до

Preposition До

Level 1Sounds Like do

Use до to say you are going to a person, heading toward a destination, or doing something until a certain time.

How It Works

The preposition до is one of the most versatile tools in Ukrainian. Its usage can be broken down into several main categories:

  • Direction toward a person: Unlike English, where you go 'to' a place or a person using the same word, Ukrainian distinguishes these. To go to a person, you must use до + Genitive. For example: до мами (to mom).
  • Direction toward a destination: До is used for cities, countries, and specific locations. While в/на + Accusative emphasizes entering or attending, до emphasizes the destination as a goal or boundary.
  • Temporal Limits and 'Before': It translates to 'until' (до вечора - until evening) or 'prior to/by' (до війни - before the war). Note that до refers to the time leading up to an event, whereas перед usually means 'immediately before'.
  • Numerical Limits and Ranges: It is used to mean 'up to' (до ста осіб - up to 100 people) and is frequently paired with від to show a range (від п'яти до десяти - from five to ten).
  • Addition or Attachment: It is used when adding something to something else, such as додати цукор до чаю (add sugar to tea).

Important Note on Pronouns: When using до with 3rd-person pronouns (він, вона, воно, вони), the pronoun gains an initial н-: до нього (to him), до неї (to her), до них (to them).

Examples (5)

  1. Я йду до лікаря.

    I am going to the doctor.

    Word by Word: I go to doctor.

    Here 'до' is used because the destination is a person (the doctor).

  2. Ми їдемо до Києва.

    We are going to Kyiv.

    Word by Word: We go to Kyiv.

    Using 'до' with a city name to indicate the destination.

  3. Він працює до вечора.

    He works until evening.

    Word by Word: He works until evening.

    Here 'до' indicates a temporal limit (until).

  4. Заходь до мене в гості.

    Come visit me (come to my place).

    Word by Word: Come to me in guests.

    Common expression for visiting someone, using 'до' + personal pronoun.

  5. Прочитай книгу до кінця.

    Read the book to the end.

    Word by Word: Read book to end.

    Indicates a spatial or logical limit (the end).

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Accusative case instead of the Genitive after 'до'.

    Я йду до школу.
    Я йду до школи.

    Learners often use the Accusative for motion, but 'до' strictly requires the Genitive case (школи).

  • Using 'в' or 'на' when moving toward a person.

    Я йду в друга.
    Я йду до друга.

    In Ukrainian, you cannot 'enter' a person. Motion toward a person always uses 'до'.

  • Forgetting the 'н-' on 3rd-person pronouns.

    Я йду до його.
    Я йду до нього.

    After prepositions, 3rd-person pronouns like 'його' must take the epenthetic 'н-'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

доLevel 1Preposition До

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern