Questions (хто, що, де, чи…)
Ukrainian word order in questions is simple: the question word goes first, and the rest usually stays like a normal sentence. Yes/no questions can be made with intonation alone or with чи.
| word | meaning |
|---|---|
| хто | who |
| що | what |
| де | where |
| куди / звідки | where to / where from |
| коли | when |
| як | how |
| чому | why |
| скільки | how much / how many |
| який / яка / яке / які | which, what kind of |
Yes/no questions
- Rising intonation: Ти вдома? (Are you at home?)
- More formal with чи: Чи ви говорите англійською?
Examples
- Де тут зупинка?Where is the bus stop here?
- Скільки коштує квиток?How much is a ticket?
- Звідки ви?Where are you from?
- Чи можна тут сісти?May I sit here?
- Коли починається урок?When does the lesson start?
Common mistakes
- ✗ Де є тут банк?✓ Де тут банк?Ukrainian does not need a verb, unlike English where is there.
- ✗ Ти чи вдома?✓ Чи ти вдома?The particle чи opens the question, and English do or is is not placed in this way.
- ✗ Чому ти є втомлений?✓ Чому ти втомлений?The present tense of to be is omitted, even in a question with why.
- ✗ Куди ти живеш?✓ Де ти живеш?Де asks about location, whereas куди asks about direction, and English where covers both.
- ✗ Скільки коштує ці квитки?✓ Скільки коштують ці квитки?The verb agrees with the plural noun, which English how much does cost does not show.