5 Ukrainian swearing words for when you are really f******* pissed
+ audio of how the f*** to pronounce them
Since first piece with 5 Ukrainian swearing phrases for you to start swearing right now got so much of your warm welcome,
I’ve decided to release 2nd Swearing Pack. This one includes swearing that are more used in Western Ukraine . Ideal for when you are really pissed , and can be easily combined with the phrased from the first Swearing pack.
So, let’s get to swearing!
kurwa - курва - coo+r+wah with stress on coo
Listen to it :
Heavily used in Lviv and in Western Ukraine. Literally means “slut” , “whore”, “bitch”, can be used in Ukrainian both towards people who really pissed you off - regardless of gender. Also can be used (and mostly is used in Ukraine) for “fuck” type of situations. For some might work also for “hammer-fell-on-the-toe” type of situations - heavily depends on whether person uses this word a lot for it to be the first to go to. I’d often still use “fuck” for those.
How of use:
to insult : оце він курва! - otse vin kurwa! - what a bitch/son of a bitch he is!
Listen to it :
to express frustration: The train is late again. kurwa!
This gem came to Ukrainian from Polish and there it means the same thing so now you can swear in it too, as well as in many more - below is the map of all the countries where kurva/kurwa appears in the mother tongue.
To be fair, geography is even bigger with “kurba” in Slovenia as other commentators added. Or as another commentator summed it up :
Here is is this fascinating thread on Reddit dedicated to kurwa and discussions how it works in different languages. So check it out when you have a mood for kurwology.
…if you wanna turn it down a bit
курча - kurcha - coo-r-chuh like in Chuck with stress on coo
Basically same kurwa but milder - kurcha means “little chicken” in Ukrainian so is not technically a swearing. Can be used in same situations as kurwa if you want to count more polite/less rude.
срака - sraka - s+rah-kah
Listen to it :
Translates as "an ass” . Used to express frustration with a clusterfuck type of situation. Similar to pyzdets’, but a bit milder and considered a bit less rude - still vulgar tho. Often used with addition of adjective повна - povna - poh+v like in victory+nah which is translated as “full”, “total”
How to use:
to express frustration: And we don’t have internet now because we couldn’t even buy a SIM card since they all were sold out. Tse povna sraka(This is a total clusterfuck).
to insult: And after all you’ve done you want my help? Fuck you! Поцілуй мене в сраку! potsiluy mene v sraku! poh+t+see+loo+y meh+neh (You can kiss my ass!)
…if you wanna turn it down a bit
дупа - dupa - doo-puh
Listen to it :
“dupa” is basically like when you say “butt” instead “an ass”. Can be used in same fuck type of situations, when you want to express that the level of problem is smaller than in “sraka” type of situations, or when you want to sound more polite/less aggressive.
How to use:
I really don’t know what to do. Tse povna dupa. (What a clasterfuck)
Note:
There is also дупця - duptsia - doo-p-tsia
Listen to it :
is an even softer version of “dupa” and can be used when you want to show affection , for example, to your cat. It loses it’s swearing meaning on this stage and is equivalent when you’d say “you stupid little thing” with love to your cat that had just created a real mess of your room.
3. холєра - kholiera - ho like in ho ho ho! +leh like in let (and even a bit softer) +rah
Listen to it :
Kholiera means literally “cholera”, a sickness. Can be used both to insult towards someone who pissed you. More often is used more to express anger/frustration, in meaning “oh fuck!”.
How to use:
to express frustration: And they say there will be no more buses today. От холєра! Ot kholiera! Aut like in autumn+ho like in ho ho ho! +leh like in let (and even a bit softer) +rah
Listen to it :
to insult: Ну він і холєра! Nu vin i kholiera! Nooh like in noon+ win +ea like in ear+ ho like in ho ho ho! +leh like in let (and even a bit softer) +rahю (What a cholera he is!) He pissed me so much!
Listen to it :
4. трясця - triastsia - t+ria like in softer rah+s+t+sya like in softer sun
Listen to it :
Literally means “a fever”. Can be used for fuck type of situations to express frustration.
How to use:
Triastsia! (Oh fuck!) We are late for the bus!
5. дідько - did’ko - did’ with softer d +koh like in call
Listen to it :
Similar to previous one in types of situations it can be used. Did’ko Basically means a demon. An evil spirit. Less than a devil.
How to use:
Did’ko! I forgot my keys!
Now you are all prepared, so go, swear away! And see you at next Swearing Ukrainian with Margo 101 on Sunday 17:00 Kyiv time.
Cheers.
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