пі́вень
pívenʹmasculine
The English word rooster is translated into Ukrainian as пі́вень (pívenʹ). If unsure, use пі́вень. Wiktionary also lists ко́гут (kóhut) and ко́кош (kókoš).
Meaning: male chicken, male gallinaceous bird (noun)
Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| пі́вень | pívenʹ | masculine |
| ко́гут | kóhut | masculine |
| ко́кош | kókoš | masculine |
The term refers to a male chicken or a male gallinaceous bird.
Which one should you use?
пі́вень is the most common and standard word for rooster used in everyday Ukrainian. In contrast, ко́гут is a dialectal or regional variant used in certain parts of Ukraine instead of the standard term. The word ко́кош is also a form for rooster.
Is it said differently in some regions?
ко́гут is a dialectal or regional variant used in certain parts of Ukraine.
How does it change in a sentence?
All provided forms, пі́вень, ко́гут and ко́кош, are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
pívenʹ
When do people say it?
In a light-hearted or informal manner, the onomatopoeic sound a rooster makes is represented as Кікірікі (cock-a-doodle-doo).
Did you know?
- Ukrainian folk beliefs once held that a rooster's crow could physically break a witch's spell or wake a person from a magical slumber.
- In traditional Ukrainian folk art, specifically the 'Petrykivka' style, the пі́вень is a recurring motif symbolizing fertility and the awakening of nature.
- Using the word пі́вень in a metaphorical way can describe a person's pride, much like using 'cocky' in English, but with a distinctively Ukrainian flavor.
Examples in context
- Щойно почув кікірікі – почався новий день!Just heard a cock-a-doodle-doo – a new day has begun!
- Дивись, що за гарний півчик!Look at that nice little rooster!
- На фермі живе великий пі́вень.Na fermi zhyve velykyi piven'.A large rooster lives on the farm.
- Цей пі́вень голосно співає вранці.Tsei piven' holosno spivaye vrantsi.This rooster sings loudly in the morning.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rooster” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
