📢 Ukrainian Imperatives & Requests
How to give commands, make requests, and use polite forms in Ukrainian
How Imperatives Work
Ukrainian imperatives are used to give commands, make requests, or offer suggestions. There are three imperative forms: the ти form (singular informal, used with one person you know well), the ви form (plural or formal, used with multiple people or one person you address politely), and the ми form ("let's" — used to suggest doing something together). All three are formed from the present tense stem of the verb.
Formation Rules
To form the imperative, start with the third person plural present tense (вони form), drop the ending, and add the imperative suffix. The suffix depends on what the stem ends in: if the stem ends in a vowel, add -й / -йте / -ймо; if it ends in a single consonant, add -и / -іть / -імо (or -ь / -те / -мо for some verbs). Here are five common verbs fully conjugated in the imperative:
| Infinitive | Meaning | ти form | ви form | ми form (let's) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| читати | to read | читай | читайте | читаймо |
| писати | to write | пиши | пишіть | пишімо |
| говорити | to speak | говори | говоріть | говорімо |
| іти | to go | іди | ідіть | ідімо |
| взяти | to take | візьми | візьміть | візьмімо |
Polite Requests
To soften a command into a polite request, add будь ласка (please). It can be placed before or after the verb. You can also use прошу (I ask / I request) for a more formal tone. To form a negative imperative (telling someone not to do something), simply place не before the imperative form.
| Ukrainian | English |
|---|---|
| Читай, будь ласка. | Read, please. (informal) |
| Будь ласка, читайте. | Please read. (formal) |
| Прошу, сідайте. | Please, have a seat. (formal) |
| Не читай це. | Don't read this. (informal) |
| Не говоріть так голосно. | Don't speak so loudly. (formal) |
Common Imperative Phrases
Here are some of the most useful everyday commands and requests in Ukrainian. Memorizing these as fixed phrases will help you communicate naturally in daily situations.
| Ukrainian (ти) | Ukrainian (ви) | English |
|---|---|---|
| Дивись! | Дивіться! | Look! |
| Слухай! | Слухайте! | Listen! |
| Допоможи! | Допоможіть! | Help! |
| Зачекай! | Зачекайте! | Wait! |
| Скажи! | Скажіть! | Tell! / Say! |
| Дай! | Дайте! | Give! |
| Покажи! | Покажіть! | Show! |
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