Feeling sick is never pleasant, especially when you have to explain what’s wrong in another language!

In Ukrainian, НЕЖИТЬ means runny nose, КАШЕЛЬ is cough, and БІЛЬ У ГОРЛІ is sore throat. These are just a few of the common СИМПТОМИ ХВОРОБИ (symptoms of illness) you might need to describe when talking to a doctor or simply telling someone how you feel.

We’ve prepared an illustrated vocabulary chart with 12 common symptoms in Ukrainian and their English translations. Take a look, practice pronouncing the words, and save the chart for future reference.

Symptoms of illness in Ukrainian — infographic

Symptoms of illness in Ukrainian — word list and audio

чхання — sneezing

нежить — runny nose

закладений ніс — blocked nose

кашель — cough

біль у горлі — sore throat

головний біль — headache

температура — high temperature

лихоманка — fever

озноб — chills

слабкість — weakness

втома — fatigue

набряк — swelling

Want to learn how to say that your head, throat, stomach, teeth, or muscles hurt in Ukrainian? Check out our guide to using the verb боліти (to hurt), where we explain the difference between болить and болять, with useful examples for different parts of the body.

Bonus: How to Ask About Someone’s Health in Ukrainian

When someone is feeling unwell, knowing how to ask about their symptoms can be just as useful as knowing the vocabulary itself. Whether you’re talking to a friend, checking on a family member, or visiting a doctor, here are some common Ukrainian questions that might come in handy.

Як ти почуваєшся? /
Як ви почуваєтеся? — How are you feeling?

Що у тебе болить? /
Що у вас болить? — What hurts?

Які симптоми тебе турбують? /
Які симптоми вас турбують? — What symptoms are you experiencing?

У тебе є температура? /
У вас є температура? — Do you have a fever?

Чим я можу тобі допомогти? /
Чим я можу вам допомогти? — How can I help you?

Notice that each question has two versions: informal (ТИ) and formal or polite (ВИ). Use ТИ when talking to friends or family members, and ВИ when addressing someone you don’t know well, including a doctor.

And how can you answer these questions? Here are a few simple phrases:

Я погано почуваюся. — I’m not feeling well.

У мене болить голова. — I have a headache.

У мене нежить і кашель. — I have a runny nose and a cough.

У мене висока температура. — I have a fever.

Мені вже краще, дякую! — I’m feeling better already, thank you!

Have you come across Ukrainian sentences without a subject? These are called impersonal sentences. Check out our guide to learn some useful impersonal expressions and how to use them naturally in conversation!

Try using these expressions together with the vocabulary from our infographic to practice describing different symptoms in Ukrainian. And, of course, будьте здорові! (Stay healthy!)

Learning Ukrainian and looking for great resources? Check out our 1000 most common words in Ukrainian with interactive flashcards. Also, you can learn Ukrainian step by step wherever you are with our free Ukrainian Lessons Podcast.