Ukrainian language for beginners online. How to learn Ukrainian
Since the time of Euromaidan, the use of the Ukrainian language among the citizens of Ukraine has become a trend and a sign of patriotism.
“A language disappears not because it is not taught by others, but because it is not spoken by those who know it”- these words of the Spanish politician Jose-Maria Artze scattered on social networks as a call to communicate in their native language. Speaking Ukrainian has become not just a fashion, but a necessity for many conscious citizens. However, for the majority, psychological barriers and fears have become an obstacle. Here are some tips on how to start speaking Ukrainian in a Russian-speaking environment, and most importantly, how to speak correctly.
These tips are universal and can help you master any foreign language.
one . Get rid of fears
Most Ukrainians who did not dare to switch to their native language in communication find the same excuses. But these are all myths that are easily debunked.
- "I don't speak Ukrainian well, and I don't want to spoil it." No nation in the world has a literary version of its native language. Even the inhabitants of Western Ukraine do not speak pure Ukrainian.
- "I speak Russian since childhood, my family is Russian-speaking." Imagine that with the same conviction you would try to live, for example, in the USA. Would you continue to speak Russian?
- "It's a dead language, no one in my city speaks Ukrainian." Well, you have a chance to become a pioneer and set a good example for the rest of your countrymen.
2. Create a Ukrainian-speaking environment
Start with passive accumulation of Ukrainian vocabulary. Watch movies and series with Ukrainian dubbing, read Ukrainian-language press and listen to Ukrainian music. Set up your computer, program interface and social networks in Ukrainian. When accessing various sites, making payments, select the Ukrainian language in the interface.
3. write in Ukrainian
four . Talk to strangers
The psychological barrier is easiest to overcome if you start speaking Ukrainian primarily with strangers: in a store, transport, on the street. Be prepared that your speech will seem terrible to you, but only practice and time will help you establish yourself in the language.
5 . Start talking in everyday life
When you start speaking Ukrainian at home and at work, be prepared to explain the reason for this change. Tell family and friends about your position and ask them to support you in this endeavor. Remember, Russian-speaking Ukrainians understand you perfectly, even if they address you in Russian. Practice has proven that even native Russians understand Ukrainian, if you speak slowly. Be prepared to feel how difficult it is to maintain such a dialogue, because during a conversation people automatically use each other's words. We must learn not to lose vigilance. Better speak slower, but in Ukrainian.
6. Find experienced interlocutors
It is important not only to speak, but to speak correctly. To do this, it is important to have an interlocutor who will become an example for you. Listening to his language, it will be easier for you to answer in Ukrainian. Don't be afraid to make mistakes and ask for unfamiliar words. So you quickly enrich your vocabulary.
7. Be patient
In order to not only speak fluently, but also think in Ukrainian, you will need about a year. But during this period you will need breaks. Don't be afraid to take a week or a month off and try again later.
eight . Free Ukrainian language courses
Those who are not able to learn the language on their own should sign up for free Ukrainian language courses, which are available in many cities of Ukraine. Here you will definitely find like-minded people and constant Ukrainian communication!
Alexander Yarusevich
3. Is it difficult to learn Ukrainian on your own?
4. Tips on how to quickly learn Ukrainian
5. TOP 5 apps for learning Ukrainian
We all, residents of Ukraine, have been learning the Ukrainian language all our lives. Agree that sometimes, when you write or speak Ukrainian, such errors slip through that you hadn’t even guessed about before. Friends, acquaintances or even strangers correct you. You are ashamed, and it constantly flashes in your head: “how to learn the Ukrainian language?”. Well, in this article we will tell you everything!
Any training changes our mind, favorably affects the brain. This is because by straining our mind, we “pump” it. The brain is learning. It increases the quantity and quality of neural connections. Any mental work: from solving crossword puzzles to developing a new theorem improves brain function. The only thing is that for someone, solving a scanword is a mere trifle. Therefore, no proper beneficial effect will occur. You need to choose the right activities for your particular mind. Scientists say that the best way to do this task is to study languages. What's more, they have proven that people who speak more languages have fewer problems with memory loss later in life. They have a stronger neural connection. This is not to mention the fact that learning a foreign language or improving the knowledge of your native language has a bunch of other advantages:
- more languages \u003d more communication with people, easier travel
- knowledge of the native language at a high level opens the door to the world of the intelligentsia
- foreign languages are in high demand in the labor market
- knowledge of the native language is ideally very important in leadership positions
- foreign ones provide an opportunity to study abroad, watch and listen to lectures in the original from the best scientists in the world, etc.
