Основні правові терміни (Basic Legal Terms)
1. **Закон** (Zakon) – Law
– This is the foundational term in any legal system. The word “закон” refers to the laws passed by the legislative body of the country. For example, “Закон України про освіту” translates to “The Law of Ukraine on Education.”
2. **Право** (Pravo) – Right
– “Право” is a fundamental term that refers to the legal rights of individuals. For instance, “право на свободу слова” means “the right to freedom of speech.”
3. **Конституція** (Konstytutsiya) – Constitution
– The “Конституція” is the supreme law of the land. It outlines the structure of the government, the rights of citizens, and the principles by which the country is governed. For example, “Конституція України” means “The Constitution of Ukraine.”
4. **Суд** (Sud) – Court
– The term “суд” refers to the judicial body that interprets and applies the law. For example, “Верховний Суд України” translates to “The Supreme Court of Ukraine.”
5. **Суддя** (Sudya) – Judge
– A “суддя” is a person who presides over court proceedings and makes legal decisions. For example, “Суддя виніс рішення” means “The judge made a decision.”
Правові документи (Legal Documents)
6. **Договір** (Dohovir) – Contract
– This is a legally binding agreement between two or more parties. For instance, “трудовий договір” means “employment contract.”
7. **Позов** (Pozov) – Lawsuit
– A “позов” is a legal action taken by one party against another in a court of law. For example, “Подати позов” means “to file a lawsuit.”
8. **Акт** (Akt) – Act/Deed
– The word “акт” can refer to a legal document that records an event or agreement. For example, “акт про прийняття” means “acceptance act.”
9. **Заповіт** (Zapovit) – Will
– This is a legal document in which a person specifies the distribution of their assets after their death. For example, “скласти заповіт” means “to make a will.”
10. **Рішення** (Rishennya) – Decision
– This term refers to the outcome of a legal case or a formal judgment. For example, “рішення суду” means “court decision.”
Процедури та процеси (Procedures and Processes)
11. **Розгляд** (Rozglyad) – Hearing
– This term refers to the examination of a case in a court of law. For example, “судовий розгляд” means “court hearing.”
12. **Апеляція** (Apelyatsiya) – Appeal
– An “апеляція” is a request to a higher court to review the decision of a lower court. For example, “подати апеляцію” means “to file an appeal.”
13. **Обвинувачення** (Obvynuvachennya) – Prosecution/Charge
– This term refers to the formal accusation of a person committing a crime. For example, “пред’явити обвинувачення” means “to bring charges.”
14. **Захист** (Zakhyst) – Defense
– The term “захист” refers to the legal representation and arguments made in favor of the defendant. For example, “захист обвинуваченого” means “defense of the accused.”
15. **Свідок** (Svidok) – Witness
– A “свідок” is a person who gives testimony in a court of law. For example, “викликати свідка” means “to call a witness.”
Типи правовідносин (Types of Legal Relationships)
16. **Цивільне право** (Tsivilne pravo) – Civil Law
– This branch of law deals with private rights and matters such as contracts, property, and family law. For example, “цивільний кодекс” means “civil code.”
17. **Кримінальне право** (Kryminalne pravo) – Criminal Law
– This branch of law deals with crimes and their punishments. For example, “кримінальний кодекс” means “criminal code.”
18. **Адміністративне право** (Administratyvne pravo) – Administrative Law
– This area of law deals with the regulations that government agencies must follow. For example, “адміністративне провадження” means “administrative proceeding.”
19. **Трудове право** (Trudove pravo) – Labor Law
– This branch of law deals with employment relationships. For example, “трудовий кодекс” means “labor code.”
20. **Сімейне право** (Simeyne pravo) – Family Law
– This area of law deals with family-related issues such as marriage, divorce, and child custody. For example, “сімейний кодекс” means “family code.”
Інші важливі терміни (Other Important Terms)
21. **Нотаріус** (Notarius) – Notary
– A “нотаріус” is a legal professional who is authorized to perform certain legal formalities, such as witnessing signatures. For example, “послуги нотаріуса” means “notary services.”
