How to ask “How Are You?” in Ukrainian
In Ukrainian (українська мова), asking someone how they’re doing opens the door to warmer, more personal connections. Whether you’re chatting with friends in Kyiv, meeting new people in Lviv, or keeping in touch with Ukrainian-speaking family abroad, “How are you?” is a friendly way to show that you care about what’s happening in their life.
Ukrainian offers both informal and formal ways to ask the question, depending on your relationship with the person:
Quick Tip
If you’re uncertain which form to pick, check out our Ukrainian greetings lesson for a refresher on formality and pronouns in Ukrainian.
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How to Answer “How Are You?”
When someone asks “Як ти?” or “Як Ви?”, a quick Все добре (Everything’s good) is perfectly fine. Let’s see it in a mini-dialogue:
Як ти? → How are you? (informal)
Добре, а ти? → Good, and you? (informal)
Як Ви? → How are you? (formal)
Добре, а Ви? → Good, and you? (formal)
Extra Polite Touch:
Дякую, що запитали. → Thank you for asking. (formal)
Дякую, що питаєш! → Thanks for asking! (informal)
Усе гаразд, дуже дякую! А ти? → Everything’s fine, thanks a lot! And you? (informal)
Все добре, дуже дякую! А Ви? → Everything’s good, thank you very much! And you? (formal)
If you’d like to give more detail, try these expressions:
Я… → I am…
- Чудово! → Excellent!
- Дуже добре! → Very good!
- Добре. → Good.
- Так собі. → So-so.
- Погано. → Bad.
- Дуже погано! → Very bad.
- Жахливо. → Horrible.
- Я голодний (m) / голодна (f) → hungry
- Я хочу пити → thirsty
- Я втомлений (m) / втомлена (f) → tired
- Я з похмілля → hungover (colloquial)
Now you can confidently ask and answer “How are you?” in Ukrainian! And, just like in everyday Ukrainian life, don’t be surprised if people share a few minor complaints rather than always saying they’re doing “Добре”—it’s often considered more authentic to be honest about how you feel.
Language guide
Explore grammar and learning tips in our Ukrainian language guide.
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