4 Jun 2025

Ukrainian Verb Conjugation Guide – Learn How to Conjugate Verbs Easily

Learning to speak Ukrainian involves more than just memorizing words. Verbs form the backbone of communication, expressing action, intention, and emotion. In this guide, we’ll explore how Ukrainian verbs work, how to conjugate them correctly, how motion verbs differ, and why understanding the verb “to be” is essential. We'll also include a categorized collection of commonly used actions to help you get started.

To conjugate Ukrainian verbs correctly, it’s important to understand how they change depending on the subject and tense.

Most Ukrainian verbs in their infinitive form end in -ти (e.g. писати – to write, читати – to read, любити – to love). When conjugating, the verb changes its ending depending on:

Person and number (I, you, he/she, we, they)

Tense (present, past, future)

Aspect (perfective or imperfective — more on this later).

Ukrainian verbs fall into two main conjugation groups based on how their endings change in the present tense:

🔹 First Conjugation

These verbs typically have endings like -е, -є, -еш, -ете in the present tense.

Examples:

писати (to write) → я пишу, ти пишеш, він пише

читати (to read) → я читаю, ми читаємо

🔹 Second Conjugation

These usually have endings like -и, -иш, -ить, -ите.

Examples:

любити (to love) → я люблю, ти любиш, вона любить

сидіти (to sit) → ми сидимо, вони сидять

📌 Past Tense

In the past tense, verbs do not change by person, but they do change by gender and number:

Він писав – He wrote

Вона писала – She wrote

Вони писали – They wrote

📌 Future Tense

There are two types of future tense in Ukrainian:

Simple future (used with perfective verbs):

Я напишу листа – I will write a letter (one-time, completed action)

Compound future (used with imperfective verbs):

Я буду писати листа – I will be writing a letter (ongoing or repeated action)

Understanding Verb Conjugation in Ukrainian

In Ukrainian, verb conjugation changes based on the subject’s person, number, tense, and gender. That means a verb changes its ending based on who is doing the action, when, and in what form.

There are two aspects: perfective and imperfective. Perfective verbs describe completed actions, while imperfective ones show ongoing or repeated activities.

For example:

писати (to write) — imperfective

написати (to write to completion) — perfective

The changes also depend on verb groups, typically ending in -ти. Unlike in some other languages, Ukrainian verbs aren’t divided into “regular” or “irregular,” but they do follow different conjugation patterns that learners need to recognize.

How to Handle the Verb “To Be” in Ukrainian

The verb "бути" (to be) holds a special place in Ukrainian grammar.In the present tense, it’s often omitted entirely — a trait that surprises many English speakers.

For instance:

Він лікар – He is a doctor (literally: “He doctor”)

In other tenses, it comes back:

Минулий час (past): Вона була вдома – She was at home

Майбутній час (future): Ми будемо щасливими– We will be happy

Despite its simplicity, mastering these forms is crucial for expressing time, conditions, and even polite phrases.

A Closer Look at Verbs of Motion

Motion verbs are especially interesting because Ukrainian distinguishes between different types of movement — not just direction, but also frequency.

There are paired motion words:

йти (to go on foot now) vs. ходити (to go regularly)
їхати (to go by vehicle now) vs. їздити (to travel habitually)

Examples:

Я хожу в магазин - I go to the store (on foot) regularly.

Я їду на роботу - I’m going to work (by vehicle) right now.

These differences are vital in real conversations. If you say “Я йду в магазин” (I’m going to the store), you mean you’re going now. But “Я ходжу в магазин” means you go there regularly.

It might feel overwhelming at first, but practice reveals clear logic behind these patterns.

Exploring Online Tools for Ukrainian Verb Forms

Online tools (like Ukrainian Verb Conjugator by Cooljugator or Verbix) make it much easier to check Ukrainian verb forms. A quality conjugator shows the present, past, and future tenses in seconds, saving you time and confusion.

Just enter a verb like читати (to read) and you’ll see:

я читаю (I read)

ти читаєш (you read)

він читає (he reads)

Many of these tools also provide access to verb aspect pairs and imperative mood variations.

While not perfect, they’re great for learners who want fast answers while reading or writing.

Categorized List of Common Ukrainian Verbs

There's no need to learn all 500+ verbs at once — begin with common categories like everyday activities, emotions, or job-related terms.

Start with common categories like daily actions, emotions, or work-related expressions.

Household Activities:

готувати — to cook

прибирати — to clean

прати — to do laundry

мити — to wash

Communication:

казати — to say

питати — to ask

слухати — to listen

відповідати — to answer

Learning and Work:

вчити — to learn

навчатися — to study

працювати — to work

перекладати — to translate

This approach makes it easier to integrate vocabulary into your daily routine.

Tips for Practicing Ukrainian Verbs

Create flashcards with these words, its perfective pair, and a usage example.
Use them in context, not isolation.
Record yourself speaking simple sentences using different subjects and tenses.

Focus on patterns, not just forms. You’ll notice how endings change based on pronouns.

Want Even More?

If you’re ready to expand your vocabulary, consider downloading a full collection of essential Ukrainian verbs — grouped by themes like travel, emotions, and social interaction. A solid base of 500+ will supercharge your language skills and make reading native content easier.

If you're looking for structured guidance, check out these Ukrainian language courses designed for beginners and learners of all levels.

Final Thoughts

Verbs are the engine of any sentence. Whether you’re conjugating писати, understanding how to express motion, or figuring out when to say є, this foundation will open the door to fluency. Use tools wisely, practice often, and build your list gradually.