лев
lev[ɫɛu̯]masculine
The English word lion is translated into Ukrainian as лев (lev).
The word refers to the big cat Panthera leo.
Meaning: big cat Panthera leo (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is masculine. The plural form is леви. When the lion is the direct object of a verb, the form changes to лева. If you are expressing direction toward or giving something to a lion, use the dative case леву. When describing something being done with or by a lion, use the instrumental case левом.
How do you pronounce it?
lev
Did you know?
- The name of the city Львів (Lviv) is derived from the word лев, essentially meaning 'City of the Lion'.
- The word лев shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'lion' through the Greek word λέων.
- While лев describes the animal, the word is also the name of the national currency of Bulgaria, the 'lev'.
Examples in context
- Лев цар звірів.The lion is the king of beasts.This sentence is useful for seeing how to state a characteristic of the лев.Tatoeba #5734539 by deniko, translation #29839 by CK
- Я говорю про лева.I'm speaking of a lion.This sentence shows how to use the form лева.Tatoeba #5728271 by deniko, translation #2822882 by Luornu
- Лев – король джунглів.The lion is the king of the jungle.This sentence is a way to describe the лев using a common metaphor.Tatoeba #3942406 by rmdas, translation #29846 by CM
- Зоопарк пишається великими та могутніми левами.The zoo is proud of its big and powerful lions.
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a zoo, looking at a large enclosure.
- Андрій AndriiДивись, там лев!Dyvys', tam lev!Look, there is a lion!
- Олена OlenaВін такий великий і сильний.Vin takyi velykyi i sylnyi.He is so big and strong.
- Андрій AndriiЦей лев дуже гарний.Tsei lev duzhe harnyi.This lion is very beautiful.
- Олена OlenaМені подобається цей звір.Meni podobaiet'si tsei zvir.I like this animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lion” translations and entries лев, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries лев, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
