Давайте зателефонуємо їй, якщо ми спізнюємося.

Let's call her if we are late.

Breakdown of Давайте зателефонуємо їй, якщо ми спізнюємося.

• ми: we
• якщо: if
• давайте: let's
• зателефонувати: to call
• їй: her
• спізнюватися: to be late

Questions & Answers about Давайте зателефонуємо їй, якщо ми спізнюємося.

What does the word Давайте do here? Is it like English “let’s”?

Yes. Давайте is the inclusive “let’s,” literally the imperative of “to give,” but idiomatically used to make suggestions.

• Давай = informal singular “let’s/come on.”
• Давайте = to a group or as a polite singular. It sounds cooperative rather than bossy.

Why is the verb after Давайте in the future (зателефонуємо)? Can I say Давайте телефонуємо?

With давай(те) + a finite verb, Ukrainian typically uses the perfective future for a one-off action: Давайте зателефонуємо.

• Давайте телефонуємо is unidiomatic.
• Two natural patterns:
  • Давайте + perfective future: one specific action (Давайте зателефонуємо).
  • Давайте + infinitive: process/ongoing activity (Давайте телефонувати “let’s do some calling”).

What exactly is зателефонуємо grammatically?

Зателефонуємо is 1st person plural, simple future, perfective of зателефонувати (“to make a call once”). The prefix за- makes it perfective. It fits “let’s [do it once].”

Could I say подзвонимо instead of зателефонуємо?

Yes, подзвонимо (from подзвонити) is common and perfectly correct. Nuance:

• зателефонувати = standard/literary.
• (по)дзвонити = very common in everyday speech. Avoid the nonstandard Russicism позвонити.

Why is it їй and not її or неї?

Because дзвонити/телефонувати take the dative case (кому? “to whom?”). Їй is dative “to her.”

• Її = genitive/accusative “her.”
• Неї is used after many prepositions (e.g., до неї “to her”), but with the verb “call,” dative without a preposition is most standard: (за)телефонувати їй.

Is it okay to say Давайте їй зателефонуємо instead of Давайте зателефонуємо їй?

Yes. Word order is flexible. Both are natural.

• Давайте зателефонуємо їй slightly focuses on the action.
• Давайте їй зателефонуємо slightly foregrounds the recipient. Choose the order that sounds better to your ear; both are fine.

Why does the if-clause use the present (якщо ми спізнюємося) even though it refers to the future?

In Ukrainian, after якщо (“if”) you often use the present tense for real future conditions. It’s normal: “if we are (running) late.” Alternatives and nuance:

• якщо ми запізнимося/спізнимося (future perfective) = “if we end up being late” (focus on the result).
• якщо ми будемо спізнюватися (future imperfective) = “if we will be in the process of being late” (focus on the ongoing process).

What’s the difference between спізнюватися and запізнюватися (and their perfectives)?

They’re near-synonyms meaning “to be late.” Both are standard.

• Imperfective: спізнюватися / запізнюватися (“be running late”).
• Perfective: спізнитися / запізнитися (“be late (as a result)”). Avoid the incorrect form запізнятися.

Do I need the pronoun ми in the if-clause? Could I drop it?

You can drop it: …якщо спізнюємося. Ukrainian often omits subject pronouns because the verb ending -мо already shows “we.” Keeping ми can add clarity or emphasis, but it’s not required.

Why is there a comma before якщо?

Якщо introduces a subordinate clause, so Ukrainian punctuation requires a comma to separate the clauses:

• Main, якщо subordinate.
• Or: Якщо subordinate, main. Example: Якщо ми спізнюємося, давайте зателефонуємо їй.

Can I use коли instead of якщо?

Not here. Якщо = “if” (condition). Коли = “when” (time).

• Коли ми спізнюємося… means “When(ever) we are late…,” which changes the meaning.

What does the -ся at the end of спізнюємося do?

It’s the reflexive/postfix marker -ся, which many intransitive verbs use. Here it’s part of the standard verb спізнюватися (“to be late”); there’s no direct reflexive meaning to translate. It’s pronounced roughly “-sya.”

How do I pronounce їй, and what’s with the two i/y-like letters?

• Ї is a separate letter pronounced “yi.”
• Й is a consonant “y” sound. Together, їй sounds like a long “yee” with a brief y-glide; think “yee(y).” Tip: Don’t read їй as two syllables; it’s one syllable with a glide.