Lesson 16 - Ukrainian Made Easy

Alright, welcome to Lesson 16 of UME. Last time we talked about where we live. Today, the topic is where we work. And let's start by going back to a phrase we learned in Lesson #14. Do you remember how to say: I'm now at work.

Я зараз на роботі.

But we also learned that the word for "work", on its own, was just:

робота

...with an "ah" ending: робота

So how would you say:

I like my work.

Мені подобається моя робота.

How about: I love my work.

Я люблю мою роботу.

To the nitpickers out there, Yes, there is another way to say this, using the reflexive possessive pronoun свой, as in: Я люблю свою роботу --- but just for now, we'll be using this more intuitive version. One more time:

I love my work.

Я люблю мою роботу.

So, here's our first new phrase for today. Listen and repeat:

я працюю

One more time?

я працюю

My friend is a barrista at Starbucks. Now, if a Ukrainian person asks my friend what he does, my friend would say: Я працюю в Старбаксі.

...or...

Я працюю у Старбаксі.

My other friend is a waitress in a cafe. If a Ukrainian person asked her what she does, she'd say:

Я працюю в кафе.

So: Я працюю

...translates as: I work

Try saying: I work in New York.

Я працюю в Нью-Йорку.

I work in Kiev.

Я працюю в Києві.

Alright, here's our next new word. It's a cognate. Repeat after the speaker:

компанія

компанія

Here it is in context: As defined by their market capitalization, Apple is the world's largest компанія.

In English we say "company" and in Ukrainian they pronounce it компанія.

So here's the main construction we want to master today. In standard English we'd say:

I work for Microsoft. We might also use the word "at." I work at Intel.

In Ukrainian, they say: I work in the company ______.

For example: I work in the company Microsoft.

Я працюю в компанії Майкрософт.

Notice how the word "в" changes the end of компанія to a long ee sound. компанії. Listen...

в компанії

Try saying: I work in the company Intel.

Я працюю в компанії Інтел.

I work in the company Exxon.

Я працюю в компанії Ексон.

How would you say: This is my company.

Це моя компанія.

Did you use "моя" to rhyme with "компанія"?

Ask your friend: Is this your company?

Це твоя компанія?

Ask: Do you like your work?

Remember how we phrase that literally?

To you is pleasing your work?

Тобі подобається твоя робота?

Imagine someone calls you while you happen to be working. How would you tell them:

I'm working at the moment.

Я зараз працюю.

So here's a question for you. How might you ask your friend:

You're working now?

Hit pause and think about it for a second.

(swell)

So, remember our two verb patterns so far?

Ya....something....uu

..and...

Tee....something....ish.

So to ask: "You're working right now?" we need to say...

Ти зараз працюєш?

пра-цю-єш

One more time:

Ти зараз працюєш?

Excellent!

Alright, back to it. How would you ask a new friend:

Where do you work?

Де ти працюєш?

How will she say:

I work in the company Dell.

Я працюю в компанії Делл.

Try to say: I work downtown. (Or: I work in the city center.)

Я працюю в центрі.

How about: I'm an American. I live in California.

Я американець. Я живу в Каліфорнії.

Say: I work in the company Google.

Я працюю в компанії Гугл.

With just two words, ask your friend:

You working?

Ти працюєш?

How will he say:

No. I'm not working now.

Ні. Я не працюю зараз.

Let's learn two easy cognates. Repeat this first one after the speaker:

банк

банк

To keep your money safe and earn some interest, you keep it in a...банк

So in English we say 'bank' and in Ukrainian it's банк.

And here's our 2nd cognate:

офіс

офіс

I'm new to this company, so I just have a small cubicle. But one day I hope to have my own офіс.

In English we say office, and in Ukrainian...офіс

So try to say: I work in a bank.

Я працюю в банку.

This is following the same pattern as park, New York, Lutsk (ending with a K)

I work in the park.

Я працюю в парку.

In the bank

в банку

In the park

в парку

Now ask your friend: Do you work in a store or in an office?

Word for word, let's phrase it: You in a store or in an office are working?

Ти в магазині чи в офісі працюєш?

Again, we need that "і" sound both times: в магазині / в офісі

Imagine you've called your friend's cellphone. He answers and you ask him:

Where are you now?

Де ти зараз?

How will he say: I'm now in the office.

Я зараз в офісі.

I'm now in the bank.

Я зараз у банку.

A friend asks you:

Where is your office?

Де твій офіс?

In two words, say: In the center.

У центрі.

Let's end with some general review today. In the previous lesson, we worked with the verb patterns for Я and ти. For example, how do you say:

I'll have coffee. Whereas what will you have?

Я буду каву, а що ти будеш?

Say: I'll have....You'll have.

Я буду / ти будеш

Literally you're saying: I will be, you will be

Я буду / ти будеш

I live in Maryland. Where do you live?

Я живу в Меріленді. А де ти живеш?

Say: I live...you live

Я живу / ти живеш

I want pizza. And what do you want?

Я хочу піцу. А що ти хочеш?

I want...you want

Я хочу / ти хочеш

And of course, today we learned how to say:

I work in the company Sony.

Я працюю в компанії Sony.

Where do you work?

Де ти працюєш?

I work...you work...

Я працюю / ти працюєш

Great job today. Next lesson we'll add a new verb pattern that'll let us say things like, "She lives in Rivno," or, "He works downtown," and so on. That'll really help expand your vocabulary, being able to talk about other people. And we'll also talk...about talking.

I'll see you then!

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