7 Ukrainian Swearings to say instead of f*ck

so you can lose it even near your parents (or your corgi) - and they will have no idea!

So let’s not be shy,

you can say it :

we all swear.

These past couple of weeks - maybe even more so. You know why. No, you say it. Okay, I’ll say it : because there have been some yobanyi pyzdets’ going on.

Don’t know what yobanyi pyzdets’ is yet ?

No worries, druzhe. This exactly what I came here to share with you:

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deep and profound knowledge of Ukrainian swearings so it can become your secret language, your secret weapon, handy whenever you need it and whenever you lost it, no matter if it’s family function, office or, you know, your corgi next to you (yes this joke is here to stay, thanks Adam).

DISCLAIMER: please note that people from Eastern Europe and Balkans could be able to understand or at least have a subtle hint what these swearings are about , so the usual rule applied: be mindful where and how you use them.

Let’s go!

1. Yibát’- їбать - yie-buh-t’ (ending with a soft ‘t‘)

Literally means ‘to f*ck’. You can shout, or whisper it , when shocked, frustrated or surprised - including when it’s a happy surprise.

(I know but hey girl gotta dream)

2. Sráka - срака - s+rah-kah

   Means literally an ‘ass’, but mostly doesn’t work as it does in English. You won’t call a person ‘sraka’ . ‘sraka’ is more about the ‘all is f*cked’ vibe.

   Could also be used in more like ‘sh*t’ type of situation too.

   The two ‘a’ vowels allows for easy stretch of the word, if you want to shout it out somewhere in the middle of nowhere , in the rain. You’re welcome .

   To amplify:

   you can add ‘povna’ - повна - poh-v-nuh . Means ‘total’.

   to play with it :

   ot sraka - от срака -

   basically same but with a flare

   if you’re feeling whimsical:

   sraka-motyka - срака-мотика - where motyka is pronounced moh like in more +tyh (think of the last sound in the long “shiiiiiiiit”) +ka as in cuh as in … yeah you guessed it you naughty little ones, as in cuppa. or curry.

3. Pyzdéts’ - пиздець - pyh (remember the y in sraka-motyka) - z-deh-ts’ (you’re going for a soft ‘ts’ here, close to the sound of hi-hat)

It’s a cousin of ‘sraka’, but with tattoos, a motorcycle and a gang.

Yeah I know I said it before but it’s awesome so i’m gonna say it again. Many times.

To amplify:

You can add ‘povnyi’ that you know by now - ‘total - or ‘yobanyi’ - yo +buh+nyh+y (like ending in ‘may’ - and I mean not the ‘a’ sound but the very ending, the short ‘y’) - which literally means ‘f*cking’ as in adjective . The latter wouldn’t mean totallness of it, rather will express how emotionally you feel about it.

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Bonus: You can use pyzdets’ for good things too - like ‘pyzdets’ how awesome’.

Again, let girl dream.

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4 Kúrwa - курва - coo+r+wuh

More used in in Lviv and overall in the western part of Ukraine. Mainly is used in meaning “b*tch”, and can be used both as “f*ck” to react to some f*cked up situation or towards people who really pissed you off - regardless of gender.

DISCLAIMER: Kurwa came to Ukrainian language from Polish , and could be understood in many Eastern European countries and beyond, so be mindful about this one.

5. Zayibálo - заїбало - zuh + yie +buh + loh

This one has strong drama potential here. Comes from the word ‘yibat’’ . When used it means something pissed you off to the extent that you’re just f*cking fed up with it. Could be said in shouting as well as exhausted almost whispering fashion .

Could be used about people or even in the face of a person - but this one is quite charged, so remember to use it wisely.

To amplify:

add nakhui - нахуй nuh+who+y (y as ending in ‘may’ )

6. Do did’ka - до дідька - doh as in dough + did as in did, or deed, + 2nd “d” is softer because of soft sign so it’s closer to soft “t” + cah as in car

Close to “to the f*ck (to the hell) with it”, could be changed to do bisa - doh+bees +ah .

Could also be used in other combos, like yakoho did’ka - якого дідька - “what a f*ck” (same with yakoho bisa, or yakoho chorta - cho as in chop +rt (kinda like you’d say chorlton but without “L” in between)+ah. - or біса - bisa - reads as ": bees +ah

Did’ko and chort could also be used one their own, like a short f*ck or sh*t type of exclamation.

All three - did’ko, bis and chort - mean a demonic power, some consider them link to the Devil, but usually in Ukrainian folklore you’ll see that bis is closer to low level demon, while chort is closer to being trickster Loki-like character .

Still, as a kid, I was said not to use it too often - so not to summon him.

Yeap Ukrainian swearing is serious.

7. Yósyp na kobýli - Йосип на кобилі - yo+syp (close to ‘sip’ but imagine ‘i’ being a bigger vowel , imagine more space in your mouth when you pronounce it , or think of the last sound in the long “shiiiiiiiit” - you need that one)

Is the most appropriate of all 7. Literally means ‘Joseph on a horse’, no corgi will find you guilty. But it’s a sneak out swearing: it’s basically a variation of the classic ‘yibat’ - yie+ buh+t’ - but in a sneak out form - meaning it’s a hidden swearing - like all the ways you’d cover up the f*ck while still using it.

So, use it wisely and let the Swearing Force be with you!

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My aim is to share Ukrainian swearings with everyone - as a tool for personal liberation, to decompress and to experiment with this side of yourself - as well as a way to remind about Ukraine and the continuous russian invasion of my home .

As a paid subscriber, you’d support my work on monthly basis, let me continue doing it to share this tool with people in public access, as well as get access to archive of more exclusive content, including my experience of living through war, backstage of creative process and more advanced learning of Ukrainian Swearings.

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