The Cyrillic Code II
Warm-up
Welcome back, code-breaker! In Module 1, you cracked 19 letters. That's already more than half the Ukrainian Cyrillic alphabet. Today, you'll conquer the final 14 letters. Some of these are completely unique to Ukrainian. They're the reason Ukrainian sounds different from Russian, Polish, or any other Slavic language.
By the end of this module, you'll be able to read любов (love), дякую (thank you), Київ (Kyiv), and борщ (borscht). You'll understand why Ukrainian is one of the most melodic Slavic languages. And you'll know how to avoid the dreaded italic trap that trips up every beginner.
Presentation
The Unique Seven (Г, Ґ, Ж, Ш, Щ, Ч, Ц)
These letters exist in other Slavic languages, but Ukrainian uses them in its own special way. They give Ukrainian its distinctive sound:
| Letter | Sound | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Г г | /ɦ/ like «h» in «ahead» | головá (holová) | head |
| Ґ ґ | /g/ like «g» in «go» | ґума (guma) | eraser |
| Ж ж | /ʒ/ like «s» in «pleasure» | желе (zhele) | jelly |
| Ш ш | /ʃ/ like «sh» in «shop» | шокола́д (shokolád) | chocolate |
| Щ щ | /ʃt͡ʃ/ like «shch» blend | бо́рщ (borshch) | borscht |
| Ч ч | /t͡ʃ/ like «ch» in «church» | чемпіо́н (chempión) | champion |
| Ц ц | /t͡s/ like «ts» in «cats» | центр (tsentr) | center |
The letters Г and Ґ are perhaps the most important distinction. Г (hook) makes a soft breathy «h» sound. Ґ (hook with hat) makes a hard «g» sound like in English «go.» Russian lost the Ґ sound centuries ago, but Ukrainian kept it!
💡 Did You Know?
The letter Щ (shcha) is one of the most recognizable sounds in Ukrainian. When foreigners hear борщ (borscht), they immediately recognize it as Ukrainian. The UNESCO included Ukrainian borscht culture on the endangered heritage list in 2022 to protect it during the war.
Ж (zheh) is the voiced partner of Ш (shah). Think of them like «s» and «z» in English. Шоколад (chocolate) has the voiceless Ш. Желе (jelly) has the voiced Ж.
Ц (tseh) makes the sharp «ts» sound. It's in words like центр (center) and цукор (sugar). This sound doesn't exist in standard English, but you hear it at the end of «cats.»
The Iotated Four (Є, Ї, Ю, Я)
These are vowels that carry a built-in «y» sound (called «iotation»). They're uniquely Ukrainian and give the language its melodic quality:
| Letter | Sound | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Є є | /jɛ/ like «ye» in «yes» | Євро́па (Yevropa) | Europe |
| Ї ї | /ji/ like «yee» in «yeet» | Ки́їв (Kýyiv) | Kyiv |
| Ю ю | /ju/ like «you» | дя́кю (dyákuyu) | thank you |
| Я я | /jɑ/ like «ya» in «yacht» | як (yak) | how |
These letters are why «Kyiv» is spelled with a «y» in English. The Ukrainian name is Київ. That Ї makes a «yi» sound. So it's «Kýyiv,» not «Keev.»
Європа (Europe) starts with Є, giving it that «Yevropa» sound. Дякую (thank you) has both Я and Ю, making it flow: «dyákuyu.»
🔍 Myth Buster
Myth: «Київ» is just the Ukrainian spelling. Fact: «Київ» (Kýyiv) is the correct Ukrainian name. «Kiev» is Russian. Since 1991, Ukraine is independent. The world now uses «Kyiv» to respect Ukrainian identity. The AP Style Guide switched in 2019!
The Soft Sign (Ь)
The soft sign Ь (myakyi znak) is perhaps the strangest letter for English speakers. It has no sound of its own. Instead, it softens the consonant before it:
| Without Ь | With Ь | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| рис (rys) «rice» | рись (rysʲ) «lynx» | «s» vs «sʲ» (soft s) |
| лан (lan) «field» | лань (lanʲ) «doe» | «n» vs «nʲ» (soft n) |
The soft sign appears in the word будь ла́ска (please): «budʲ láska.» That Ь softens the Д sound.
