The Albanian Boza drink.

Një shishe dhe një gotë bozë shqiptare në një tavolinë.

A bottle and a glass of Albanian boza in a table.

shishe

bottle

gotë

glass

tavolinë

table

The Boza drink (bozë) is a traditional Albanian drink brought to the region by the Ottomans.

It is made up of corn flour, wheat flour, sugar and water rich in A,C,E and and four types of vitamin B. 

It is considered to have many health benefits.

Traditionally it was produced in Kukës North eastern Albania.

Read More

Ukrainian core phrases

Ukrainian is an Eastern Slavic language related to Russian and Polish. It evolved from Old Church Slavonic.

Linguistically Ukrainian is something like midway between Russian and Polish closer to Russian. While there are many similarities with Russian there is heavy influence from Polish.

At some time the Kievan Rus or Ruthenia as it was later known in the West, collapsed and it's territory was divided between the Rus the part east of the river and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania west of the river.

Under the Grand Duchy of Lithuania the official language became Polish because of the fact that the nobility and big land-owners were Polish.

As a result there was heavy influence of Polish on Ukrainian.

There is a high degree of mutual intelligibility with Russian and Belorussian and as well as Polish to some extent.

A Ukrainian native speaker will understand both languages to a great extent while a Russian speaker will have great difficulty understanding Ukrainian without some knowledge of Polish.

Kievan Rus

Роусь (Old East Slavic) Garðaríki (Old Norse)

A map of later Kievan Rus' (after the death of Yaroslav I in 1054).

Knyaz Vladimir of the Rurikid dynasty hailing from Scandinavia was a major figure in the history of the Kievan Rus. He was responsible for uniting many lands under his rule and the Christianisation of the Rus. 

Embassies from various peoples came to Kiev talking about their religion. The Volga-Bulgars proposed to him to convert to Islam. When they explained the way of living and behaving in Islam-alhocohol forbidden- Vladimir came out with the famous phrase 'Drinking is the joy of the Rus'.

Instead his embassy to Byzantine Constantinople came back with descriptions about how grandiose and imposing was the Church of Aghia Sophia. When they heard the Byzantine liturgical chanting they explained they thought they were in heaven.

Ukrainian phrases

Greetings

Meeting people 

Useful phrases when traveling 

Going around 

At the hotel.

Buying tickets 

Idioms about sleep 

Read More

Ukrainian Greetings

A cartoon Ukrainian flag, symbolizing Ukrainian language and culture.

Basic Greetings

Привіт! (Pryvit!)

Translation: Hello!

Здрастуйте! (Zdrastuyte!)

Translation: Hello!/Greetings!

Vocabulary

• привіт - hello
  Grammar: Interjection, informal greeting.
• здрастуйте - hello/greetings
  Grammar: Formal greeting, plural form.

Test Your Knowledge

What does "привіт" mean?

Time-Based Greetings

Доброго ранку! (Dobroho ranku!)

Translation: Good morning!

Доброго дня! (Dobroho dnia!)

Translation: Good day!

Добрий вечір! (Dobryi vechir!)

Translation: Good evening!

Vocabulary

• доброго - good
  Grammar: Adjective in genitive case, used with time.
• ранку - morning
  Grammar: Genitive of "ранок," masculine noun.
• дня - day
  Grammar: Genitive of "день," masculine noun.

Test Your Knowledge

What does "доброго дня" mean?

Casual Questions

Як справи? (Yak spravy?)

Translation: How are you?

Що нового? (Shcho novoho?)

Translation: What's new?

Vocabulary

• як - how
  Grammar: Interrogative adverb.
• справи - affairs/how are you
  Grammar: Plural noun in accusative case.
• нового - new
  Grammar: Genitive of "новий," adjective.

Test Your Knowledge

What does "як справи" mean?

Holiday Wishes

З Новим роком! (Z Novym rokom!)

Translation: Happy New Year!

Щасливого Різдва! (Shchaslyvoho Rizdva!)

Translation: Merry Christmas!

З Днем народження! (Z Dnem narodzhennya!)

Translation: Happy birthday!

Відчуйте себе як вдома! (Vidchuyte sebe yak vdoma!)

Translation: Make yourself at home!

Vocabulary

• з - with
  Grammar: Preposition, used in wishes.
• новим - new
  Grammar: Instrumental case of "новий," adjective.
• різдва - Christmas
  Grammar: Genitive of "Різдво," neuter noun.

Test Your Knowledge

What does "з новим роком" mean?

Full Dialogue

Ukrainian:

A: Привіт! Як справи?

B: Доброго дня! Усе добре, дякую. А ти?

A: Добре, дякую! З Новим роком!

B: Дякую! Щасливого Різдва!

Translation:

A: Hello! How are you?

B: Good day! All good, thank you. And you?

A: Good, thank you! Happy New Year!

B: Thank you! Merry Christmas!

Read More