22. **Прокурор** (Prokuror) – Prosecutor
– A “прокурор” is a legal official who represents the state in criminal cases. For example, “прокурор пред’явив обвинувачення” means “the prosecutor brought charges.”
23. **Адвокат** (Advokat) – Lawyer/Attorney
– An “адвокат” is a legal professional who represents clients in legal matters. For example, “послуги адвоката” means “lawyer services.”
24. **Підозра** (Pidozra) – Suspicion
– This term refers to the belief that someone may have committed a crime. For example, “висунути підозру” means “to raise suspicion.”
25. **Затримання** (Zatrymannya) – Detention
– This term refers to the act of holding someone in custody, usually by the police. For example, “поліцейське затримання” means “police detention.”
Спеціалізовані терміни (Specialized Terms)
26. **Майнові права** (Maynovi prava) – Property Rights
– This term refers to the legal rights related to ownership and use of property. For example, “захист майнових прав” means “protection of property rights.”
27. **Нематеріальні активи** (Nematerial’ni aktyvy) – Intangible Assets
– This term refers to non-physical assets such as intellectual property. For example, “оцінка нематеріальних активів” means “valuation of intangible assets.”
28. **Фізична особа** (Fizychna osoba) – Natural Person
– This term refers to an individual human being, as opposed to a legal entity. For example, “права фізичних осіб” means “rights of natural persons.”
29. **Юридична особа** (Yurydychna osoba) – Legal Entity
– This term refers to an organization or company that has legal rights and obligations. For example, “реєстрація юридичної особи” means “registration of a legal entity.”
30. **Інтелектуальна власність** (Intelektual’na vlasnist’) – Intellectual Property
– This term refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary works, and trademarks. For example, “охорона інтелектуальної власності” means “protection of intellectual property.”
Терміни, пов’язані з кримінальним процесом (Terms Related to Criminal Procedure)
31. **Обшук** (Obshuk) – Search
– This term refers to the examination of a person’s property by law enforcement. For example, “провести обшук” means “to conduct a search.”
32. **Арешт** (Aresht) – Arrest
– This term refers to the act of taking someone into custody. For example, “затримати під арештом” means “to hold under arrest.”
33. **Звинувачення** (Zvynuvachennya) – Accusation
– This term refers to the formal charge that someone has committed a crime. For example, “висунути звинувачення” means “to make an accusation.”
34. **Судовий процес** (Sudovyi protses) – Trial
– This term refers to the formal examination of a legal case in court. For example, “судовий процес розпочався” means “the trial has begun.”
35. **Вирок** (Vyrok) – Verdict
– This term refers to the final decision made by a judge or jury in a trial. For example, “винести вирок” means “to deliver a verdict.”
Застосування правових термінів (Application of Legal Terms)
Understanding these legal terms is just the first step. It’s also crucial to know how to use them in context. Here are some practical examples to illustrate how these terms might appear in real-life situations:
– **Contract Negotiation**: When negotiating a contract (договір), it’s important to understand the terms and conditions outlined in the document. For example, “Умови договору повинні бути зрозумілими обом сторонам” means “The terms of the contract must be clear to both parties.”
– **Filing a Lawsuit**: If you need to file a lawsuit (позов), you would go to court (суд) and submit the necessary documents. For example, “Він подав позов до суду” means “He filed a lawsuit in court.”
– **Witness Testimony**: During a trial (судовий процес), witnesses (свідки) may be called to give testimony. For example, “Свідок дав важливі свідчення” means “The witness gave important testimony.”
– **Property Rights**: Understanding your property rights (майнові права) is essential when buying or selling property. For example, “Власник має право на захист своїх майнових прав” means “The owner has the right to protect his property rights.”
Conclusion
Mastering legal terms in Ukrainian can significantly enhance your understanding of the legal system and improve your ability to navigate various legal situations. This guide provides a foundation for some of the most commonly used legal terms in the Ukrainian language, helping you to build your legal vocabulary and apply it effectively.
As with any language learning endeavor, practice and real-world application are key. Consider reading legal documents, attending court hearings, or discussing legal matters with native speakers to reinforce your understanding. By familiarizing yourself with these essential terms, you’ll be better equipped to handle legal matters in Ukraine confidently and competently.

