This is an ordinary Friday-afternoon exchange between two friends, Окса́на and Дми́тро, settling what to do on the weekend. It is exactly the kind of conversation where Ukrainian's two futures collide in a single breath: the one-word synthetic future (пі́демо, фотографува́тиму) and the two-word analytic future (бу́ду відпочива́ти). Watch also for present-tense motion verbs doing future work (За́втра ї́ду…), for the invitation pattern Дава́й + future ('let's…'), and for the warm imperfective imperative Прихо́дь! that issues an open-ended invitation rather than a one-off command.
The dialogue
Окса́на: Приві́т! Які́ в те́бе пла́ни на вихідні́? Hi! What plans do you have for the weekend?
Дми́тро: Ще не зна́ю то́чно. Мабу́ть, бу́ду відпочива́ти вдо́ма — ці́лий ти́ждень був важки́й. I don't know for sure yet. Probably I'll be resting at home — the whole week was hard.
Окса́на: Та ну, не сиди́ вдо́ма! Дава́й пі́демо в го́ри в субо́ту? Oh come on, don't sit at home! Let's go to the mountains on Saturday?
Дми́тро: У го́ри? А пого́да яка́ бу́де? To the mountains? And what will the weather be like?
Окса́на: Обіця́ють со́нце. Я вже збира́ю наплі́чник — за́втра ї́ду до батькі́в по наме́т. They're promising sun. I'm already packing — tomorrow I'm going to my parents' for the tent.
Дми́тро: Ну до́бре, умо́вила. А ввече́рі в неді́лю що бу́демо роби́ти? Okay, you've talked me into it. And what will we do on Sunday evening?
Окса́на: Пове́рнемося, я приготу́ю вече́рю, а ти бу́деш розповіда́ти, як тобі́ було́. We'll come back, I'll make dinner, and you'll be telling me how it was for you.
Дми́тро: Звучи́ть чудо́во. То я візьму́ ка́меру — фотографува́тиму все доро́гою. Sounds great. Then I'll take the camera — I'll be photographing everything along the way.
Окса́на: Супер! Прихо́дь до ме́не о во́сьмій, ра́зом пої́демо. Super! Come over to my place at eight, we'll go together.
Дми́тро: Домо́вилися. Тоді́ напи́шеш мені́, як збира́тимешся. Deal. Then text me when you're getting ready.
Line-by-line grammar
The question: plans and в те́бе
The opening line uses the typical Ukrainian way of saying "you have": не ти ма́єш, but the possessive в те́бе (literally 'at you'). The pronoun sits in the genitive after в/у.
Які́ в те́бе пла́ни на вихідні́?
'What plans do you have for the weekend?' — possession is expressed with в + genitive (в те́бе), not the verb 'to have'; на + accusative (на вихідні́) marks the target time.
The euphonic preposition appears as в here because the previous word ends in a vowel (які́ в), keeping the flow open. See the в/у choice.
Analytic future: бу́ду відпочива́ти
Дми́тро's plan is open-ended — resting, with no endpoint — so he reaches for the analytic (compound) future: a conjugated form of бу́ти plus the imperfective infinitive. This future only combines with imperfective verbs, and it foregrounds the process or duration.
Мабу́ть, бу́ду відпочива́ти вдо́ма.
'Probably I'll be resting at home.' — analytic future = бу́ду + imperfective infinitive (відпочива́ти); it stresses the ongoing process, not a finished result.
More on this in the analytic future.
Negative imperative + the hortative Дава́й
Окса́на pushes back with two devices in one turn. First a negative imperative with the imperfective verb (don't be in the habit of sitting). Then the invitation particle Дава́й ('come on / let's'), which in standard Ukrainian pairs with a first-person plural future to mean 'let's…'.
Та ну, не сиди́ вдо́ма!
'Oh come on, don't sit at home!' — negation ne + imperfective imperative (сиди́) tells someone not to be doing/keep doing something; the particle та ну adds friendly exasperation.
Дава́й пі́демо в го́ри в субо́ту?
'Let's go to the mountains on Saturday?' — Дава́й + 1st-person-plural perfective future (пі́демо) is the standard 'let's…' invitation; rising intonation turns it into a soft proposal.
See first-person hortative and imperative particles.
Synthetic future of бу́ти: бу́де
Asking about the weather, Дми́тро uses the one-word future of бу́ти. Note the word order: the focus word пого́да comes first, then the future verb at the very end — natural Ukrainian topicalization.
А пого́да яка́ бу́де?
