Language/Ukrainian/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be
Hi Ukrainian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be focusing on the verb "бути" (buty) which means "to be" in English. Knowing how to use the verb "бути" correctly is essential in understanding and communicating in Ukrainian. We will discuss the present tense, past tense, future tense, and imperative mood. We will also delve into the different forms of "бути" to make it easier for you to use it in your sentences. So let's get started!
Introduction[edit | edit source]
"Бути" is an irregular verb that plays a vital role in Ukrainian grammar. It is used to express existence, identity, condition, and many other things. In English, "to be" is a very common verb that is also used to express similar concepts.
Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: The Adjective: Degrees of comparison & Verbs Past Tense.
Present Tense[edit | edit source]
The present tense of "бути" (to be) in Ukrainian is used to express a present state, location, or condition of someone or something. The present tense of "бути" is also used to express characteristics of someone or something that remain constant over time.
| Ukrainian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Я є | Ya ye | I am |
| Ти є | Ty ye | You (singular) are |
| Він/Вона/Воно є | Vin/Vona/Vono ye | He/She/It is |
| Ми є | My ye | We are |
| Ви є | Vy ye | You (plural) are |
| Вони є | Vony ye | They are |
Examples:
- Person 1: Я є українець. (Ya ye ukrayintsi)
Person 2: Я теж. (Ya tezh) - I am Ukrainian too. - Person 1: Ти є студент? (Ty ye student?)
Person 2: Ні, я не студент, я працюю в IT компанії. (Ni, ya ne student, ya pratsyuyu v IT kompaniyi.) - No, I am not a student, I work in an IT company.
Past Tense[edit | edit source]
The past tense of "бути" is used to describe a state or condition in the past. It is also used to describe experiences, events, and actions that have been completed or ended in the past.
| Ukrainian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Я був | Ya buv | I was |
| Ти був | Ty buv | You (singular) were |
| Він/Вона/Воно був(ла/ло) | Vin/Vona/Vono buv/la/lo | He/She/It was |
| Ми були | My buly | We were |
| Ви були | Vy buly | You (plural) were |
| Вони були | Vony buly | They were |
Examples:
- Person 1: Ти був у Києві минулого тижня? (Ty buv u Kyievi minulogo tyzhnya?)
Person 2: Так, я там був. (Tak, ya tam buv.) - Yes, I was there. - Person 1: Я був у театрі вчора. (Ya buv u teatri vchora.)
Person 2: Я також хотіла піти, але не змогла. (Ya takozh hotila pity, ale ne zmohla.) - I also wanted to go, but I couldn't.
Future Tense[edit | edit source]
The future tense of "бути" is used to describe a future state or condition. It is also used to describe actions and events that will happen in the future.
| Ukrainian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Я буду | Ya budu | I will be |
| Ти будеш | Ty budes | You (singular) will be |
| Він/Вона/Воно буде | Vin/Vona/Vono bude | He/She/It will be |
| Ми будемо | My budemo | We will be |
| Ви будете | Vy budete | You (plural) will be |
| Вони будуть | Vony budut | They will be |
Examples:
- Person 1: Що робите завтра ввечері? (Shcho robyte zavtra vvecheri?)
Person 2: Буду готувати вечерю з друзями. (Budu gotuvaty vecheryu z druziamy.) - I will be cooking dinner with friends. - Person 1: Будеш допомагати мені з переїздом? (Budesh dopomahaty meni z pereizdom?)
Person 2: Так, буду допомагати. (Tak, budu dopomahaty.) - Yes, I will be helping you.
Imperative Mood[edit | edit source]
The imperative mood is used to give commands or orders. The verb "бути" is also used in the imperative mood.
| Ukrainian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Будь | Bud | Be |
Examples:
- Будьте здорові! (Budte zdorovi!) - Be healthy!
- Будь ласка, замовте стіл для нас. (Bud laska, zamovte stil dlya nas.) - Please, reserve a table for us.
Negation Form[edit | edit source]
To create a negation form, add the adverb "не" (ne) before the verb "бути".
Examples:
- Я не є голодний. (Ya ne ye holodnyy.) - I am not hungry.
- Вона не була задоволена. (Vona ne bula zadovolena.) - She was not satisfied.
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Congratulations! You have learned how to use the verb "бути" (to be) in Ukrainian. To improve your Ukrainian grammar, you can visit the Polyglot Club website. There you can find native speakers and ask them any questions. You can also refer to our Grammar section for more lessons.
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Now that you've completed this lesson, don't stop learning! Check out these related topics: Adverbs of quantity: how many & Adverbs of time, place, intention and cause.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- how to use numerals and nouns in pairs
- Questions
- Personal Pronouns
- Possessive Pronouns
- Adverbs of quantity: how many
- Present tense Irregular verbs
- Give your Opinion
- The Adjective: Degrees of comparison
- Feminine
- Pronouns
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Ukrainian grammar - Wikipedia
- Grammar tables - Learn Ukrainian
- Ukrainian Grammar — The place to learn Ukrainian language