Learning to describe appearances in Ukrainian is a fundamental aspect of mastering the language. Whether you’re trying to describe someone you’ve met, or sharing stories about friends or family, having a robust vocabulary to detail physical characteristics is essential. Let’s explore some essential Ukrainian words and phrases that will help you describe appearances. We’ll also include example sentences to help you understand each term’s use in context.

Високий (vysokyi) — tall
This word is used to describe a person of above-average height.
Мій брат дуже високий.
My brother is very tall.

Низький (nyzkyi) — short
Opposite of tall, this word is used when someone is below average height.
Моя сестра досить низька, але енергійна.
My sister is quite short, but energetic.

Стрункий (strunkyi) — slim
This term can be used to describe someone who is thin and perhaps athletic.
Вона струнка та виглядає здоровою.
She is slim and looks healthy.

Повний (povnyi) — plump
You might use this word to describe someone who has a fuller figure.
Чоловік у червоній куртці досить повний.
The man in the red jacket is quite plump.

Мускулистий (muskylystyi) — muscular
Use this word when describing a person who has well-defined muscles.
Спортсмен був дуже мускулистий.
The athlete was very muscular.

Світле волосся (svitle volossya) — blonde hair
This phrase is used to describe people with light-colored or blonde hair.
Дівчина зі світлим волоссям сиділа в кафе.
The girl with blonde hair was sitting in the cafe.

Темне волосся (temne volossya) — dark hair
Use this term to talk about someone with dark-colored hair.
Юнак з темним волоссям читав книгу.
The young man with dark hair was reading a book.

Руде волосся (rude volossya) — red hair
This is the term for describing someone who has red or ginger hair.
Моя нова колега має руде волосся.
My new colleague has red hair.

Лисий (lysyy) — bald
When a person has no hair on their scalp, they are considered ‘lysyy’.
Мій дідусь лисий, але він носить капелюх.
My grandfather is bald, but he wears a hat.

Сині очі (syni ochi) — blue eyes
The phrase for a person with blue-colored eyes.
У неї були яскраво-сині очі.
She had bright blue eyes.

Карі очі (kari ochi) — brown eyes
Use this expression when someone has brown eyes.
Хлопець з карими очима посміхнувся мені.
The boy with brown eyes smiled at me.

Гостре обличчя (hostre oblychchya) — sharp-featured face
This describes someone with well-defined, perhaps angular, facial features.
Жінка з гострим обличчям мала рішучий вигляд.
The woman with a sharp-featured face had a determined look.

Овальне обличчя (ovalne oblychchya) — oval face
When the face is egg-shaped or elongated, it is described as ‘ovalne’.
Мій друг має овальне обличчя з м’якими рисами.
My friend has an oval face with soft features.

Татуювання (tatuuvannya) — tattoo
This term refers to designs on the skin done with ink.
У нього на руці було велике татуювання.
He had a large tattoo on his arm.

Борода (boroda) — beard
When describing a male with hair on his chin and jawline, you might mention his ‘boroda’.
Чоловік з бородою купив каву.
The man with a beard bought a coffee.

Вуса (vusa) — mustache
Facial hair grown specifically on the upper lip is called a ‘vusa’.
Офіціант з вусами рекомендував нам вино.
The waiter with a mustache recommended wine to us.

Understanding these terms will assist you in communicating more effectively in Ukrainian about appearances. Whether you’re complimenting someone on their features or giving a detailed description, these vocabulary words are key to painting a vivid picture.