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:

  1. без- (bez-) – without, lack of
    • безпека (bezpeka) – safety, security
    • безнадія (beznadiya) – hopelessness
  2. пере- (pere-) – re-, over, across
    • перевезти (perevezty) – to transport, to carry over
    • перемога (peremoha) – victory
  3. за- (za-) – for, behind, over, in favor of
    • запитати (zapytyty) – to ask
    • захищати (zakhyshchaty) – to defend
  4. до- (do-) – to, up to, before
    • додому (dodomu) – homeward
    • дорога (doroha) – road, path
  5. від- (vid-) – away, off, from
    • відповідати (vidpovidaty) – to answer, to reply
    • відпочинок (vidpochynok) – rest
  6. на- (na-) – on, at, to
    • написати (napysaty) – to write
    • наука (nauka) – science
  7. роз- (roz-) – dis-, re-, out
    • розпочати (rozpochaty) – to begin
    • розвиток (rozvytok) – development
  8. по- (po-) – along, according to
    • попросити (poprosyty) – to ask, to request
    • побачити (pobachyty) – to see
  9. не- (ne-) – not, non-
    • несправедливість (nespravedlyvist’) – injustice
    • невдача (nevdacha) – failure
  10. про- (pro-) – about, for, forward
    • проговорити (prohovoryty) – to talk, to speak about
    • просити (prosyty) – to ask, to request
  11. ви- (vy-) – out, away, fully
    • випити (vypyty) – to drink
    • виходити (vykhodyty) – to go out
  12. у- (u-) – in, into
    • увійти (uviyty) – to enter
    • усміхатися (usmikhatysya) – to smile
  13. над- (nad-) – over, above
    • надзвичайний (nadzvychaynyy) – extraordinary
    • надмірний (nadmirnyy) – excessive
  14. між- (mizh-) – between, among
    • міжнародний (mizhnarodnyy) – international
    • міжнародний (mizhnarodnyy) – between, among
  15. 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.