The easiest way to learn Ukrainian is to learn Cyrillic, the alphabet Ukrainian is written in, and then read and listen to short, easy Ukrainian about things you already like, checking the translation when you need it. Leave case tables and long word lists for later, because easy Ukrainian keeps showing you the most common words and endings. Below are the first steps in order, and some easy Ukrainian to start with.
Is Ukrainian Easy to Learn?
Ukrainian is easy to start, and it takes a long time to learn well. The alphabet takes a few short sessions, while the words and case endings take much longer, and the U.S. Foreign Service Institute puts Ukrainian in the third of its four groups for English speakers. Our guide to the fastest way shows how long it takes.
Three things make the start easier than it looks.
- Letters You Already KnowSome Ukrainian letters, such as А, К, М, О and Т, look and sound much like English letters.
- Words Read as They Are WrittenMost Ukrainian letters stand for one sound each, so once you know the letters, you can read a new word out loud.
- Words You Already KnowMany Ukrainian words come from other languages, such as таксі (taxi) and комп’ютер (computer).
What Is the Easiest Way to Start?
The easiest way to start is to learn the letters, then spend your time on short Ukrainian you enjoy, one small step at a time.
- Learn Cyrillic FirstLearn the 33 letters in a few short sessions with Bubblegum's free Ukrainian Cyrillic course.
- Read About What You LoveRead short dialogues about food, music, or anything else you already enjoy.
- Listen While You ReadPlay the audio as you read, so each word's sound and spelling go together.
- Hide the TranslationKeep the English hidden, and check it only when a line stops you.
- Save a Few WordsSave only the few words you want to keep from each lesson.
- Say a Line Out LoudRead a line aloud whenever it feels fun, like Привіт (hi) or another greeting you want to use.
Bubblegum is a language app for reading and listening to Ukrainian at your level, with lessons that Poppy, its AI tutor, writes about the things you like. Words you save come back inside new lessons through Regenerative Review™, so reviewing them means reading more Ukrainian.
What Makes Ukrainian Feel Hard, and How Can You Make It Easier?
Four parts of Ukrainian feel hard at first, and each one gets easier when you meet it again and again in easy Ukrainian.
| What feels hard | The easy fix |
|---|---|
| Nouns that change their endings | Ukrainian has seven cases, and easy lines repeat the most common endings many times, as in Я люблю музику (I love music). Open a grammar note only when one confuses you. |
| Stress you can't see | The spelling doesn't tell you which part of a word is stressed, so play the audio and copy it. The free Dictionaries of Ukraine Online show the stress on every word. |
| Masculine, feminine and neuter words | The last letter often tells you which one a word is: стіл (table) is masculine, мама (mom) is feminine and вікно (window) is neuter. |
| Familiar shapes with new sounds | In він (he), В sounds like v and Н sounds like n. Bubblegum's Cyrillic course teaches these letters in a chapter of their own. |
What Is Easy Ukrainian to Start With?
Easy Ukrainian to start with is short and slow, and it is about something you enjoy.
| What | Why it's easy | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Acquire Ukrainian | Its videos start from zero, with simple stories and pictures. | YouTube |
| Ukrainian Lessons Podcast | Season 1 is made for complete beginners, and the episodes are free. | ukrainianlessons.com |
| Duostories | Short stories about everyday moments, like ordering a coffee, come with audio and quick questions. | duostories.org |
| Storybooks Ukraine | Free short stories come at five levels, and you can listen to each one in Ukrainian, once you know some words. | Free online |
If a new word shows up in almost every line, switch to something easier. For more Ukrainian to read and hear as you improve, see our guide to Ukrainian comprehensible input.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest way to learn Cyrillic?
Learn a few letters at a time, and read real words with them as soon as you can. Bubblegum's free Ukrainian Cyrillic course works this way in your browser, in nine short chapters, with a picture to help you remember each new letter and audio for every sound.
Can I learn Ukrainian just by watching shows?
Not at the start, because most of an episode goes by too fast for a beginner to learn from. Shows help more once you can follow a simple conversation, especially with Ukrainian subtitles on. Before that, try cartoons you already know with Ukrainian dubbing, and Ukrainian Lessons keeps a list of Ukrainian cartoons for learners.
Which Ukrainian app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Ukrainian, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. For courses, tutors and speaking practice, see our comparison of Ukrainian apps.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
The Ukrainian Cyrillic course on this site is also free and needs no account.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Ukrainian alphabet (33 letters; spelling based on the phonemic principle, with one letter generally for one sound)
- U.S. Department of State, Foreign Language Training (FSI language categories)
- Wikipedia, Ukrainian grammar (seven cases; gender usually shown by the ending)
- Wikipedia, Ukrainian phonology (stress is not predictable)
- Dictionaries of Ukraine Online (Ukrainian Lingua-Information Fund), with the stress on every word
