UKRAINIAN PREFIXES
Learning Ukrainian prefixes is a great way to expand language skills and understand verb meanings. Prefixes often change a verb’s meaning to show direction, intensity, or aspect. For example, по- can indicate starting an action (поїхати – to set off driving), while при- signals arrival (приїхати – to arrive). Studying prefixes helps learners build vocabulary, grasp subtle meaning differences, and decode unfamiliar words more easily, improving fluency and precision.
Here is a list of common Ukrainian prefixes and their meanings:
- без- (bez-) – without, lack of
- безпека (bezpeka) – safety, security
- безнадія (beznadiya) – hopelessness
- пере- (pere-) – re-, over, across
- перевезти (perevezty) – to transport, to carry over
- перемога (peremoha) – victory
- за- (za-) – for, behind, over, in favor of
- запитати (zapytyty) – to ask
- захищати (zakhyshchaty) – to defend
- до- (do-) – to, up to, before
- додому (dodomu) – homeward
- дорога (doroha) – road, path
- від- (vid-) – away, off, from
- відповідати (vidpovidaty) – to answer, to reply
- відпочинок (vidpochynok) – rest
- на- (na-) – on, at, to
- написати (napysaty) – to write
- наука (nauka) – science
- роз- (roz-) – dis-, re-, out
- розпочати (rozpochaty) – to begin
- розвиток (rozvytok) – development
- по- (po-) – along, according to
- попросити (poprosyty) – to ask, to request
- побачити (pobachyty) – to see
- не- (ne-) – not, non-
- несправедливість (nespravedlyvist’) – injustice
- невдача (nevdacha) – failure
- про- (pro-) – about, for, forward
- проговорити (prohovoryty) – to talk, to speak about
- просити (prosyty) – to ask, to request
- ви- (vy-) – out, away, fully
- випити (vypyty) – to drink
- виходити (vykhodyty) – to go out
- у- (u-) – in, into
- увійти (uviyty) – to enter
- усміхатися (usmikhatysya) – to smile
- над- (nad-) – over, above
- надзвичайний (nadzvychaynyy) – extraordinary
- надмірний (nadmirnyy) – excessive
- між- (mizh-) – between, among
- міжнародний (mizhnarodnyy) – international
- міжнародний (mizhnarodnyy) – between, among
- по- (po-) – along, after
- погіршити (pohirshyty) – to worsen
- познайомитися (poznaimytysya) – to get acquainted
These prefixes help form new words by modifying the meanings of base words, and they are essential in understanding Ukrainian grammar and vocabulary.