🎬 Pop Culture Moment: The Witcher
In the Ukrainian dub of Netflix's «The Witcher» (Відьма́к - Vidʲmák), the title uses the soft sign! Відьмак means «witcher» or «sorcerer,» and that Ь softens the Д. Ukrainian has a rich tradition of Slavic fantasy, and The Witcher books are hugely popular in Ukraine.
The Hard I (И)
The letter И is different from І. While І makes the soft «ee» sound (like in «meet»), И makes a harder sound, like «i» in «bit» or «sit»:
| Letter | Sound | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| І і | /i/ like «meet» | піца (píttsa) | pizza |
| И и | /ɪ/ like «bit» | джи́нси (dzhýnsy) | jeans |
The word джинси (jeans) has the hard И at the end: «dzhýnsy.» The city Київ has the soft І: «Kýyiv.»
🌍 Real World
When you order food in Київ (Kyiv), you'll use words like борщ (borscht), цукор (sugar), and дякую (thank you). Pronouncing Київ correctly (Kýyiv, not Keev) shows respect for Ukrainian language and identity. Locals will appreciate it!
The Short Y (Й)
The letter Й (yi kratke, «short i») makes a quick «y» sound like in English «boy» or «yes.» It never starts words on its own in native Ukrainian words, but appears in borrowed words like йогурт (yogurt):
| Letter | Sound | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Й й | /j/ like «y» in «boy» | йогурт (yohurt) | yogurt |
You'll also see Й at the end of words and syllables, creating sounds like «ay,» «oy,» or «iy.» In Київ, the final sound is actually ЇВ (yiv), but in words like край (edge, country), you hear the Й clearly: «kray.»
The Italic Warning
When Ukrainians write in cursive or italic, some letters look COMPLETELY different from their printed forms. This is the number one reason learners get confused when they see handwritten Ukrainian:
| Printed | Italic | Looks Like | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| т | т | Latin «m» | «t» (not m!) |
| п | п | Latin «n» | «p» (not n!) |
| д | д | Latin «g» | «d» (not g!) |
| и | и | Latin «u» | «y/i» (not u!) |
| л | л | hook shape | «l» |
| г | г | round shape | «h» |
So the word мама (mama) in italic looks like мама, which might look like «mama» but with weird shapes. Don't panic. It's still «mama.»
The word привіт (hello) in italic is привіт. That italic т at the end looks like an «m,» but it's still a «t» sound.
Practice
Reading Basic Phrases
Now that you know all 33 letters, let's read some real Ukrainian phrases:
Greetings:
Привіт! (Pryvit!) — Hello!
Дякую. (Dyakuyu.) — Thank you.
Будь ласка. (Budʲ laska.) — Please. / You're welcome.
До побачення. (Do pobachennya.) — Goodbye.
Questions:
Як? (Yak?) — How?
Де? (De?) — Where?
Хто? (Khto?) — Who?
Answers:
Так. (Tak.) — Yes.
Ні. (Ni.) — No.
Добре. (Dobre.) — Good. / Well.
Mini-Dialogue 1: First Meeting
— Привіт! Як справи? (Pryvit! Yak spravy?) — Hello! How are things?
— Добре, дякую! (Dobre, dyakuyu!) — Good, thank you!
— Ласкаво просимо! (Laskavo prosymo!) — Welcome!
Notice дякую uses the iotated Я (ya) and Ю (yu). It flows: «dya-ku-yu.» This is one of the most useful words in Ukrainian!
Mini-Dialogue 2: At a Café in Lviv
— Борщ? (Borshch?) — Borscht?
— Так, борщ, будь ласка. (Tak, borshch, budʲ laska.) — Yes, borscht, please.
— Цукор? (Tsukor?) — Sugar?
— Ні, дякую. (Ni, dyakuyu.) — No, thank you.
