полі́ція
polícijafeminine
The Ukrainian word for police is полі́ція (polícija). Wiktionary also lists мілі́ція (milícija).
Meaning: local or general law enforcement agency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| полі́ція | polícija | feminine |
| мілі́ція | milícija | feminine |
The term refers to a local or general law enforcement agency.
Which one should you use?
полі́ція refers to the modern police force in Ukraine, whereas мілі́ція refers to the Soviet-era law enforcement agency and is now considered an outdated or historical term.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form полі́ції is the genitive singular form of полі́ція, used to indicate possession or following prepositions like 'без' (without). The form полі́цію is the accusative singular form, used when the police are the direct object of a verb.
How do you pronounce it?
polícija
Did you know?
- A common slang term for a police officer in Ukraine is мєнт, which is shared with Russian and is considered highly informal and potentially offensive.
- The word мілі́ція comes from the Latin 'militia', meaning 'military service', reflecting the Soviet view of police as a paramilitary force.
- In many post-Soviet contexts, calling someone a 'міліцянер' (a person in the militia) can carry a heavy, derogatory connotation related to the old regime.
Examples in context
- Полі́ція приїхала дуже швидко.Polítsiia pryїkhala duzhe shvydko.The police arrived very quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “police” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