- Ukrainian language for foreigners is more difficult than for us, for example, English, so we have a double responsibility
- knowledge of the Ukrainian language shows your level of patriotism and the fact that your roots and cultures are important to you
The last paragraph in no way encourages you to be an aggressive patriot and shout at every corner a recent quote from Oleg Skrypka: “ghetto to everyone who hasn’t learned Ukrainian!” You need to feel balance and harmony in everything. Including learning something new, this is very important! After all, for example, as soon as schoolchildren begin active preparation for the ZNO in the Ukrainian language, they rush too much into loading the brain with new information. They teach day and night. And all because earlier they could not allocate their time and start preparing at least two years in advance. The worst thing is not even that they exhaust themselves mentally and physically. Worse, they load the brain with information so much that they involuntarily begin to forget it and not perceive anything new.
Origins of the Ukrainian language
The modern Ukrainian language is fundamentally different from the so-called Old Ukrainian. Historians claim that the Ukrainian language existed already in the 13th century. And it began to form in VI. But there is no proof of this. Explaining this by the fact that at that time the Ukrainian language existed only as an oral one. And everyone wrote in Old Russian. The first hints of the existence of Ukrainian appeared no earlier than the 19th century. So it can be argued that in the 19th century written speech, the grammar of the Ukrainian language and the desire to introduce it into full use began to develop.
The Ukrainian language belongs to the Slavic group of the Indo-European language family. Belarusian is considered the closest genealogical language. An interesting fact is that the northern dialect group of the Ukrainian language influenced the formation of spoken Belarusian. And yet, historically, except for Ukraine and border areas, for some time it was the official language of the Cuban People's Republic. And after the formation of the Commonwealth, he falls under the influence of the Polish. It was "polonized". Ivan Franko claimed that the literary Ukrainian language was being formed at that time. The so-called mixture of church and folk languages.
The Ukrainian language, as Indo-European, has much in common with other languages that influenced the formation of each other: Sanskrit, Greek, Icelandic, Old Persian, Armenian, not to mention Russian, Slovak and others.
Is it difficult to learn Ukrainian on your own?
Let's briefly analyze how to learn the Ukrainian language on your own. It is easy for native speakers of Russian, Belarusian, Polish, Slovak and so on to learn. Because they are similar in grammar, pronunciation, and semantics. For English speakers, for example, the learning process can take years. Especially if we are talking about learning Ukrainian on your own.
In order to learn the Ukrainian language on your own, you need to turn to three pillars of learning:
- lessons with a tutor;
- self-study: reading, watching movies and writing something in Ukrainian;
- communication with native speakers.
The process of learning Slavic languages for foreigners, as well as for those who want to be fluent in their native language, is not possible without a tutor. No video tutorials or tons of books can replace a person who can always explain what your problems are. Moreover, a tutor is a system for a person. This is control. In moments of weakness, laziness and “that’s it” you will always have a motivator. Optimal time and frequency of classes: 2-3 times a week for 1-2 hours / lesson.
The question of how to quickly learn the Ukrainian language most often arises among those who want to switch from Russian to Ukrainian. Therefore, today we have collected for you the most effective methods for quickly learning Ukrainian. If you have resolutely approached this issue, contact a specialist: a Ukrainian language tutor, Kyiv and other cities. Of course, in addition to this, you need to work on your own.
