Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| бережи́ себе́ | berežý sebé | addressee singular, informal |
| бува́йте здоро́ві | buvájte zdoróvi | |
| бува́й здоро́в | buváj zdoróv | |
| бережі́ть себе́ | berežítʹ sebé | |
| пока́ | poká | |
| щасли́во | ščaslývo | |
| бува́й здоро́вий | buváj zdoróvyj | addressee masculine, informal |
| бува́й здоро́ва | buváj zdoróva | addressee masculine, informal |
In Ukrainian, "take care" is used as an interjection when saying goodbye. While бережи́ себе́ conveys a sense of care and protection, other forms like пока́ are more casual and щасли́во serves as a more traditional way to say goodbye.
What does it mean word for word?
The informal phrase бережи́ себе́ literally means "protect/guard yourself".
Which one should you use?
бережи́ себе́ is a warm, personal way to say goodbye, whereas пока́ is a simple, casual "bye". The term щасли́во, which literally means "happily", is a common, slightly more traditional or neutral way to say goodbye.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a casual or warm goodbye to one person, use бережи́ себе́ or the "be well" variations like бува́й здоро́вий (to a male) or бува́й здоро́ва (to a female). For formal situations, or when addressing a group, use бережі́ть себе́ or бува́йте здоро́ві. The phrase Дбайте про себе. is also a formal way to say "Take care of yourself".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form бережі́ть себе́ is used when addressing more than one person or when using the formal "you". When using the "be well" style of goodbye, бува́й здоро́вий is used for one male person informally, while бува́й здоро́ва is used for one female person informally.
How do you pronounce it?
berežý sebé
When do people say it?
One might say Бажаю Вам доброго здоров'я. to express concern for someone's well-being, meaning "I wish you good health".
Did you know?
- The verb бережи́ in бережи́ себе́ comes from the same root as the word for 'shore' or 'bank' берег. Historically, this relates to the idea of 'guarding' or 'preserving' a boundary or a precious resource.
- Ukrainian has a distinct difference between бережи́ себе́ and дбайте про себе, where the former implies guarding against external threats and the latter implies general self-care.
- The word щасли́во, used as a goodbye, is an adverb meaning 'happily'. By saying it, you are not just saying 'goodbye' but are effectively wishing that the other person departs or lives 'happily'.
Examples in context
- Не забудьте парасольку. Дбайте про себе.Don't forget your umbrella. Take care of yourself.
- Бережи́ себе́ до зустрічі.Berezhy sebe do zustrichi.Take care until we meet again.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “take care” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
