Communicating in Ukrainian is fashionable and modern. Speech errors in daily business activities. Part 6

Home Часопис Communicating in Ukrainian is fashionable and modern. Speech errors in daily business activities. Part 6

24.01.2025

Once again, we write about the real, hard-won present and the need for communication in Ukrainian. We offer advice on improving its usage and analyze typical mistakes in both business and everyday speech.

It’s unfortunate that not everyone pays attention to these articles. We ask you to reread the publications in previous magazines and correct the mistakes. Gently and with humor, when appropriate, let’s help each other improve. Let’s stop using calqued words, phrases, and expressions.

We encourage everyone not to be ashamed to start speaking Ukrainian – even with mistakes, even with an accent. The situation allows for this, and people around us understand. Sometimes it’s said that one needs to be at the front, where the language is used in its raw form, with all sorts of swearing, not refined. We’ll get there – time will tell. We’ve heard such comments. There are different stories – simple and complex – just like the history of the formation of our nation.

However, we believe that soft Ukrainian phrases and the typical Ukrainian swearing will have nothing to answer to supporters, friends, and allies. It will only irritate the enemy.

If you don’t want to or can’t speak Ukrainian – that’s fine. But the question arises: why does "don’t want to" sound increasingly worrying? Meanwhile, the attitude towards those who "can’t" is generally more sympathetic, understanding that there might be embarrassment due to imperfect pronunciation or difficulties in communication because of a limited vocabulary. This is exactly where publications in magazines and many other resources can be helpful. Yes, it’s not easy to start speaking Ukrainian if you lack the experience and the right environment. However, such a start can be surprisingly interesting and might impress everyone around you. After all, it’s each person’s choice.

But if you’ve already begun speaking Ukrainian, let’s improve it together! Not everyone can recall how it was in childhood, how their parents or grandparents spoke, and not everyone’s childhood or later life was filled with the Ukrainian flavor of songs, holidays, and traditions. Not everyone even learned Ukrainian in school, and do all of us read world literature in Ukrainian? However, speaking correctly is not only pleasant for yourself but also for those around you. Let’s help each other in this!

Let’s stop saying "доля" when we mean "частка", "вірно" when referring to correctness, "оберт" when we mean "товарообіг", "відношення" when describing an attitude towards something or someone, "беремо участь у заходах", and not "приймаємо"; let’s not confuse when to use "налічує" and when to use "нараховує", when to say "вважаємо" and when "рахуємо". Let’s start using the vocative case correctly and properly decline names when addressing people! Let’s rejoice in enriching our vocabulary and speaking more freely and colorfully.

Відволікати or відвертати?

Let’s admit it: we often say "не відволікай мене", "я відволікаюсь" and so on. This habit stems from the calquing of the Russian words "отвлекать" and "отвлекаться". In the Ukrainian language, "відволікати" is used only in its literal sense and is derived from the word "волокти", meaning to pull or drag something/someone along the ground. Instead, in the usual context, we should use "відвертати увагу", "відвертати(ся)", "відривати(ся)" or "відхиляти(ся)".

Миттєвість or мить?

Two words that are often used with the same meaning – a very short period of time. However, their semantics are still different. The Ukrainian "мить" corresponds to the Russian "мгновение" while "миттєвість" is analogous to the Russian "мгновенность", which denotes not time, but a quality (fleetingness, transience).

Миючий or мийний засіб?

The word "миючий" appeared in the Ukrainian language as a calque of the Russian "моющий." Academic translation dictionaries indicate the correct Ukrainian equivalent – "мийний."

This is just one of many similar calques. It should be noted that active participles ending in -уч(ий) or -юч(ий) (for example, "керуючий", "мотивуючий", "омолоджуючий") are not typical in modern literary language, so their usage should be limited. Instead, there are Ukrainian equivalents: "керівний," "мотивувальний," "омолоджувальний."

Дорогі ціни

Prices can be high (високими), and goods can be expensive (дорогими). However, the phrase "дорогі ціни" is incorrect and should be avoided. Instead, use "високі ціни" for high prices and "дорогі товари" for expensive goods.

Усміхатись or посміхатися?

