Getting around
Метро
Обережно, двері зачиняються.
The doors are closing.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
Kharkiv
Ukraine
Kharkiv is a large eastern city of a huge central square and constructivist blocks.
How the language is used
Ukrainian is official, on the metro, in the university quarter, and on city signs.
In this city
- Language
- Ukrainian
- Also heard
- Mostly Ukrainian
- A local word
- Площа — A square.
- Writing
- Cyrillic
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
The counter
Університет
Добрий день.
Good day.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
Food
Кафе
Каву, будь ласка.
One coffee, please.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The street
Вулиця
Дякую.
Thank you.
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The language through the day
Ukrainian is the language of the ride, the shop, and the street.
Around Freedom Square, University Hill, Saltivka, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Kharkiv can run on four lines: “Обережно, двері зачиняються.”, “Добрий день.”, “Каву, будь ласка.”, and “Дякую.”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in Cyrillic.
- With strangers and at the counter you use вы. Ты is for people you know.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Kharkiv, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: Площа. It means A square..
Places you can see
- Freedom Square — A very wide square that anchors the centre and the main avenues.
- Derzhprom — A constructivist office complex of concrete and sky-bridges beside the square.
- Shevchenko Garden — A central park named for the poet, next to the university hill.
Food
Ukrainian canteen plates and café counters along Sumska. Menus are in Ukrainian.
Getting around
The metro runs under the big avenues that leave the square.
Daily life
You use Ukrainian for tickets and offices in this city.
A few everyday phrases
Ukrainian
| Phrase | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Добрий день | Dobryy den | Hello |
| Дякую | Dyakuyu | Thank you |
| Доброго ранку | Dobroho ranku | Good morning |
| Мене звати… | Mene zvaty… | My name is… |
