The Ukrainian verb "бути" means "to be" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "бути" across all 5 tenses. New to Ukrainian verbs? Start with the Ukrainian verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "бути" in the Present Tense
Теперішній час Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| я | I | є |
| ти | you (informal) | є |
| він/вона/воно | he/she/it | є |
| ми | we | є |
| ви | you (formal/plural) | є |
| вони | they | є |
Він є мій друг.
He is my friend.
How to Conjugate "бути" in the Past Tense
Минулий час Completed actions in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| я | I | був |
| ти | you (informal) | був |
| він/вона/воно | he/she/it | був |
| ми | we | були |
| ви | you (formal/plural) | були |
| вони | they | були |
Він був дуже щасливий.
He was very happy.
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Майбутній час Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| я | I | буду |
| ти | you (informal) | будеш |
| він/вона/воно | he/she/it | буде |
| ми | we | будемо |
| ви | you (formal/plural) | будете |
| вони | they | будуть |
Він буде лікарем у майбутньому.
He will be a doctor in the future.
How to Conjugate "бути" in the Conditional Tense
Умовний спосіб Hypothetical situations and polite requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| я | I | був би |
| ти | you (informal) | був би |
| він/вона/воно | he/she/it | був би |
| ми | we | були б |
| ви | you (formal/plural) | були б |
| вони | they | були б |
Він був би тут.
He would be here.
How to Conjugate "бути" in the Imperative Tense
Наказовий спосіб Commands and requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| я | I | будь |
| ти | you (informal) | будь |
| він/вона/воно | he/she/it | нехай буде |
| ми | we | будьмо |
| ви | you (formal/plural) | будьте |
| вони | they | нехай будуть |
Хай він буде вдома вчасно.
Let him be home on time.
Frequently Asked Questions About "бути"
Is "бути" regular or irregular in Ukrainian?
"Бути" is an irregular Ukrainian verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "бути" mean in English?
The Ukrainian verb "бути" means "to be" in English.
How do you conjugate "бути" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Теперішній час): я → є, ти → є, він/вона/воно → є, ми → є, ви → є, вони → є.
How many tenses does "бути" have in Ukrainian?
"Бути" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Ukrainian: Present, Past, Future, Conditional, Imperative.
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