'And what will the weather be like?' — бу́де is the 3rd-singular synthetic future of бу́ти; fronting пого́да and ending on the verb is normal spoken word order.
Present-for-future motion: за́втра ї́ду
This is the trap for English speakers. For a planned, scheduled trip, Ukrainian routinely uses the present tense of a determinate motion verb with a future-time adverb. ї́ду is grammatically present, but За́втра makes it future.
За́втра ї́ду до батькі́в по наме́т.
'Tomorrow I'm going to my parents' for the tent.' — present ї́ду + future adverb за́втра = a settled plan; до + genitive (батькі́в) marks destination, по + accusative (наме́т) means 'to fetch'.
The determinate ї́хати (not the indeterminate ї́здити) is required for a single directed trip — see ї́хати vs ї́здити. The phrase по + accusative ('go to get something') is a high-frequency idiom.
Contrasting the two futures in one turn: приготу́ю vs бу́деш розповіда́ти
Окса́на's plan packs both futures side by side, and the choice is not random. приготу́ю (perfective synthetic) is a single completed act — dinner gets made. бу́деш розповіда́ти (analytic) frames a drawn-out activity — you'll be telling me, on and on.
Пове́рнемося, я приготу́ю вече́рю, а ти бу́деш розповіда́ти, як тобі́ було́.
'We'll come back, I'll make dinner, and you'll be telling how it was for you.' — perfective synthetic futures (пове́рнемося, приготу́ю) = completed events; analytic бу́деш розповіда́ти = extended process; тобі́ було́ uses the dative experiencer.
See the synthetic future and aspect in the future.
Imperfective synthetic future: фотографува́тиму
Here is the form that has no English single-word equivalent: the imperfective synthetic future, built by adding -му/-меш/-ме… to the imperfective infinitive (фотографува́ти → фотографува́тиму). It means exactly what бу́ду фотографува́ти means, just more compact and a bit more conversational.
То я візьму́ ка́меру — фотографува́тиму все доро́гою.
'Then I'll take the camera — I'll be photographing everything along the way.' — візьму́ is perfective synthetic (one act); фотографува́тиму is the imperfective synthetic future (-ти + -му), an ongoing process; доро́гою is instrumental of route ('along the way').
Imperfective imperative as invitation: Прихо́дь!
A command would normally be perfective, but an invitation that opens the door warmly uses the imperfective imperative. Прихо́дь! ('come over') is friendlier and less pushy than the perfective Прийди́! — it says 'feel free to come', not 'get here'.
Прихо́дь до ме́не о во́сьмій, ра́зом пої́демо.
'Come over to my place at eight, we'll go together.' — imperfective imperative Прихо́дь = a warm open invitation; о + locative (о во́сьмій) gives clock time; пої́демо is the perfective synthetic future of the prefixed motion verb.
See imperative formation and imperative politeness.
Future in a temporal clause: як збира́тимешся
The closing turn slips in another imperfective synthetic future — this time inside a subordinate clause. Where English says 'when you get ready' (present), Ukrainian keeps the future because the getting-ready genuinely lies in the future.
Тоді́ напи́шеш мені́, як збира́тимешся.
'Then you'll text me when you're getting ready.' — напи́шеш is perfective synthetic future (one message); збира́тимешся is imperfective synthetic future in the time clause; the dative мені́ is the addressee of 'write'.
Common Mistakes
❌ Я бу́ду приготу́ю вече́рю.
Incorrect — you can't combine бу́ду with a perfective; only one future marker is allowed.
✅ Я приготу́ю вече́рю. / Я бу́ду готува́ти вече́рю.
'I'll make dinner.' — perfective synthetic OR analytic with the imperfective; never both.
❌ Дава́й йти в го́ри.
Incorrect — Дава́й does not take an infinitive in standard Ukrainian for 'let's'.
✅ Дава́й пі́демо в го́ри.
'Let's go to the mountains.' — Дава́й + 1st-plural future is the standard hortative.
❌ За́втра я бу́ду ї́хати до батькі́в.
Awkward — for a settled scheduled trip Ukrainian prefers the present of the motion verb.
✅ За́втра я ї́ду до батькі́в.
'Tomorrow I'm going to my parents'.' — present-for-future is idiomatic with planned motion.
❌ Прихо́дь до ме́не на во́сьмій.
Incorrect — clock time takes о, not на.
✅ Прихо́дь до ме́не о во́сьмій.
'Come over at eight.' — о + locative is the clock-time pattern.
Phrases to reuse
- Які́ в те́бе пла́ни на вихідні́? — What plans do you have for the weekend?