The first and most important rule to make speaking Ukrainian easier: speak! Do not be afraid that “I have imperfect Ukrainian speech, I will be laughed at!”. Believe me, if someone mocks you, that you put the stress incorrectly or pronounced not a Ukrainian word, but a tracing paper from Russian, this person is not worthy of your communication. Don't even think about paying attention to him. A polite and intelligent person will tell you what your mistake was. And it will be sincerely with the aim of making you better! This brings up the second rule:
Another one from the “I will be laughed at” series is the “excuse” that you have a Russian-speaking family. Now think. You have moved to the USA or Germany. Will you also speak Russian and not English or German because you have a Russian-speaking family? The answer is obvious. Do not forget completely Russian. You can communicate further with your family in a language that is convenient for them. And with everyone else in Ukrainian. This is, by the way, very common. The family is a fairly small unit of society. Those who surround you during the day influence you more - all the inhabitants of your city. In Ukraine, there really are such cities where everyone speaks Russian and not a word in Ukrainian. Well, dear friend, you have a chance to become a hero. You will be the first to set the right example for the entire city. You start with your friends, and they start with theirs and off they go. Before you have time to look back, everyone is already talking like a nightingale. You will all go to Ukrainian language lessons together.
After all, it is stupid to live and speak a language other than your own due to certain circumstances, just because you are ashamed. It's just plain embarrassing! Well, what really, probably our descendants will be even more ashamed that their language has died because we are ashamed in front of a friend!
The Ukrainian language, it's not just like that, it's a culture! And you, for successful study, you need to surround yourself with it. No, you don’t have to wear an embroidered shirt every day and eat only borscht with donuts, Ukrainian culture is modernity!
Create a Ukrainian-speaking environment for yourself. Start by building up a passive vocabulary. Just read books in Ukrainian, watch your favorite TV shows in Ukrainian, translate your phone/social networks and so on into Ukrainian. Everywhere on websites, media, etc. choose Ukrainian. Then start speaking Ukrainian. The easiest way to do this is with strangers. Because relatives will start: “Ohooo, yes, you have become a patriot ...”. There will be surprise, friendly jokes and so on. And you may lose heart. Try to speak Ukrainian at the checkout / with the operator / in the minibus. Then with those with whom they were unfamiliar / saw people a couple of times. And so on knurled. You yourself will not notice how it will become a habit. You will begin to speak Ukrainian in everyday life. We recommend that you meet new people who are “experienced” interlocutors in Ukrainian. Take a walk and talk a few times. You will notice the effect immediately.
And again, be sure to read in Ukrainian! We have prepared for you a selection of modern books written in beautiful Ukrainian:
1. “Lviv. Kava. Love”
Authors: Natalka Gurnitska, Galina Vdovichenko, Dara Korniy, Viktoria Hranetska, Nika Nikalenko, Tetyana Belimova
2. “Bitch Daughter”
Valentina Masterova
3. “Tattoo. Reading through the eyes”
Vyacheslav Vasilchenko
4. “Happy people read books and drink kava”
Marten-Lugan Agnes
5. “I, you and our malovaniye and nemalovaniye God”
Tetyana Pakhomova
6. "Nerve exposed"
Svitlana Talan
7. “Black doshka”
Natalya Dolyak
Reading in Ukrainian, especially fiction, has a good effect on the spoken language. In the subconscious, words, phrases and whole sentences are deposited that can be successfully used in communication. After all, the Ukrainian language is difficult for beginners because you need to accustom yourself to think in it. After all, if you constantly translate from Russian into Ukrainian in your head, your speech will be slow and unnatural. To make it easier to think in Ukrainian, start writing. Chat with friends on social networks, write posts, letters, essays, a book (why not) in Ukrainian. A couple of months of this practice will help you develop thinking in Ukrainian. You will speak better and learn grammar.
be patient
And this is perhaps the most difficult rule. Learning Ukrainian can take a lot of time. It all depends on the individual, his initial level and the availability of a tutor. Which, of course, helps to learn Ukrainian much faster. On average, it takes 1-2 months to master spoken Ukrainian perfectly. In order to learn all the rules of spelling and other things, on average, 4-7 months. In principle, in six months it is really possible to learn everything.
A Ukrainian language teacher is an integral person in your language learning journey. No video tutorials, heaps of books and communication with a native speaker will replace a teacher. A Ukrainian language tutor is someone who can guide you, correct you and support you when you decide you don't need it. It is a system and control. This is an expert and assistant. Don't treat him like a teacher at school. In fact, now there are a lot of modern methods for learning the Ukrainian language. You'd be surprised how different this is from the lessons that many of us didn't like or understand. But let's not forget about self-improvement. Therefore, in addition to books, we offer you a selection of applications for learning the Ukrainian language:TOP 5 Ukrainian language learning apps
Learning Ukrainian online is not only serious video lessons and so on. These are, among other things, various applications that anyone can download to their phone:
1. Language is the DNA of the nation
The app can be downloaded from Google Play and the App Store.
