Lesson 12 - Ukrainian Made Easy

Alright, welcome to Lesson 12 of UME. Let's jump right to today's main phrase. Please repeat after the native speaker:

Я люблю

One more time: Я люблю

Let's see if you can hold on to that sound while we review the material from the last lesson. So how would you ask your friend: How are the crepes to you?

Як тобі млинці?

He's going to say: I really like it! But what's the literal phrasing for that idea?

To me very pleasing!

Мені дуже подобається.

Quick note: In the last lesson I pointed out that the conjugation there should be plural: подобаються

And yet here, the native speaker is using the singular: подобається. Bottom line: Both are right.

By using the singular, the native speaker simply means..."It's" really good. And to him, pancakes is now a singular, collective kind of idea. Not a big deal.

Anyway, ask your friend: Do you like to dance?

Тобі подобається танцювати?

No. I don't like to dance.

Ні, мені не подобається танцювати.

Alright, so...What was that new phrase we started with today?

Я люблю

I imagine you've already encountered this verb, but in case it's new, let's try to get the meaning from context. So I have a friend who is something of a gourmet when it comes to Ukrainian soups. I asked him what he thought of solyanka and borscht and he said...

Мені подобається солянка, але я люблю борщ!

His sister, meanwhile, is really into music. I asked what she thought of blues and rock. She said...

Мені подобається блюз, але я люблю рок!

Do you have a feel for what they're saying?

I like solyanka but I love borscht.

Мені подобається солянка, але я люблю борщ!

I like blues but I love rock.

Мені подобається блюз, але я люблю рок!

Try to say: I like Kiev but I love Lviv.

Мені подобається Київ, але я люблю Львів!

Speaking of Lviv, the city -- being a college town -- has branded itself as a haven for coffee lovers.

So let's buy that T-shirt over there which says: I love coffee.

Я люблю каву.

Did you remember to say каву with that "uu" ending? Because loving coffee counts (FIST/PALM) as doing something to it.

Let's try a few more. Ask your friend: Do you like caviar?

Тобі подобається ікра?

Yes. I love caviar!

Так. Я люблю ікру!

In that first one we had ікра with an "ah" and in the second one we had ікру with an "uu". Why? Because in the first sentence ікра is doing the action. It's pleasing us. But in the second one, we're doing the action -- we're loving ікру. Apologies if I'm beating a dead horse with this grammar point, but if you get this, you're mastering a big chunk of Ukrainian grammar.

Now imagine this scenario: You're in a cafe, eating the crepes you ordered, when the waitress approaches and asks you...

Як вам млинці?

What do you think she's asking? Well, it's gotta be: How do you like the crepes?

But what's that вам word? Isn't the phrase: Як тобі млинці?

Not here. This is the formal version. You're the customer. Assuming you're over the age of sixteen, the wait staff is going to address you formally. And it's no surprise that this formal version of you once again starts with a V sound. Just like: Ви and Вас we now have Вам, which is the form we use when the formal, polite "you" is the recipient. It translates as "for you" or "to you".

Ask your friend's grandmother respectfully: Do you like tea?

To you is pleasing tea?

Вам подобається чай?

Make it coffee

Вам подобається кава?

Switching gears for a moment, imagine you've just arrived in Lviv. You're visiting relatives and, as is considered good etiquette, you've brought some gifts. As you hand a box of chocolates to your cousin, tell her...with just two words: This is for you.

Це тобі.

Then hand a gift of Earl Grey tea to her grandmother and say...This is for you.

Це вам.

Did you speak to the woman respectfully? Це вам. Please be sure to. One day I'll share the story of the dinner where I spoke informally to my girlfriend's parents. Not a good scene...

Alright. Let's recap the three forms of the formal YOU that we've worked with so far in the course.

You've just met the father of your Ukrainian friend. Ask him: You're an engineer?

Ви інженер?

Embarrassingly, you've forgotten the man's name. How to ask him?

Як Вас звати?

Wondering where to go for dinner, ask him...

Do you like sushi?

Вам подобаються суші?

Say those three forms of YOU, formal, that we just heard...

Ви / Вас / Вам

And what are the equivalent informal forms? Let's see. Ask your friend...

You want caviar??

Ти хочеш ікру??

