Connectors of Addition and Sequence | Ukrainian Grammar

A list of facts is not an argument; an argument needs connectors that show how the parts relate. Two of the most basic relations are addition ('and also, besides, moreover') and sequence ('first, then, finally'). Ukrainian has a precise toolkit for each, and using it is what turns a heap of clauses into a coherent paragraph. The enumerators по-пе́рше, по-дру́ге, по-тре́тє ('firstly, secondly, thirdly') are the standard way to lay out points; крім то́го, до то́го ж, бі́льше то́го stack extra information; споча́тку… по́тім… наре́шті carry a narrative through time. These connectors are largely fixed phrases — you deploy them at clause boundaries, and most of them are set off by commas.

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The enumerators по-пе́рше / по-дру́ге / по-тре́тє are built on the по-…-е adverb pattern (the same one behind по-украї́нськи 'in Ukrainian', по-мо́єму 'in my opinion'). They are hyphenated and stressed on the ordinal stem: по-пе́рше, по-дру́ге. They open the clause and take a comma after them.

Connectors of addition

These add a further point to what you've just said. тако́ж and теж both mean 'also, too' — теж is lighter and more conversational, тако́ж slightly more neutral-to-formal, and теж usually sits next to the word it adds. крім то́го ('besides, in addition') and до то́го ж ('moreover, what's more') open a clause that piles on extra information; до то́го ж feels a touch more emphatic. бі́льше то́го ('what's more, furthermore') escalates to a stronger or more surprising point. The correlative не ті́льки… а й ('not only… but also') — equally не ті́льки… але́ й — is the standard frame for pairing two added elements; both the а й and але́ й halves are correct.

Connector	Meaning	Register
тако́ж	also, as well	neutral / written-leaning
теж	too, also	conversational
крім то́го	besides, in addition	neutral
до то́го ж	moreover, what's more	neutral, slightly emphatic
бі́льше то́го	what's more, furthermore	neutral-formal
не ті́льки… а й…	not only… but also…	neutral

Кварти́ра сві́тла й те́пла. Крім то́го, вона́ за два кро́ки від метро́.

The flat is bright and warm. Besides, it's a stone's throw from the metro. (крім то́го — adds a further selling point; comma after it.)

Він чудо́вий фахіве́ць. До то́го ж із ним при́ємно працюва́ти.

He's an excellent specialist. What's more, he's pleasant to work with. (до то́го ж — slightly more emphatic addition.)

Я не люблю́ зи́му. Бі́льше то́го, я щоро́ку мрі́ю переї́хати десь, де те́пло.

I don't like winter. What's more, every year I dream of moving somewhere warm. (бі́льше то́го — escalates to a stronger point.)

Вона́ зна́є не ті́льки англі́йську, а й по́льську та іспа́нську.

She knows not only English but also Polish and Spanish. (не ті́льки… а й… — the standard correlative for added items.)

Я тако́ж за́пишуся на цей курс — давно́ хоті́в підтягну́ти матема́тику.

I'll sign up for this course too — I've long wanted to brush up my maths. (тако́ж — 'also'; теж would be the more conversational choice.)

Connectors of sequence and enumeration

When you lay out points in order, Ukrainian uses the по-пе́рше / по-дру́ге / по-тре́тє series — the standard, almost obligatory way to structure an argument in writing and careful speech. They are adverbs (the по-…-е pattern), hyphenated, comma-followed, and they open their clause. насампере́д and передусі́м both mean 'first of all, above all' and foreground the most important point rather than merely the first in a list.

Я про́ти ці́єї іде́ї з трьох причи́н. По-пе́рше, це до́рого. По-дру́ге, це довго. По-тре́тє, ніхто́ цього́ не проси́в.

I'm against this idea for three reasons. Firstly, it's expensive. Secondly, it's slow. Thirdly, nobody asked for it. (по-пе́рше / по-дру́ге / по-тре́тє — the standard enumerators, each followed by a comma.)

Передусі́м тре́ба заспоко́їтися, а вже по́тім ухва́лювати рі́шення.

First of all we need to calm down, and only then make a decision. (передусі́м — foregrounds the priority, not just the first item.)

Sequence in narrative: through time

For storytelling and step-by-step description, Ukrainian sequences events in time. споча́тку / спе́ршу ('at first, to begin with') opens; по́тім / да́лі ('then, next') and the more bookish відта́к / зго́дом ('then, subsequently / later') move things along; наре́шті ('finally, at last' — often with a note of relief) and зре́штою / вре́шті-решт ('in the end, eventually') close. Note the register split: відта́к and зго́дом lean literary / written, while по́тім and наре́шті are everyday. For dedicated narrative connectors see narrative connectors.

Споча́тку ми засумніва́лися, по́тім усе́ обду́мали, і да́лі вже ді́яли впе́внено.

At first we had doubts, then we thought it all through, and after that we acted with confidence. (споча́тку… по́тім… да́лі — everyday time-sequencing.)

