This is the 40th most frequent Ukrainian word.
був
"Був" means "was" in English.
Past tense usage of 'був' indicating a completed action.
Він був у лісі вчора.
He was in the forest yesterday.
'Був' used in a hypothetical or subjunctive mood, indicating an imagined or non-real situation.
Якби він був тут, ми б усе зрозуміли.
If he were here, we would understand everything.
Description of a past state using 'був' to indicate its existence or characteristic.