That's the form we use when "you" is doing the action. Then there's the recipient form:

Do you like lemonade?

Тобі подобається лимонад?

But what's the informal equivalent of вас? Like, imagine you're at a party in Lviv. Everyone's the same age. In this situation, it's okay to ask someone casually...

What's your name?

Як тебе звати?

So тебе is the informal equivalent to вас.

And those forms-- тебе and вас-- they are the "doing something to you" form of you. When you say, How to call you? ...calling someone counts as doing something to them.

Як ...(FIST/PALM) тебе звати?

Як ...(FIST/PALM) вас звати?

And you know what else counts as "doing something to someone"? Loving them. So give me two ways, starting with the informal version, to say: I love you.

Я тебе люблю.

That's the preferred word order, though you can also phrase it:

Я люблю тебе.

It depends on the context of the situation. Not a big deal right now.

And the formal version? Like, you've really gotten to know someone's Ukrainian grandmother and you feel very close to her now. You'd say...

Я вас люблю.

And now is a good time to mention that Ukrainians also use вас when addressing two or more people. So maybe you're making a toast at a table full of friends. Since it's more than one person, you have to use вас,

I love you guys!

Я вас люблю.

Note that Ukrainian has a separate verb to convey the idea of romantic love. So this verb, люблю, is what you'd use when speaking to friends and relatives...and also for beloved foods or books or songs, etc.

Alright, speaking of practice, try to say:

I like borscht but I love solyanka.

Мені подобається борщ, але я люблю солянку.

I like rock but I love heavy metal.

Мені подобається рок, але я люблю хеві-метал.

Try to say: I like Kiev but I love Odessa.

Мені подобається Київ, але я люблю Одесу.

Tell a group of your Ukrainian friends: I love you guys.

Я вас люблю.

Now tell your Ukrainian cousin, informally...I love you.

Я тебе люблю.

Alright, here's our next new word. Repeat after the speaker: бачу. It's a verb, I'll give you that.

Let's see if you can come up with a translation for it. So, you're supposed to meet a friend at an outdoor concert. You call her cell. "Where are you?"

She says, "I'm by the fountain. I've got my pink jacket on."

And you shake your head and tell her, "Я тебе не бачу."

Then she says, "Now I have my jacket off and I'm waving it in the air like a flag. Бачиш?"

Ahh! There she is. On the other side of the fountain. You nod..."Бачу, бачу!"

I see, I see.

So try that same line: I don't see you.

Я тебе не бачу.

Ask: You don't see me?

Ти мене не бачиш?

Do you hear how those two pronouns -- the words representing you and me -- perfectly rhyme?

тебе / мене

And they rhyme in the recipient case, too. Say: I like tea, whereas you like coffee.

Мені подобається чай, а тобі подобається кава.

мені / тобі

The fact that they rhyme helps you keep track of them. Group them together.

Again imagining that we're at a concert, this time looking for our friend Svitlana, say...

I don't see Svitlana.

Я не бачу Світлану.

A brother and sister are also at the concert. One says...

You don't see Mom?

Ти не бачиш маму?

After the concert you're at a friend's place. He asks you to grab him a Pepsi. You open the fridge...

I see cola, lemonade, milk...ahh, Pepsi.

Я бачу колу, лимонад, молоко... а, пепсі.

Hold on. That word for milk is also new to these lessons. What was it?

молоко

Just like English, it has the consonants M-L-K. All the vowels, though, are O's.

молоко

With two words, as you head to the kitchen, ask your friend:

Want coffee?

Хочеш каву?

Answer: Yes, is there milk?

Так, є молоко?

Jumping back in time to the crowded, outdoor concert, how would you tell your friends on the phone: I don't see you guys.

Я вас не бачу.

Imagine being in Kiev and your friend asks...

Want to eat?

Хочеш їсти?

You say just: I want...

Хочу...

But as you scroll through your phone seeing what places on Kreshatik are open, you say...

...but I only see McDonalds.

...але я бачу тільки МакДональдз.

And of course your friend smiles...

I love McDonalds!

Я люблю МакДональдз!

Alright. Doing so great. Keep practicing all this and we'll see you next lesson!

Of course, please go to UkrainianMadeEasy.com to get the transcript and the audio downloads.