Infinitive (imperfective): будува́ти — "to build, to construct, to put up" Perfective partner: збудува́ти (also побудува́ти) — "to build, to finish building" Type: an aspect pair in the -ува- class, with the -ува- → -у- present alternation
будува́ти / збудува́ти is the verb of construction — putting up houses, bridges, roads, and figuratively building relationships, a future, a career. It is transitive and takes an accusative object (будува́ти дім "build a house"). For learners its main lesson is morphological: it belongs to the large -ува-/-юва- class, where the infinitive's -ува- collapses to -у- in the present/future — будува́ти but буду́ю. Once you see this alternation you can conjugate hundreds of verbs (купува́ти → купу́ю, малюва́ти → малю́ю, готува́ти → готу́ю). The pair also gives a textbook example of the impersonal -но/-то passive (збудо́вано "has been built"), the construction Ukrainian uses on plaques and in reports where English uses the passive voice. Stress is marked on every form.
Present tense — буду́ю / буду́єш…
The imperfective present drops the -ва- of the infinitive's -ува- and conjugates first-conjugation off буду- with j-glide endings: буду́ю, буду́єш, буду́є…, stem-stressed on -у́- throughout. Note that the infinitive будува́ти is end-stressed (-ва́-) but the present pulls the stress onto -у́-: a small shift worth memorising.
| Person | будува́ти — PRESENT | English |
|---|---|---|
| я | буду́ю | I build / am building |
| ти | буду́єш | you build (sg.) |
| він / вона́ / воно́ | буду́є | he / she / it builds |
| ми | буду́ємо | we build |
| ви | буду́єте | you build (pl./formal) |
| вони́ | буду́ють | they build |
Imperfective будува́ти describes the process — construction under way, or a habitual activity. Crucially, it says nothing about whether the building gets finished.
У на́шому кварта́лі вже рік буду́ють но́вий ди́тячий садо́к.
They've been building a new kindergarten in our neighbourhood for a year now. (Imperfective буду́ють — the process, still unfinished.)
Ця компа́нія буду́є мости́ по всій краї́ні.
This company builds bridges all over the country. (Habitual буду́є — a general activity.)
Past tense — будува́в (impf) vs збудува́в (pf)
Both pasts are regular and end-stressed on -ва́-: imperfective будува́в / будува́ла, perfective збудува́в / збудува́ла. The whole point of the contrast is completion.
| Gender / number | будува́ти (impf) | збудува́ти (pf) |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | будува́в | збудува́в |
| feminine | будува́ла | збудува́ла |
| neuter | будува́ло | збудува́ло |
| plural | будува́ли | збудува́ли |
Imperfective будува́в = "was building / used to build" (process, no claim about the result); perfective збудува́в = "built (and finished it)" — the house now stands. The difference is whether the building exists at the end.
Дід три ро́ки будува́в цю ха́ту — і таки́ збудува́в.
Grandfather spent three years building this house — and he did finish it. (будува́в = the long process; збудува́в = the completion.)
Вони́ будува́ли да́чу, але́ так і не добудува́ли.
They were building a country house but never finished it. (Imperfective будува́ли — process with no completed result.)
Future tense
Perfective збудува́ти — the simple future
The perfective's present-form is its future, formed exactly like the imperfective present but with the з- prefix: збуду́ю, збуду́єш…, stem-stressed on -у́-. It promises a finished building.
| Person | збудува́ти — FUTURE | English |
|---|---|---|
| я | збуду́ю | I'll build (and finish) |
| ти | збуду́єш | you'll build |
| він / вона́ / воно́ | збуду́є | he / she / it will build |
| ми | збуду́ємо | we'll build |
| ви | збуду́єте | you'll build |
| вони́ | збуду́ють | they'll build |
A note on prefixes: збудува́ти and побудува́ти are both standard perfectives of будува́ти and are largely interchangeable for "to build (and finish)." збудува́ти is a touch more common in formal and written registers; both are correct.
Коли́сь ми збуду́ємо вели́кий дім із са́дом і вера́ндою.
One day we'll build a big house with a garden and a veranda. (Perfective future збуду́ємо — a finished result envisaged.)
Imperfective будува́ти — both compound futures
The imperfective forms its future analytically (бу́ду + infinitive) or synthetically (the -му form), framing the future process of building. Beware the look-alike: бу́ду будува́ти "I will be building" stacks the auxiliary бу́ду on the verb будува́ти — they are unrelated despite the resemblance.
| Person | Analytic (бу́ду + inf.) | Synthetic (-му) |
|---|---|---|
| я | бу́ду будува́ти | будува́тиму |
| ти | бу́деш будува́ти | будува́тимеш |
| він / вона́ / воно́ | бу́де будува́ти | будува́тиме |
| ми | бу́демо будува́ти | будува́тимемо |
| ви | бу́дете будува́ти | будува́тимете |
| вони́ | бу́дуть будува́ти | будува́тимуть |
Насту́пного ро́ку ми бу́демо будува́ти дру́гий по́верх.
Next year we'll be building the second floor. (Imperfective future — the process, with no claim it finishes that year.)
