Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| кі́тка | kítka | feminine |
| кото́к | kotók | masculine |
| ко́тик | kótyk | masculine |
| ки́ця | kýcja | feminine |
| ки́цька | kýcʹka | feminine |
These terms are used as affectionate pet names for cats of any age.
Which one should you use?
ко́тик is the masculine diminutive used to say 'kitty' when referring to a male cat, while ки́ця and ки́цька are affectionate terms for a female cat. The term Кітеня specifically refers to a baby cat or a cute little kitty or a kitten.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ки́цька is a very common, affectionate way to say 'kitty' or 'sweet kitty' and ки́ця is a common affectionate term for a female cat, often used similarly to 'kitty' or 'pussycat'. ко́тик is the masculine diminutive used to say 'kitty' when referring to a male cat. Кітеня is informal.
How does it change in a sentence?
кі́тка and ки́цька are feminine, while кото́к and ко́тик are masculine. ки́ця is feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
kítka
When do people say it?
A common name for a cat is Мурчик, which is derived from the word муркати (to purr).
Did you know?
- In Ukraine, calling someone a ко́тик is a common romantic term of endearment, similar to 'honey' or 'sweetie' in English.
- The word кітеня (kitten) is technically a neuter noun in Ukrainian, unlike many other animal names that are strictly masculine or feminine.
- A person calling out to a cat might use the word ки́ця, but if they are speaking to a woman they find endearing, they might use a similar-sounding diminutive as a pet name for her too.
Examples in context
- Дуже гарний котик!Such a cute kitty!
- Дивіться, у нашого котика довга шерсть.Look, our kitty has long fur.
- Ця кі́тка дуже лагідна.Tsya kitka duzhe lahidna.This kitty is very gentle.
- Наша кі́тка спить на дивані.Nasha kitka spyth na dyvani.Our kitty is sleeping on the sofa.
- Чи ваша кі́тка любить рибу?Chy vasha kitka lyubyt rybu?Does your kitty love fish?
Example conversation
Nataliia and Dmytro are talking about a new pet.
- Наталія NataliiaДивись, яка гарна кі́тка!Dyvys, yaka harna kitka!Look, what a beautiful kitty!
- Дмитро DmytroВона справді дуже мила.Vona spravdi duzhe myla.She is truly very cute.
- Наталія NataliiaТи хочеш взяти її додому?Ty khochesh vzaty yii dodomu?Do you want to take her home?
- Дмитро DmytroТак, я обожнюю цю кі́тку.Tak, ya obozhnyayu tsyu kitku.Yes, I adore this kitty.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kitty” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
