Is Ukrainian just like Russian?

No. Ukrainian is a separate East Slavic language with its own alphabet letters, vocabulary and pronunciation. Knowing Russian gives some overlap, but the two are clearly distinct — which is exactly why learning from authentic Ukrainian content matters.

How hard is the Ukrainian alphabet?

It's Cyrillic with around 33 letters and is largely phonetic, so most learners read basic words within a week or two. Because Langadoo shows you the script constantly in real content, you reinforce it naturally rather than drilling letters alone.

I'm using Duolingo for Ukrainian — why add Langadoo?

Duolingo builds early vocabulary, but it can't get you used to the speed and variety of real Ukrainian. Langadoo lets you learn from real video, mining unfamiliar words and sentences straight into spaced repetition.

Can I learn Ukrainian from complete beginner level?

Yes. Begin with the easiest AI stories and short, slow videos to build core vocabulary, then move into native content as your saved words grow.

Is Langadoo free for learning Ukrainian?

Yes. The free tier includes weekly transcription time, hundreds of saved words, unlimited reviews and AI explanations. Paid plans add more transcription and a larger vocabulary limit.

🇺🇦 Learn Ukrainian online

Interest in learning Ukrainian online has surged, and there are now apps — including a Duolingo course — to get you started. What's harder to find is the steady stream of real Ukrainian that takes you from set phrases to genuine understanding. And to be clear: Ukrainian is its own language, not a dialect of Russian.

Langadoo gives Ukrainian the full toolkit. Transcribe Ukrainian YouTube videos, watch with dual Ukrainian-and-English subtitles, click any word for an explanation, and save words and sentences into spaced repetition. AI-generated Ukrainian stories, built from your own vocabulary, keep you reading at the right level as you grow.

Start learning Ukrainian free

Native name: українська мова
Speakers: ~40 million speakers
Spoken in: Ukraine
Writing system: Cyrillic (Ukrainian alphabet, with і, ї, є, ґ)
Difficulty: Category III — East Slavic, distinct from Russian

Try reading a little Ukrainian

This is exactly how learning works inside Langadoo. Click any word in the Ukrainian text below to see what it means — the highlighted words also show a translation on hover.

A first taste of Ukrainian

Click on any word to see its meaning — highlighted words have translations on hover

Привіт! Я вивчаю українську мову. Я люблю дивитися відео в інтернеті. Щодня я вивчаю нові слова. Українська мова гарна.

How Langadoo helps you learn Ukrainian

Learn from Ukrainian YouTube videos — transcribe any video and watch with dual Ukrainian-and-English subtitles.
AI-generated Ukrainian stories — comprehensible reading built from the words you already know (Krashen's i+1).
Spaced repetition — save words and sentences into a true SM-2 review system with bidirectional cards.
Sentence mining — capture real Ukrainian sentences and audio clips from content you actually enjoy.
Instant word explanations — tap any word for grammar, usage and examples in context.

Why learning Ukrainian is hard

Ukrainian is written in its own version of the Cyrillic alphabet, including letters like і, ї, є and ґ that distinguish it from Russian.
It has seven grammatical cases — including a living vocative used to address people — so endings change with role.
Verbs come in perfective/imperfective aspect pairs that don't map onto English tenses.
Palatalised ('soft') consonants change meaning and take practice to hear and produce.
If you know some Russian it helps, but the vocabulary and pronunciation differ enough that you should learn from genuinely Ukrainian content.

The honest gap: Duolingo offers Ukrainian, but like most apps it stays gamified. Reaching real comprehension means working with authentic Ukrainian video and audio.

Reading and writing Ukrainian

The Ukrainian alphabet is Cyrillic but distinct from Russian — it uses і, ї, є and ґ and lacks several Russian letters. Langadoo renders and stores Ukrainian script correctly, so your saved words keep their exact spelling.

Ukrainian YouTube channels to learn from

Ukrainian Lessons — Well-structured lessons from the alphabet to complex grammar, with playlists by level.
Speak Ukrainian — Grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and everyday communication from an online language school.
Ukrainian Language — Engaging content from a linguist and teacher for beginners and improvers.

Drop any of these into Langadoo, transcribe a video, and start mining words straight into your review deck.

Frequently asked questions

Start learning Ukrainian today

Free plan available — no credit card required. Learn Ukrainian from real content, not textbook drills.