Imperative
The imperfective будуй / буду́йте urges the ongoing activity; the perfective збудуй / збуду́йте demands a finished result. Both appear in slogans and encouragement.
| Addressee | будува́ти (impf) | збудува́ти (pf) |
|---|---|---|
| ти (informal) | будуй | збудуй |
| ви (formal / plural) | буду́йте | збуду́йте |
| 3rd person (let…) | хай / неха́й буду́є | хай / неха́й збуду́є |
Буду́йте на́дійно — це ж дім для онукі́в.
Build it solidly — after all, it's a house for the grandchildren. (Imperfective буду́йте — the manner of the ongoing work.)
Participles and the -но/-то impersonal
The passive past participle збудо́ваний describes a finished building, and the impersonal form збудо́вано is the everyday way to say "X has been built" without naming the builder. Note the stress shift: the infinitive збудува́ти is end-stressed, but the participle pulls stress onto -о́-: збудо́ваний, збудо́вано.
| Form | будува́ти / збудува́ти |
|---|---|
| passive past participle (pf) | збудо́ваний "built" |
| impersonal -но/-то form | збудо́вано "(it was) built" |
| imperfective verbal adverb | буду́ючи "(while) building" |
| perfective verbal adverb | збудува́вши "having built" |
The -но/-то impersonal is the construction to internalise. Where English uses a passive ("The temple was built in 1108"), Ukrainian prefers the subjectless збудо́вано: Храм збудо́вано 1108 ро́ку. It is grammatically impersonal — no subject in the nominative — and the object stays as it was. This is the standard register of plaques, captions and reports. See passive past participles.
Цей собо́р збудо́вано в XI столі́тті за кня́зя Яросла́ва.
This cathedral was built in the 11th century under Prince Yaroslav. (Impersonal збудо́вано — no named builder; the standard 'plaque' register.)
Key uses & case government
1. The accusative object — what you build
The thing built is the accusative: будува́ти дім / міст / доро́гу / шко́лу "build a house / a bridge / a road / a school." Figuratively the object can be abstract: будува́ти плани́, будува́ти стосу́нки "make plans, build relationships." See accusative uses.
Не варто будува́ти плани́ на люди́ну, яка́ тебе́ підво́дила.
It's not worth building plans around a person who has let you down. (Figurative accusative object плани́.)
2. The agent in the instrumental — who built it
In a passive construction, the builder — if named at all — appears in the instrumental: збудо́ваний робітника́ми "built by workers." More often the agent is simply omitted (that is the point of the impersonal збудо́вано). See the uses of the instrumental.
Цей завод збудо́ваний на́шими батька́ми ще в шістдеся́ті ро́ки.
This factory was built by our parents back in the sixties. (Agent in the instrumental — на́шими батька́ми.)
3. Building from material — з + genitive
The material goes in з + genitive: будува́ти з це́гли / з де́рева / з ка́меню "build from brick / wood / stone."
Стару́ це́ркву збудува́ли із суці́льного де́рева, без жо́дного цвяха́.
The old church was built entirely of wood, without a single nail. (Material — з + genitive де́рева.)
Common Mistakes
❌ Я будува́ю дім ці́лий день.
The -ува- collapses to -у- in the present — there is no *будува́ю*: Я буду́ю дім ці́лий день.
✅ Я буду́ю дім ці́лий день.
I've been building the house all day.
❌ Храм був збудо́ваний у 1108.
The natural Ukrainian is the impersonal -но/-то form, not a 'be' + participle calque of the English passive: Храм збудо́вано 1108 ро́ку.
✅ Храм збудо́вано 1108 ро́ку.
The temple was built in 1108.
❌ Ми буду́ємо дім ле́гко й ско́ро.
Wrong aspect for a finished result — if you mean 'we'll build (and complete) it quickly', use the perfective: Ми збуду́ємо дім ле́гко й ско́ро.
✅ Ми збуду́ємо дім ле́гко й ско́ро.
We'll build the house easily and quickly.
❌ Дім збудо́ваний від робітникі́в.
The agent of a passive is the instrumental, not від + genitive: Дім збудо́ваний робітника́ми.
✅ Дім збудо́ваний робітника́ми.
The house was built by the workers.
❌ Вона́ збудува́в нову́ кліні́ку.
Agreement error — a female subject takes збудува́ла: Вона́ збудува́ла нову́ кліні́ку.
✅ Вона́ збудува́ла нову́ кліні́ку.
She built a new clinic.
Key Takeaways
- будува́ти / збудува́ти = to build (transitive, accusative object). збудува́ти and побудува́ти are both valid perfectives.
- Present (impf): the -ува- → -у- alternation: буду́ю / буду́єш / буду́є / буду́ємо / буду́єте / буду́ють — stem-stressed.
- Future (pf): збуду́ю / збуду́єш / збуду́є / збуду́ємо / збуду́єте / збуду́ють.
- Past: будува́в (impf) vs збудува́в / збудува́ла (pf) — both end-stressed.
- Government: accusative object (будува́ти дім); material in з + genitive; agent in the instrumental.
- Passive: participle збудо́ваний; the natural impersonal is збудо́вано "(it) was built" — use it over an English-style "be"-passive.
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