Do people in portraits smile or grin? If a person's expression is friendly, gentle, or affectionate, they are smiling (усміхаються). However, if someone is mocking or scoffing, they are grinning (посміхаються). So, let’s remember: a soft and gentle smile is "усмішка", while a mocking or skeptical smile is "посмішка."

Заставляти or примушувати?

Why can’t you "заставити" Saint Nicholas to give out candies, but you can "заставити" a room? The words "заставляти" and "примушувати" have radically different meanings in Ukrainian. "Заставляти" is used in two contexts: to pawn something at a pawn shop, meaning to offer it as collateral, or to fill a space with items, such as furniture. On the other hand, "примушувати" means to compel someone to do something. For example: "After I filled (заставив) the room with toys, my mom forced (змусила) me to clean up".

Білет or квиток?

Why don’t you need to show "білет" to the controller, and why can’t you ever pull out "квиток" during an exam? Because the words "білет" and "квиток" are not synonyms. "Білет" is a card with exam questions or a card for a lottery. It is typically used in phrases like "екзаменаційний білет" (exam ticket) or "лотерейний білет" (lottery ticket). "Квиток," on the other hand, is a card for travel or one purchased for entry to a venue. Additionally, "квиток" can serve as a document that certifies membership in a particular organization, such as "студентський квиток" (student ID).

Бувший у використанні (б/в) – уживаний/вживаний

Another example of calquing from Russian, mentioned in many dictionaries. The abbreviation "б/в," which often appears in advertisements, corresponds to the phrase "бувший у використанні," which has nothing to do with literary norms. The correct terms to use are "уживаний" or "вживаний".

Surzhyk	Correct form of the phrase	English
в любий день	у будь-який день	on any day
вибачте мене	вибачте мені	forgive me
виключення	виняток	exception
гарно виглядати	мати гарний вигляд	look good
заказати товар	замовити товар	order goods
заключати договір	укладати договір	sign a contract
згідно закону	згідно із законом	in accordance with the law
здавати екзамен	складати іспит	take an exam
кілька років назад	кілька років тому	a few years ago
міроприємства	заходи	measures / actions
на протязі місяця	протягом місяця	within a month
на рахунок цього	щодо цього	regarding this
нанести збитки	завдати збитки	cause damage
не вмішуватися в справи	не втручатися в справи	not interfere in matters
не дивлячись на перешкоди	попри перешкоди	despite the obstacles
оточуюче середовище	довкілля	environment
по крайній мірі	принаймні	at least
потрапити на очі	впасти у вічі	catch one's eye
приводити приклад	наводити приклад	give an example
прийняти міри	вжити заходів	take measures
прийшло в голову	спало на думку	it occurred to me
проблема заключається	проблема полягає	the problem is
слідуюча зупинка	наступна зупинка	next stop
терпіння лопнуло	терпець увірвався	patience ran out
приймати участь	брати участь	take part
ведучий інженер	провідний інженер	lead engineer
більше ста	понад сто	over a hundred
в якості…	у ролі…	as…
продовжується	триває	continues
в кінці кінців	врешті-решт	ultimately
в останній час	останнім часом	lately
на цей рахунок	щодо цього	regarding this
їхній	їх	them
включити (виключити) світло	вимикати/увімкнути світло	turn off/on the light
у комплекті іде	у комплекті наявне	included in the set
відстрочка	відтермінування	postponement
розстрочка	на виплату	hire purchase
вибачаюся	перепрошую	excuse me
переписка	листування	correspondence
говорю на українській	говорю українською	I speak Ukrainian
заключається	полягає	consists of (lies in)
так як	оскільки	since
задавати питання	ставити питання	ask a question
на рахунок роботи	щодо роботи	regarding work
рахую правильним	вважаю правильним	I consider it right
робити вигляд	вдавати	pretend
вирішувати проблему	розв’язувати проблему	solve the problem
приймати участь	брати участь	take part
виключення з правила	виняток	exception
співпадіння	збіг	coincidence
україномовний	українськомовний	Ukrainian-speaking
відмінити	скасувати	cancel
вважати необхідним	вважати за потрібне	deem it necessary
багато в чому	значно	significantly
давайте писати	пишімо	let's write
давайте вчити нові слова	вчимо нові слова	let's learn new words
давайте співати	співаймо	let's sing
велике дякую	дуже дякую	thank you very much