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.
Kyiv
Ukraine
Kyiv stands on the Dnieper hills, with golden domes, a lower trade town, and a broad central square.
How the language is used
Ukrainian is the official language. You meet it on the metro, in cafés, and on government signs.
In this city
- Language
- Ukrainian
- Also heard
- Mostly Ukrainian
- A local word
- Кава — One coffee, please.
- Writing
- Cyrillic
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
The counter
Кав'ярня
Одну каву, будь ласка.
One coffee, please.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
Food
Магазин
Добрий день.
Good day.
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 Podil, Pechersk, Khreshchatyk, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Kyiv can run on four lines: “Обережно, двері зачиняються.”, “Одну каву, будь ласка.”, “Добрий день.”, 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 Kyiv, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: Кава. It means One coffee, please..
Places you can see
- Maidan — Independence Square, the wide centre of rallies and the independence monument.
- St. Sophia — An eleventh-century cathedral and monastery yard of mosaics and bell towers.
- Podil — The lower town by the river, a grid of churches, shops, and the funicular base.
Food
Borshch, varenyky, and Kyiv cake. Menus are written in Ukrainian.
Getting around
A metro, buses, and the funicular between Podil and the upper city.
Daily life
You handle daily errands in Ukrainian. Station announcements use the official language.
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… |
