How to Say “Pass” in Ukrainian

Ways to say it

In Ukrainian, you must distinguish between moving through a location and handing an item to a person. Use the forms related to movement when you mean to pass through a space, a doorway or a certain point. Use the forms related to objects when you mean to pass an item from one person to another, such as passing the salt. Additionally, the related noun про́пуск or пере́пустка refers to a document granting permission to pass, while перевал refers to an opening, road or track available for passing.

Which one should you use?

Use прохо́дити or пройти́ when referring to the physical movement of passing through a space, a doorway or a certain point. In contrast, use передава́ти or переда́ти when the meaning is to pass an object from one person to another.

Related words

Document granting permission to pass or to go and come (noun): про́пуск, пере́пустка.

Opening, road, or track, available for passing (noun): перевал.

How does it change in a sentence?

The forms used for movement are прохо́дити (imperfective), used for ongoing or repeated actions of passing through a place and пройти́ (perfective), used for a completed action of passing through a place. For handing objects, передава́ти is the imperfective form used for ongoing or habitual actions, while переда́ти is the perfective form used for the completed act of passing an object.

How do you pronounce it?

The romanization is proxódyty.

What mistakes should you avoid?

English speakers often mistakenly use пройти (to pass through a space) when they mean to hand or pass an object to someone. Instead, use передати when handing an object.