Learn Hardcore Ukrainian: Дякую, друзі!

The comma marks that друзі is being directly addressed (vocative). It’s the same as in English when you say “Thank you, friends!” and put a comma before the term of address.

What case is друзі here?

It’s the vocative case, plural. The noun друг (friend) uses друзі when you call or address multiple friends directly.

How do I pronounce Дякую, друзі? Where are the stresses?

Pronounce it roughly as “dya-KOO-yu DROO-zi.” The stress falls on the second syllable of дякую (дя-ку́-ю) and on the first syllable of друзі (дру́-зі).

Why is дякую in the present tense form even though I’m saying “thank you” right now?

Although it’s technically the first-person-singular present of дякувати (“to thank”), Ukrainian treats дякую as a set phrase or interjection equivalent to English “thank you,” not a literal ongoing action.

What is the infinitive of дякую, and does it have a perfective counterpart?

The infinitive is дякувати (imperfective “to thank”). The perfective form is подякувати, which you’d use for a completed or one-time act of thanking (e.g. Я подякую вам – “I will thank you”).

Can I add вам to make Дякую вам, друзі?

Yes. Дякую вам, друзі (“I thank you, friends”) is slightly more explicit or polite. Omitting вам is perfectly normal in everyday speech.

What’s the difference between дякую and спасибі?

Дякую is native Ukrainian, while спасибі is a loanword (from Russian спасибо). Both are common, but дякую is preferred for a more “pure” Ukrainian style.

Can I switch the order to Друзі, дякую? Does that change the meaning?

Yes, Друзі, дякую is equally correct. It just emphasizes “Friends, thank you” without altering the overall meaning.

If I’m speaking only to female friends, should I use a different word?

To be specific you can say подруги (female friends), vocative also подруги. So Дякую, подруги means “Thank you, [female] friends.” However, друзі is also often used for mixed or same-gender groups.