Everyone has already fallen in love with Tongue-babbler is already in your smartphone! This is the best app for learning and improving your Ukrainian. Library, exercises, tests and more!
2. R.I.D
The app can be downloaded from Google Play and iTunes.
Cherkasy programmers created this application with the aim of eradicating surzhik in Ukrainian. Every day the program opens 3 new words to the user. For this he receives bonuses. There is also a rating and other motivations for learning Ukrainian with this application.
3. L-Lingo
The app can be downloaded from iTunes.
A thousand visualized words and sentences. Pronunciation training. Tests, simple and clear design to use.
Free registration in 10 minutes Lessons in person or via Skype Payment directly from the student
4. Ukrainian library
The app can be downloaded for Android.
More than 2200 works in Ukrainian, more than 100 authors and the versatility of the application makes you read books in Ukrainian every day!
Useful materials:
- History of the Ukrainian language
The roots of the Ukrainian language.
About the Ukrainian language.
In its structure, Ukrainian is closest to Russian than to any other Slavic language. This was a historical consequence of both the long stay of Ukraine under the political influence of Russia, and the constant trade and migration ties between the two peoples.
Many linguists agree that if you know one of these languages, and with a couple of months and a good course of study, you can learn the other.
Learning the Ukrainian language.
Ukrainian: guess the word.
—
: , . , .
—
, : , . , . : .
How to quickly learn the correct Ukrainian language?
Quick Start: Play
The roots of the Ukrainian language.
Slavic languages are usually divided by linguists according to their geographical characteristics into three groups - Western, Southern and Eastern. Despite the fact that all these groups have a common ethnic background, and they have many similarities, there are certain differences, which, however, can be clearly identified. It should also be noted that the languages spoken by the interlocutors may belong to different groups, but, nevertheless, their owners will, in general, understand each other without translation. And what's more, if you already know any Slavic language, it will be very easy for you to learn another one and become a polyglot. This is why learning Ukrainian is important for someone who wants to then learn another language from the East Slavic family of languages, such as Russian or Belarusian.
About the Ukrainian language.
Ukrainian is now spoken by approximately 51 million people, 90 percent of whom are concentrated in Ukraine. The remaining 10 percent are Ukrainian diasporas living around the world in countries such as Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia and the United States.
In its structure, Ukrainian is closest to Russian than to any other Slavic language. This was a historical consequence of both the long stay of Ukraine under the political influence of Russia, and the constant trade and migration ties between the two peoples. Many linguists agree that if you know one of these languages, and with a couple of months and a good course of study, you can learn the other.
Learning the Ukrainian language.
If you decide to learn Ukrainian on your own, without leaving the comfort of your home, and not attending organized "Learn Ukrainian" courses or anything like that, you will have several teaching methods at your disposal. The Internet has firmly entered our lives, and you can find anything in the virtual space. Including free Ukrainian lessons online, some of which can be really useful for you, while others can actually be a waste of time. Therefore, do not start the course without making sure that this is what you really need, and it is better to “dig” through the forums and discussions on this topic.
The second way can be non-stressful vocabulary games. This is a good method for beginners who do not yet have an initial vocabulary base, and it provides the basis for some vocabulary expansion in the future. With such games it will be much easier for you to memorize words, some of them will give you some skills in writing and even pronunciation. Thus, you can "kill two birds with one stone."
Articles about Ukrainian in other languages
LessonsWhat language do you learn?What language do you speak?
—
: , . , .
—
, : , . , . : .
