Language Tips!

One or two Ukrainian words sound reassuringly familiar - no prizes for guessing what Kafe, Restoran, Bar and Aeroport mean. Nevertheless, when those words are written in Ukrainian cyrillic it's an altogether trickier matter. Suffice it to say that you're unlikely to return from a two month back-packing trip, fluent in the lingo. But that's no reason not to give it a shot!

Parrot out the following words and the locals will either think that you are completely round the twist (no, of course they won't, our language guide is invincible I tell you) or they will register at once that you are a highly intelligent traveller who has even managed to grasp the rudiments of the language: Vokzal - Station
Autovokzal - Bus station
Marshrutka - Minibus
Poizd - Train
Tramvaj - Tram
Voda - Water
Seek - Juice
Pyvo - Beer
Vyno - Wine
Tuar 'let - Toilet
Apteka - Chemist
Leekarnia - Hospital
Knyzhkovyj magazyn- Bookshop
Miyasnyj magazyn - Butchers
Dopomo'zhit - Help!
Ahhhh! - Ahhhh!
O.K, that's enough language tips for now...

We've scratched our heads and twiddled our menacing cossack beards and come up with a fully anglicised guide for those basic encounters. Our protracted 300 page dictionary will be published by Oxford University Press in the near future. OK, we're getting a bit carried away... in the words of tough talking former prime minister and cricket aficionado John Major, let's get back to basics:

Comments

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Kenawy Hatem
Egypt

Really I'm so pleased to review your page where I got more information about Lviv city which is my favorite city all over the world I'm really impressed by lviv and whenever I'm there I feel that I'm home Kenawy Hatem

Reply Jan 21st, 2010
schatz
Egypt

its very nice can you send me more love worlds i like ukrainian lagouge

Reply Oct 20th, 2009
Trojanda
Poland

Trisziczki, ale wiedro!!!

Reply Aug 9th, 2007
Nataliya
Ukraine

"Bud'te zdorovi" means "God bless You" when someone has sneezed and "Cheers" will be in Ukrainian "Za zdorovya" when you are drinking for someone's health. but I want to say thank you for doing what you are doing. That is very good job.

Reply May 9th, 2007