise.
- Олександр OleksandrТак, він правив довго.Tak, vin praviv dovho.Yes, he ruled for a long time.
- Марія MariiaОлександре, ти читав про нього?Olesandre, ty chytav pro nyoho?Oleksandr, have you read about him?
- Олександр OleksandrНі, але я почну сьогодні.Ni, ale ya pochnu syohodni.No, but I will start today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “king” translations and entries цар, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries цар, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
