Ukrainian Phrases for Discussing News

In today’s interconnected world, staying informed about current events is more important than ever. For those learning Ukrainian, discussing news can be an excellent way to improve language skills and deepen understanding of Ukrainian culture and society. This article will introduce you to some essential Ukrainian phrases and vocabulary that will help you navigate conversations about the news.

Basic Vocabulary for News Discussions

To begin, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with some basic vocabulary related to the news. Here are a few key terms:

Новини (novyny) – News
Газета (hazeta) – Newspaper
Журнал (zhurnal) – Magazine
Телебачення (telebachennya) – Television
Радіо (radio) – Radio
Інтернет (internet) – Internet
Сайт (sait) – Website
Стаття (stattya) – Article
Заголовок (zaholovok) – Headline
Репортер (reporter) – Reporter

Discussing the Source of News

When discussing the news, it’s often important to talk about the source of the information. Here are some useful phrases:

Я прочитав це в газеті (Ya prochytav tse v hazeti) – I read this in the newspaper.
Вони показали це по телевізору (Vony pokazaly tse po televizoru) – They showed this on television.
Це було на радіо (Tse bulo na radio) – It was on the radio.
Я знайшов це в Інтернеті (Ya znayshov tse v Interneti) – I found this on the Internet.
Цей сайт повідомляє (Tsei sait povidomlyaye) – This site reports.

Asking About the News

When engaging in conversations about current events, asking questions is a great way to practice your Ukrainian. Here are some common questions you might use:

Що сталося? (Shcho stalosya?) – What happened?
Що ти чув? (Shcho ty chuv?) – What did you hear?
Ти бачив новини сьогодні? (Ty bachyv novyny sʹohodni?) – Did you see the news today?
Що вони сказали? (Shcho vony skazaly?) – What did they say?
Які новини сьогодні? (Yaki novyny sʹohodni?) – What’s the news today?

Specific News Topics

To have in-depth discussions, it’s helpful to know vocabulary related to specific news topics. Below are some phrases for different categories of news.

Politics

Політика (polityka) – Politics
Президент (prezydent) – President
Парламент (parlament) – Parliament
Вибори (vybory) – Elections
Закон (zakon) – Law

Example sentence: Президент оголосив нові вибори (Prezydent ogolosyv novi vybory) – The president announced new elections.

Economy

Економіка (ekonomika) – Economy
Інфляція (inflyatsiya) – Inflation
Валюта (valyuta) – Currency
Бюджет (byudzhet) – Budget
Ринок (rynok) – Market

Example sentence: Інфляція зросла на 5% (Inflyatsiya zrosla na 5%) – Inflation increased by 5%.

Health

Здоров’я (zdorov’ya) – Health
Вакцина (vaktsyna) – Vaccine
Пандемія (pandemiya) – Pandemic
Лікарня (likarnya) – Hospital
Лікування (likuvannya) – Treatment

Example sentence: Нова вакцина доступна в лікарнях (Nova vaktsyna dostupna v likarnyakh) – The new vaccine is available in hospitals.

Weather

Погода (pohoda) – Weather
Дощ (doshch) – Rain
Сніг (snih) – Snow
Температура (temperatura) – Temperature
Прогноз (prohnoz) – Forecast

Example sentence: Прогноз погоди на завтра обіцяє дощ (Prohnoz pohody na zavtra obitsyaye doshch) – The weather forecast for tomorrow promises rain.

Sports

Спорт (sport) – Sports
Футбол (futbol) – Football (Soccer)
Олімпіада (olimpiada) – Olympics
Чемпіонат (chempionat) – Championship
Гра (hra) – Game

Example sentence: Наша команда виграла чемпіонат (Nasha komanda vyhrala chempionat) – Our team won the championship.

Expressing Opinions About the News

Sharing your thoughts and opinions is a vital part of discussing the news. Here are some phrases that can help you express what you think:

Я думаю, що (Ya dumayu, shcho) – I think that
На мою думку (Na moyu dumku) – In my opinion
Це важливо тому, що (Tse vazhlyvo tomu, shcho) – This is important because
Мені здається, що (Meni zdayetsya, shcho) – It seems to me that
Я згоден/згодна з цим (Ya zhodnen/zhodna z tsym) – I agree with this (masculine/feminine)

Example sentences:
Я думаю, що це хороша новина (Ya dumayu, shcho tse khorosha novyna) – I think that this is good news.
На мою думку, це неправильне рішення (Na moyu dumku, tse nepravylnye rishennya) – In my opinion, this is the wrong decision.

Reacting to News

Sometimes, news can evoke strong emotions. Knowing how to express these reactions can make your conversations more dynamic and engaging. Here are some useful phrases:

Це шокуюче! (Tse shokuyche!) – This is shocking!
Я не можу в це повірити! (Ya ne mozhu v tse poviryty!) – I can’t believe this!
Це чудово! (Tse chudovo!) – This is wonderful!
Це жахливо! (Tse zhakhlyvo!) – This is terrible!
Як прикро! (Yak prykro!) – How sad!

Example sentences:
Це шокуюче, що це сталося! (Tse shokuyche, shcho tse stalosya!) – It’s shocking that this happened!
Це чудово, що вони виграли! (Tse chudovo, shcho vony vyhraly!) – It’s wonderful that they won!

Connecting Past Events to Current News

Often, understanding the current news requires some knowledge of past events. Here are some phrases that can help you make those connections:

Минулого року (Mynuloho roku) – Last year
Кілька місяців тому (Kilʹka misyatsiv tomu) – A few months ago
У минулому (U mynulomu) – In the past
Це пов’язано з (Tse pov’yazano z) – This is related to
Це сталося після того, як (Tse stalosya pislya toho, yak) – This happened after

Example sentences:
Минулого року вони підписали угоду (Mynuloho roku vony pidpysaly uhodu) – Last year they signed an agreement.
Це сталося після того, як вони зустрілися (Tse stalosya pislya toho, yak vony zustrilysya) – This happened after they met.

Practicing with Real News

One of the best ways to improve your Ukrainian and become more comfortable discussing the news is by practicing with real news sources. Here are some tips:

Read Ukrainian newspapers or online news sites: Try to read articles from Ukrainian news websites or newspapers. This will expose you to current vocabulary and phrases used in real contexts.

Watch Ukrainian news programs: Watching news programs can help you understand pronunciation and improve your listening skills. Pay attention to how news anchors and reporters use language.

Discuss the news with native speakers: If you have the opportunity, discuss news topics with native Ukrainian speakers. This will give you practical experience and help you learn to use the language naturally.

Use language learning apps and resources: There are many apps and online resources designed to help you learn Ukrainian. Look for ones that include news articles or current events as part of their curriculum.

Conclusion

Discussing the news in Ukrainian can be an excellent way to enhance your language skills and stay informed about what’s happening in the world. By learning the essential vocabulary and phrases provided in this article, you’ll be better equipped to engage in meaningful conversations about current events. Remember, practice makes perfect, so take every opportunity to read, watch, and discuss the news in Ukrainian. Happy learning!