Шкіра суха.

In Ukrainian, the verb to be is usually omitted in the present tense.

So where English says:

• The skin is dry

Ukrainian simply says:

• Шкіра суха

This is completely normal. If you included є here (Шкіра є суха), it would usually sound unnatural in everyday speech.

Because шкіра is a feminine noun, and adjectives in Ukrainian must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Here:

• шкіра = feminine singular
• so the adjective must also be feminine singular: суха

Compare:

• сухий = masculine
• суха = feminine
• сухе = neuter
• сухі = plural

A very common clue is the ending. Nouns ending in -а are often feminine.

So:

• шкіра ends in -а
• therefore it is feminine

This is a strong general pattern, though not every noun follows it perfectly.

The dictionary form is сухий, meaning dry.

In the sentence, it changes to суха to match шкіра.

So you can think of it like this:

• dictionary form: сухий
• with feminine noun шкіра: суха

Not completely. Ukrainian word order is more flexible than English.

The neutral, ordinary order is:

• Шкіра суха

But you may also hear:

• Суха шкіра

That version is more like dry skin as a noun phrase, not a full statement.
So the difference is:

• Шкіра суха = The skin is dry
• Суха шкіра = dry skin

This is an important distinction.

They are related, but they do different jobs.

• Шкіра суха = a sentence; it says something about the skin
• Суха шкіра = a noun phrase; it names a type or quality of skin

So:

• Шкіра суха. = The skin is dry.
• У мене суха шкіра. = I have dry skin.

A simple approximation is:

• shkee-RA

A few notes:

• ш sounds like English sh
• і sounds like ee
• the stress is on the second syllable: шкірá

So the word is pronounced roughly shkee-RA.

A simple approximation is:

• soo-KHA

Notes:

• у sounds like oo in food
• х is not like English h exactly; it is a stronger, throatier sound, like the ch in Scottish loch or German Bach
• the stress is usually on the second syllable: сухá

Because English does not usually have this exact sound.

Ukrainian х is a voiceless velar/fricative-like throat sound. It is stronger and farther back than English h.

If you cannot say it perfectly yet, a soft English h is an acceptable beginner approximation, but it is good to practice the real х sound over time.

No. Ukrainian has no articles.

So шкіра can mean:

• skin
• the skin
• sometimes a skin

The exact meaning depends on context. In this sentence, English usually translates it as The skin is dry or simply Skin is dry, depending on the situation.

No. Шкіра can refer to skin in general, including human skin, and in some contexts also hide/leather depending on usage. Context tells you which meaning is intended.

In Шкіра суха, the natural interpretation is physical skin being dry.

Yes, they can, especially in contexts like:

• skincare
• medicine
• describing symptoms
• cosmetic advice

Short subject + adjective sentences are very natural in Ukrainian.

For example:

• Шкіра суха. Волосся ламке.
• The skin is dry. The hair is brittle.

So the sentence is short, but completely normal.