The goal of Russia’s war in Ukraine is to erase everything Ukrainian from the face of the earth. We know this for a fact from Russian media, the statements of Russian government officials, and the actions of the Russian occupiers in Ukraine. Unfortunately for them, the unprovoked invasion had the opposite effect – it exponentially increased the international community’s interest in Ukraine, its culture and its language.
On Duolingo, the number of students wanting to study Ukrainian increased by 577% in April 2022, but this is not the only place where foreigners can learn the language. We have compiled a comprehensive list of different online resources for learning Ukrainian.
Where can I learn Ukrainian?
A list of online resources for foreigners who want to learn the Ukrainian language.
Language Lab
Language Lab is a modern Kyiv-based school that employs a comprehensive approach centred on real-life communication. With over eight years of teaching experience and a strong focus on vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, their certified instructors have delivered more than 60,000 lessons tailored to various proficiency levels. Located in Kyiv’s Old City district, Language Lab offers flexible lesson options—both in-person and online—for a convenient learning experience. The school also nurtures a supportive community, enhancing socialisation and cultural immersion through interactive language events that have already exceeded 150 engaging sessions.
Duolingo
Quick, free, and great for beginners. The app provides 5-minute lessons to help you quickly learn the alphabet and basic conversational phrases in Ukrainian. To help foreign workers and volunteers who assist Ukrainian refugees, Duolingo even released a database with key Ukrainian phrases and how to pronounce them.
Preply
Not only a great platform that connects language tutors and learners, but also a startup founded by Ukrainians. On Preply, you can easily find a Ukrainian tutor for any skill level and schedule online lessons whenever it suits you. If you like studying with a tutor and want to focus on speaking skills in particular, this platform is perfect for you.
This book is aimed at foreigners studying Ukrainian at the elementary level. As well as communication-focused material, it also contains various practical tasks, easy-to-use grammar tables, a Ukrainian-English-Arabic dictionary, and vocabulary worksheets.
Petro The Ukrainian on TikTok
Half English and half Ukrainian, Petro grew up closely tied to the Ukrainian community in England. Now, he’s using TikTok to “spread the slovo (Ukrainian for ‘word’)” and teach foreigners basic Ukrainian words and phrases. His account is also full of fun videos on Ukrainian culture and history.
Inna Samoilova’s YouTube channel Speak Ukrainian
Inna’s channel is full of informative Ukrainian lessons. In addition to teaching the language, she also makes a big effort to immerse her learners in Ukrainian culture with videos that teach how to cook popular Ukrainian dishes and explain the meaning of Ukrainian songs. You can also find quick learning videos on her Instagram account @speak_ukrainian_language.
If you want to feel like you’re back in a classroom, Iryna’s channel is perfect for you. It has lessons for beginners that explain the Ukrainian alphabet and break down basic grammar rules, as well as videos for those who already know the basics of the language and want to master a more advanced level of Ukrainian.
Ukrainian Lessons Podcast by Anna Ohoiko
The first season of Anna’s podcast has short and informative 15-minute lessons covering the most common conversational topics. You can easily learn how to greet people, wish them happy holidays, get directions in Ukrainian, and more. The second season dives deeper into Ukrainian grammar. In the third and fourth seasons of the podcast, Anna teaches advanced Ukrainian and contemporary slang, as well as discusses Ukrainian culture, prominent Ukrainians, and contemporary Ukraine. Lastly, her fifth season includes conversations with Ukrainians who live abroad, plus more tips for learning the language.
If you have been learning Ukrainian for some time already and have any other resources or study tips, please share them in the comments.
