жі́нка
žínkafeminine
The English word "woman" is translated into Ukrainian as жі́нка (žínka). Wiktionary also lists жона́ (žoná) and ба́ба (bába).
Meaning: adult female person (noun)
Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| жі́нка | žínka | feminine |
| жона́ | žoná | archaic, feminine, poetic |
| ба́ба | bába | feminine, pejorative |
The primary way to refer to an adult female person is by using the term жі́нка.
Which one should you use?
While жі́нка is the standard term, жона́ is an archaic or poetic version that is not used in modern everyday speech. In contrast, ба́ба is a pejorative term used to describe a woman in a derogatory way, often implying she is coarse or an old woman.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
жі́нка is the common, straightforward way to say woman in both formal and everyday contexts. For a more refined and sophisticated sense of "lady" in formal settings, one might use Дама. However, avoid using ба́ба in any polite conversation as it is derogatory.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of жі́нка is жі́нки.
How do you pronounce it?
žínka
Did you know?
- In modern Ukrainian, the word жі́нка is a homonym that can mean both 'woman' and 'wife' depending on the context.
- The term баба is also the root for many names of mythical female creatures in Slavic mythology, such as 'Baba Yaga'.
- Unlike the English 'lady', which can be a common polite address, using Дама to a woman's face in Ukraine might sound overly theatrical or even sarcastic.
Examples in context
- Моя бабуся – сильна жінка.My grandmother is a strong woman.
- Дама у червоній сукні виглядає захопливо.The lady in the red dress looks stunning.
- Я побачив красиву жінчину, що йшла по вулиці.I saw a beautiful woman walking down the street.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “woman” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
