Treastya, grets, prantsi, kovinka: where did the most interesting Ukrainian swear words come from and what is their meaning?

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Cursing is not only a way to express emotions, but also an important element of culture that reflects the history and mentality of the people. In Ukraine, as in many other countries, swear words have their roots that go back to the ancient past.

And our language has interesting matyuks that are not found in any other language.

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The origin of swear words

Swearing in Ukrainian culture has deep roots, because Ukrainians have always had their own unique way of expressing emotions and feelings.

As folklorists note, the use of swear words existed even in ancient times, and today we can observe their reflection in classical Ukrainian literature and folklore.

Standard matyuks, which became an integral part of the language, did not appear as a result of the influence of other peoples, such as Russians or Tatars. They have long been part of everyday life and were used by Ukrainians in a wide variety of situations.

Search in publications such as Lesya Stavytska's “Ukrainian language without taboos” or in the collections of “Bandurka. Ukrainian shame songs” allows us to delve into the history of these expressions, which can be found even in the works of Taras Shevchenko and Mykola Gogol.

In a world where swearing is often perceived as a last resort, we can find alternatives – Ukrainian swear words that not only preserve the flavor, but also open up new facets of our language.

Getting to know Ukrainian swear words can be not only educational, but also fun.

So, if you are looking for a way to impress your friends with the originality of expressions, or you just want to cheer up, use ancient Ukrainian matyuks.

The most common interesting matyuks in Ukrainian

Nai (let, let) tya (you) slag hit!

When someone uses this phrase, they wish that the person will suffer a misfortune, such as a stroke or paralysis. The word “slash” comes from the German “Schlag” (shlag), which means a blow, while “traffit” has its roots in the German “treffen” (to happen, happen, meet).

The expression “let him/her/it go!” has a similar meaning – although today it is often used simply as an exclamation when something is annoying, frustrating, or makes you want to stop.

Let it go!

In this expression, “shaking” means a fever or a fever, which is what they want to get to a person who has touched or made them angry.

The word “syphilis” in the Ukrainian language is a kind of code for syphilis, one of the common sexually transmitted diseases.

Its origin is closely related to history, because in in different countries, this disease was called differently: the British and Germans considered it the “French disease”, and the French themselves – the “Neapolitan”.

Studying the etymology of the word “pranzi”, it can be seen that it originated from the word “France”.

It is interesting that in the Ukrainian language foreign letters are often replaced, in particular “ф”, by “п” or “хв “. This phenomenon can be observed in many words, for example, in “khvabrik” or “khvasoni”, as well as in the folk name Khvedir.

Thus, “pranzi” not only reflects historical relations between cultures, but also demonstrates the living dynamics of language, which changes and adapts to new conditions.

Mother his (your) kovinka!

The word “kovinka” in the Ukrainian language has an interesting meaning – it is a stick with a bent end, similar to a hockey stick or a pick, on which people who have difficulty walking lean.

In the popular exclamation “his/your mother” uses a “classic” cursing form, which gives the phrase a special color.

The word “kovinka” appeared in this context for unknown reasons, but parallels can be drawn with the English expression ” Christ on a crutch”, which also indicates the image of a stick on which they lean.