Nine reasons to (you) learn Ukrainian
Indo-Iranian languages
Lithuanian and other Baltic languages
Other languages of the Indo-European family
Finnish, Hungarian and other languages of the Ural family
Georgian, Chechen and other Caucasian languages
Hebrew, Arabic and other Semitic-Hamitic languages
Turkish, Kazakh and other languages of the Altaic family
Sino-Tibetan languages
Japanese, Ryukyuan and Korean
Indian languages
Other natural languages
Hebrew languages of different families
Constructed languages
introductory Ukrainian language course (via English)
Russian-Ukrainian and Ukrainian-Russian dictionaries online: download large Russian-Ukrainian dictionary
general and special Russian-Ukrainian dictionaries + idioms, proverbs…
Ukrainian-Russian-English online dictionary in all directions (6 directions)
Ukrainian-English dictionaries online: English-Ukrainian dictionary onlinebranch English-Ukrainian and Ukrainian-English dictionariesGerman-Ukrainian and Ukrainian-German dictionary onlineconcise Swedish-Ukrainian dictionaryconcise Polish-Ukrainian dictionaryconcise Italian-Ukrainian dictionaryUkrainian dictionaries for Lingvolarge explanatory dictionary of the Ukrainian language onlinelarge explanatory dictionary of Ukrainian languages downloaddictionary of Ukrainian abbreviationsmore Ukrainian dictionaries (scroll through multiple screens)
minimum dictionary of the Ukrainian language in English transliteration
download dictionaries, textbooks and tutorials of the Ukrainian language: download a fundamental textbook of the Ukrainian language for beginners
online lessons and consultations for intermediate and advanced levels: Ukrainian-Romanian phrasebook (click on the squares in the second column from the left)
thematic lessons of Ukrainian vocabulary
names of birds and mammals
multilingual dictionary of industry and technology terms
Ukrainian linguistic portal for advanced students and professionals
frequency dictionaries and electronic reference books on the Ukrainian language
Ukrainian grammar guide
everyday Ukrainian phrases with sound and translation into English
tracing paper in Ukrainian and how to deal with them
Ukrainian language and culture portal
encyclopedic reference on Ukrainian literature
biographies of Ukrainian writers
Ukrainian texts adapted for educational purposes by the method of Ilya Frank
network libraries in Ukrainian: Andersen's fairy tales translated into Ukrainian
Ukrainian poetry translated into English
legal literature in Ukrainian
texts of Ukrainian songs
Ukrainian lullaby "Oh, walk Dream"
radio stations in Ukrainian
a collection of abstracts in Ukrainian language games, quizzes about Ukraine "gallows" game in Ukrainian
forum of translators from Ukrainian and into UkrainianUkrainian linguistic humor
virtual Ukrainian keyboard
The Ukrainian language is part of the East Slavic group of languages. It is spoken in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and other countries. It will be easier for a Russian person to learn Ukrainian, because in both languages there are words that are the same in meaning and sound. However, due to some similarities, there are some difficulties here. It is necessary to use every day to learn something new and remember it. Then the training will soon give positive results.
Is it difficult to learn Ukrainian from scratch?
Some people find Ukrainian words incomprehensible, so it is difficult for them to reproduce someone else's speech. In this case, do not despair. It is necessary to get acquainted with all the features of another language.
1. In Ukrainian, everything happens according to the principle “as it is heard, so it is written”. Thus, you can quickly master the written language.
2. In this language, there are two letters "g", one of which has a special pronunciation. It is characterized by an abundance of synonyms for the word.
3. Russian proposals differ in their structure from Ukrainian ones. Due to such nuances, the literal translation here is not always correct. You can learn the Ukrainian language on your own if you read the literature of this people - the books of Mark Vovchka, Panas Mirny, Taras Shevchenko and other writers.
Competent speech is valued more than written, because not all people are able to quickly overcome the language barrier and speak Ukrainian. In this case, perseverance and patience are required from a person.
How to learn Ukrainian at home - tips.
Before learning Ukrainian, decide whether you should do it yourself or take 2-3 lessons from an experienced teacher first. Next, make a lesson plan and follow these steps:
1. Replenish your vocabulary by learning 2-3 dozen new words daily. To prevent this from turning into cramming, memorize them in sentences or combinations.
2. Read the local press or online publications in Ukrainian. This will make it possible to get used to the new language and involuntarily memorize a large number of words.
