дружи́на
družýnafeminine
The Ukrainian word for wife is дружи́на (družýna). Wiktionary also lists жі́нка (žínka) and супру́га (suprúha).
Meaning: female partner in a marriage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| дружи́на | družýna | feminine |
| жі́нка | žínka | colloquial, feminine |
| супру́га | suprúha | feminine |
The term refers to a female partner in a marriage.
Which one should you use?
While дружи́на is the standard and neutral term, жі́нка literally means 'woman' but is frequently used in colloquial speech to mean 'wife'. супру́га is a more formal term equivalent to 'spouse' and is less common in everyday conversation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
дружи́на is the standard, neutral choice for most contexts. жі́нка is colloquial. супру́га is formal. You may also encounter the informal дружинка.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the standard form дружи́на, you must change its ending based on its role in a sentence. Use дружи́ни in the genitive singular to indicate possession, such as 'the wife's car'. Use дружи́ну in the accusative singular when the wife is the direct object of a verb, such as 'I love my wife'.
How do you pronounce it?
družýna
Did you know?
- In Old East Slavic, the term дружи́на originally referred to a prince's military retinue or a band of warriors, regardless of gender.
- The word дружи́на shares a root with друг, which means 'friend'. This reflects an ancient view of a spouse as a primary companion and ally.
- In traditional Ukrainian folk songs, a wife is often referred to as господиня, which literally means 'house-mistress' or 'lady of the house'.
Examples in context
- Моя дружина – велика підтримка для мене.My wife is a great support for me.
- Моя дружинка – найкраща на світі!My wife is the best in the world!
- Запрошую всіх на вечірку до мене вдома. І звичайно, ваші дружинки теж запрошені!I invite everyone to a party at my place. And, of course, your wives are invited too!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wife” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
