Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| зо́вні | zóvni |
| на ву́лиці | na vúlyci |
In Ukrainian, the word for "outside" changes based on whether you are describing a physical exterior or the act of being outdoors. Use зо́вні when you are talking about the exterior of an object or a person's outward appearance, or when using the term in an abstract sense to mean "externally" or "outwardly" (such as being outwardly calm). Use на ву́лиці when you mean "outdoors" or being in the open air, as opposed to being inside a building.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase на ву́лиці literally translates to "on the street", which is the standard way to express being outdoors in Ukrainian.
Which one should you use?
Use зо́вні when referring to the exterior or outer surface of an object or a person's appearance. In contrast, use на ву́лиці when referring to being outdoors or in the street.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
zóvni
Did you know?
- While на ву́лиці literally means 'on the street', a Ukrainian speaker uses it even if they are in a forest, a field or a garden.
- If you are looking for a way to say 'outdoors' in a poetic or literary way, you might use під відкритим небом, which means 'under the open sky'.
- The preposition на in на ву́лиці is inherited from the Proto-Slavic root *na.
Examples in context
- Підемо на вулицюLet's go outside
Sources
- Wiktionary, “outside” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries на, CC BY-SA 4.0.