Він закінчи́в університе́т, відта́к кі́лька ро́ків працюва́в за кордо́ном, а зго́дом пове́рнувся додо́му.

He finished university, then worked abroad for a few years, and later returned home. (відта́к and зго́дом — a more literary, written register.)

Ми чека́ли годи́ну, дру́гу, і наре́шті потяг при́був.

We waited an hour, then another, and finally the train arrived. (наре́шті — 'at last', with a note of relief.)

Спе́ршу він злива́в усе́ на бра́та, але́ вре́шті-решт ви́знав свою́ прови́ну.

At first he blamed everything on his brother, but in the end he admitted his own fault. (спе́ршу… вре́шті-решт — opening and closing a sequence.)

Written versus spoken register, and punctuation

There is a clear register gradient. In writing and careful speech you reach for по-пе́рше / по-дру́ге, крім то́го, до то́го ж, відта́к, зго́дом, вре́шті-решт. In casual conversation you lean on lighter words — теж, а ще ('and also, plus'), по́тім, наре́шті — and you'll rarely enumerate formally with по-пе́рше unless you're being deliberate. On punctuation: parenthetical connectors like крім то́го, до то́го ж, бі́льше то́го, по-пе́рше, наре́шті are set off by a comma (or commas, if mid-clause), because they stand outside the clause's core; the coordinators і / та ('and'), by contrast, usually take no comma before them when they join just two items. For the bare conjunctions і, та, а, але́ see coordinating conjunctions.

Купи́ хлі́ба, молока́ й сир. А ще, до ре́чі, нам потрі́бні я́йця.

Buy bread, milk and cheese. And also, by the way, we need eggs. (а ще — casual 'and also'; the coordinator й joins сир with no comma.)

Source-language comparison

For an English speaker, three points stand out. First, the enumerators are adverbs on the по-…-е pattern (по-пе́рше), not ordinal numbers as in English first, second — they are hyphenated and comma-followed, and they are the expected way to structure an argument; using them makes your Ukrainian read as organised and educated. Second, English moreover / besides / furthermore fans out into крім то́го, до то́го ж, бі́льше то́го, with до то́го ж and бі́льше то́го slightly more emphatic — choose by force, not at random. Third, not only… but also maps cleanly onto не ті́льки… а й…, a fixed correlative frame; don't improvise it. Watch the commas: these connectors are parenthetical and need them, unlike the bare coordinator і.

For a Russian speaker: prefer the Ukrainian forms — тако́ж / теж, крім то́го, до то́го ж, по-пе́рше, наре́шті, зре́штою, вре́шті-решт, відта́к — over Russian look-alikes, and mind the stress (по-пе́рше, наре́шті) and the letters і / и.

Common Mistakes

❌ Пе́рше, це до́рого. Дру́ге, це довго.

The enumerators are the по-…-е adverbs, not bare ordinals: По-пе́рше… По-дру́ге…

✅ По-пе́рше, це до́рого. По-дру́ге, це довго.

Firstly, it's expensive. Secondly, it's slow.

❌ Кварти́ра сві́тла. Крім то́го вона́ бі́ля метро́.

Missing comma — the parenthetical крім то́го is set off: Крім то́го, вона́ бі́ля метро́.

✅ Кварти́ра сві́тла. Крім то́го, вона́ бі́ля метро́.

The flat is bright. Besides, it's near the metro.

❌ Вона́ зна́є не ті́льки англі́йську, а по́льську.

Incomplete correlative — the second half needs the resumptive й: не ті́льки… а й… (or не ті́льки… але́ й…). Dropping the й leaves a bare 'and'.

✅ Вона́ зна́є не ті́льки англі́йську, а й по́льську.

She knows not only English but also Polish.

❌ Спе́ршу ми поспереча́лися, фіна́льно поми́рилися.

Wrong closer — 'finally' as the end of a sequence is наре́шті / вре́шті-решт, not «фіна́льно».

✅ Спе́ршу ми поспереча́лися, але́ вре́шті-решт поми́рилися.

At first we argued, but in the end we made up.

Key Takeaways

Addition: тако́ж / теж (also), крім то́го (besides), до то́го ж (moreover), бі́льше то́го (what's more), не ті́льки… а й… (not only… but also).
Enumeration: по-пе́рше / по-дру́ге / по-тре́тє — the по-…-е adverb pattern, hyphenated, comma-followed; насампере́д / передусі́м foreground the priority.
Time-sequence: споча́тку / спе́ршу → по́тім / да́лі (everyday) or відта́к / зго́дом (literary) → наре́шті / зре́штою / вре́шті-решт.
Register: по-пе́рше, до то́го ж, відта́к, зго́дом are written-leaning; теж, а ще, по́тім, наре́шті are conversational.
Punctuation: parenthetical connectors (крім то́го, по-пе́рше, наре́шті) take commas; the bare coordinator і usually does not.

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