чай
čaj[t͡ʃai̯]masculine
The English word "tea" is translated into Ukrainian as чай (čaj).
чай refers to the drink made from the leaves of the tea plant.
Meaning: drink made from leaves of tea plant (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun чай changes to чаю in the genitive case. This form is used after many verbs of negation or quantity, such as in the phrase хочу чаю (I want some tea).
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is čaj.
When do people say it?
If someone offers you tea, you can say Дякую за чай to show your gratitude for the drink.
Did you know?
- The word чай is used as a root for the slang term чайник, which literally means 'teapot' but is used to describe a beginner or someone unskilled in a particular field.
- The word чай is a cognate with many other languages across Eurasia, as the word traveled along the Silk Road from China into Slavic territories.
- Ukrainian tea culture often involves заварка, a very strong tea concentrate brewed in a pot that is then diluted with boiling water in a cup to reach the desired strength.
Examples in context
- Я п'ю і чай.I drink tea, too.This sentence is useful for expressing that you also drink чай.Tatoeba #5845736 by deniko, translation #3378130 by CK
- Я не люблю чай.I don't like tea.This sentence is useful for stating that you do not like чай.Tatoeba #8679752 by deniko, translation #1098278 by cntrational
- Я часто п'ю чай.I often drink tea.This sentence is useful for describing how often you drink чай.Tatoeba #7738219 by deniko, translation #3378026 by CM
- Будь ласка, принесіть мені чайPlease bring me tea
- Завтра підемо випити зеленого чаю разомLet's go have some green tea together tomorrow
- 170 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andriy and Olena are talking in the kitchen.
- Андрій AndriiОлено, хочеш чай?Oleno, khochesh chai?Olena, do you want some tea?
- Олена OlenaТак, будь ласка.Tak, bud' laska.Yes, please.
- Андрій AndriiТобі потрібен цукор у чай?Tobi potriben tsukor u chai?Do you need sugar in your tea?
- Олена OlenaНі, я п'ю без цукру.Ni, ya p'yu bez tsukru.No, I drink it without sugar.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tea” translations and entries чай, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