- Бу́ду відпочива́ти вдо́ма. — I'll be resting at home.
- Дава́й пі́демо… — Let's go… (+ 1st-plural future)
- За́втра ї́ду до… — Tomorrow I'm going to… (planned trip)
- Прихо́дь до ме́не о во́сьмій. — Come over to my place at eight.
- Домо́вилися. — Deal. / It's agreed.
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- The Synthetic Future (читатиму)A2 — Ukrainian's distinctive one-word imperfective future (про́ста фо́рма майбу́тнього ча́су): take the imperfective infinitive whole — keeping its -ти — and fuse on the enclitic endings -му, -меш, -ме, -мемо, -мете, -муть. чита́ти → чита́тиму, чита́тимеш, чита́тиме, чита́тимемо, чита́тимете, чита́тимуть; говори́ти → говори́тиму; роби́ти → роби́тиму; ходи́ти → ходи́тиму. The endings descend from a fused old 'have' (я́ти); the stress stays where the infinitive carries it. It works ONLY with imperfectives (no *прочита́тиму), so it always carries ongoing/repeated meaning, and it is fully equivalent to бу́ду + infinitive — but more compact, very common, and with NO Russian counterpart.
- The Analytic Future (буду читати)A2 — The analytic (compound) imperfective future (складена фо́рма майбу́тнього ча́су): the future of бу́ти — бу́ду, бу́деш, бу́де, бу́демо, бу́дете, бу́дуть — followed by an IMPERFECTIVE infinitive, unchanged. бу́ду чита́ти, бу́деш чита́ти, бу́де чита́ти, бу́демо чита́ти, бу́дете чита́ти, бу́дуть чита́ти. The auxiliary must be the FUTURE of бу́ти (not its present), and the infinitive must be imperfective — no *бу́ду прочита́ти; a perfective forms its future synthetically as прочита́ю. бу́ду alone = 'I will be' (Я бу́ду вдо́ма); бу́ду + infinitive = 'I will be V-ing / will V'. It is fully synonymous with the synthetic чита́тиму — the safer default for learners, while -тиму is the idiomatic flourish.
- Saying 'Let's': The 1st-Person Hortative (-мо, Ну́мо, Дава́й)A2 — How Ukrainian says 'let's'. The native, idiomatic form is the synthetic 1st-plural in -мо on the imperative stem: ході́мо 'let's go', ся́дьмо 'let's sit', заспіва́ймо 'let's sing', бу́дьмо 'cheers / let's be'. Ну́мо / Ну + verb adds urging ('come on, let's'). Дава́й(те) + future/infinitive (дава́й пі́демо, дава́йте почне́мо) is colloquial and slightly russified — ході́мо is preferred. The plain inclusive future (зро́бимо ра́зом 'we'll do it together') is the neutral everyday option.
- Їхати vs Їздити (Go by Vehicle)A2 — The vehicle-motion pair. ЇХАТИ (їду, їдеш; past їхав) = ONE trip by vehicle, now or planned: Я їду до Києва; Завтра їду до Львова. ЇЗДИТИ (їжджу [note дж], їздиш; past їздив) = habitual/repeated, commute, or round-trip: Я їжджу на роботу автобусом; Учора я їздив до бабусі. The means of transport is INSTRUMENTAL (потягом, автобусом, машиною), not a 'by'-phrase.
- The Imperative: FormationA1 — Ukrainian builds the imperative (наказо́вий спо́сіб) from the PRESENT stem. The 2sg takes -и (when stressed or after a cluster: пиши́!, неси́!), -й after a vowel (чита́й!, грай!), a soft -ь after one consonant (сядь!, будь!), or a bare consonant (роби́!). The 2pl/polite adds -те (чита́йте!, несі́ть!). There's a dedicated 1pl hortative in -мо (ході́мо! 'let's go', чита́ймо!) and a 3rd-person command with хай / неха́й (Хай іде́! 'let him go').
- Modal and Imperative Particles (Хай/Нехай, -но, Давай, Бодай)B1 — Ukrainian builds third-person commands and wishes with хай/нехай + a present/future verb (Хай прийде́ 'let him come', Неха́й живе́ Украї́на! 'long live Ukraine!'), says 'let's' with дава́й/дава́йте, softens or urges a direct command with the enclitic -но/-бо (Скажи́-но 'do tell', Гля́нь-но! 'just look!'), and wishes with бода́й and нехай би/хоч би 'if only'. Where English needs a whole periphrastic 'let him…' or 'do… would you', Ukrainian uses a single particle.