Have you decided to master the Ukrainian language (Ukrainian language)? Commendable! After studying it, you will discover the spiritual world of more than 47 million speakers of this second most common Slavic language. You will have the opportunity to read in the original the masterpieces of the classics of Ukrainian literature: Ivan Kotlyarevsky, Taras Shevchenko, Lesia Ukrainka, Ivan Franko. The works of popular writers today - Lina Kostenko, Yuri Andrukhovych, Serhiy Zhadan, Oksana Zabuzhko, Maria Matios - will tell about the problems that worry the minds of today's Ukrainians.
And of course, knowledge of the language will make it easier for you to communicate with your contemporaries living in one of the largest European countries, and will help to mutually beneficial solution of emerging economic, cultural, and political problems.
According to Johann Wolfgang Goethe, you are as many times human as you speak languages. Perhaps, learning the culture of the Ukrainian people, you will be infected by the example of one of its brightest representatives - Agafangel Krymsky - a man of encyclopedic knowledge: a linguist, historian, ethnographer who owned (hard to imagine!) six dozen languages. And you will become a real polyglot in the future.
The roots of the Ukrainian language go back to the so-called Proto-Slavic linguistic unity (until the 6th century AD). Its specific features are manifested in the South Russian monuments of the 11th-12th centuries and the later period.
Difficulties in formation and development were due to the fact that the lands inhabited by Ukrainians were part of different states for many centuries.
From the end of the 18th century, a new Ukrainian literary language was born on a folk basis. The already mentioned Ivan Kotlyarevsky is considered its founder.
Today, native speakers of this language can be found all over the planet:
- in Europe (Russia, Poland, Slovakia, Belarus, Romania, Moldova, more recently Italy and Portugal due to labor migration);
- in Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russian Far East);
- in North America (million diasporas in Canada and the USA);
- in South America (Argentina, Brazil);
- in Australia.
Getting Started
First of all, the question arises: learning Ukrainian is better on your own Or with a teacher? Experience shows: if you learn from scratch, it is better to resort to the help of a teacher. If funds are scarce, we can advise a hybrid option: we start with a teacher, and having overcome the difficulties of the first stage with him, we continue to teach individually.
An example of a video lesson of the Ukrainian language.
We stock up on helpers
It is important to get as much as possible information sources:
- access to the official website of the Ukrainian language;
- teaching aids, primarily tutorials;
- dictionaries and phrasebooks;
- relevant educational materials on the Internet and social networks;
- Ukrainian TV channels;
- Ukrainian films and sound recordings.
Important nuances
In general, it is not as difficult for a Russian-speaking person to master Ukrainian as, say, for an Italian or Greek. After all, both languages have a lot in common in vocabulary and grammar. However, there are certain features that may introduce confusing the student.
It is important to learn that when reading:
- the Russian letter “i” sounds like “ы” in Ukrainians;
- Russian "e" is read as "e";
- to display the Russian sound “e” in the Ukrainian alphabet, there is the letter “є”;
- accordingly, the Russian "i" is written as "i".
- the letter “ї” missing in the Russian alphabet sounds like “yi”;
- Russian "g", depending on the sonority, is displayed on the letter with the letter "g" (muffled sound) and "ґ" - explosive.
Success Secrets
As in any other business, a positive result in learning a foreign language will be provided by systematic work, perseverance and patience. Develop a detailed training plan that includes the following steps:
- try every day to replenish your vocabulary with two to three dozen new words;
- master phraseological turns;
- speak Ukrainian aloud, record your speech on a tape recorder and listen to the recordings, paying attention to the mistakes made;
- read the Ukrainian press and publications on the Internet, as well as the literary works of the above-mentioned masters of the word;
- watch Ukrainian films, listen to Ukrainian radio broadcasts;
- find an opportunity to communicate with native speakers from time to time, paying attention to the correct pronunciation of words.
- communicate with carriers in social networks.
Do not be discouraged if, after some time after the start of classes, your achievements in learning the Ukrainian language seem insufficient. Remember: holy pots are not molded. Keep working hard and you will definitely speak one of the most musical languages in the world, which is not without reason called nightingale.
Video
The speaking alphabet will help children learn the Ukrainian language.
Didn't get an answer to your question? Suggest a topic to the authors.