The word борщ showcases the Щ sound perfectly. It's not «borsh,» it's «borshch» — that soft «shch» blend is uniquely Ukrainian.
Reading Food Words
Борщ (borshch) — borscht
Йогурт (yogurt) — yogurt
Желе (zhele) — jelly
Майонез (mayonez) — mayonnaise
Шоколад (shokolad) — chocolate
Цукор (tsukor) — sugar
Production
You've now learned all 33 letters of the Ukrainian Cyrillic alphabet. That's 19 from Module 1, plus 14 from this module. You can read any Ukrainian word now, even if you don't understand it yet.
Try reading these cities and see if you can decode them:
Київ /ˈkɪjiu̯/ (Kyiv) Львів /lʲviv/ (Lviv) Одеса /ɔˈdɛsɑ/ (Odesa) Харків /ˈxɑrkiv/ (Kharkiv) Дніпро /dɲiˈprɔ/ (Dnipro)
And these Ukrainian words:
Україна /ʊkrɑˈjinɑ/ (Ukraine) мова /ˈmɔvɑ/ (language) алфавіт /ɑlfɑˈvit/ (alphabet) слово /ˈslɔvɔ/ (word) буква /ˈbukvɑ/ (letter)
Cultural Insight
Why the Alphabet Matters
Learning to read Cyrillic isn't just about decoding letters. It's about accessing a culture that has been deliberately hidden or misrepresented for centuries. When you write «Kyiv» instead of «Kiev,» you're choosing the Ukrainian name over the Russian one. When you learn that Г makes an «h» sound (not a «g»), you're hearing how Ukrainian actually sounds, not how Russians pronounce Ukrainian words.
The Ukrainian alphabet is a tool of resistance. During Soviet times, Ukrainian language and culture were suppressed. Speaking Ukrainian in school was punished. Ukrainian books were banned. Yet people kept the language alive in villages, in songs, in secret poetry.
Today, when you learn Ukrainian, you're joining a tradition of preservation. Every word you read, every letter you decode, is a small act of keeping Ukrainian culture alive.
📜 History Bite
In 1863, the Russian Empire issued the Valuev Circular, which banned Ukrainian-language publications. In 1876, the Ems Ukaz made it even stricter, banning Ukrainian in theaters, schools, and print. Ukrainian was called «Little Russian» and dismissed as a peasant dialect. Despite this, Ukrainian writers like Taras Shevchenko kept the language alive through poetry. Speaking Ukrainian was a revolutionary act.
The Complete Alphabet
Here are all 33 letters. First part: А Б В Г Ґ Д Е.
Second part: Є Ж З И І Ї Й К.
Third part: Л М Н О П Р С Т У.
Fourth part: Ф Х Ц Ч Ш Щ Ь Ю Я.
All letters with lowercase: Аа, Бб, Вв, Гг, Ґґ, Дд, Ее.
Next group: Єє, Жж, Зз, Ии, Іі, Її, Йй, Кк.
Continuing: Лл, Мм, Нн, Оо, Пп, Рр, Сс, Тт, Уу.
Final group: Фф, Хх, Цц, Чч, Шш, Щщ, Ьь, Юю, Яя.
You know every single one now. Congratulations!
📋 Підсумок
In this module, you learned the final 14 letters of Ukrainian Cyrillic:
You learned:
Unique Seven: Г (h), Ґ (g), Ж (zh), Ш (sh), Щ (shch), Ч (ch), Ц (ts). Iotated Four: Є (ye), Ї (yi), Ю (yu), Я (ya). Soft Sign: Ь (softens consonants). Hard I: И (hard i sound). Й: The short «y» sound.
You can now read any Ukrainian word in Cyrillic. You learned essential phrases like привіт (hello), дякую (thank you), будь ласка (please), and до побачення (goodbye). You understand why Київ is pronounced «Kýyiv» and why борщ has that distinctive «shch» sound.
Most importantly, you learned that the Ukrainian alphabet is more than letters. It's a symbol of cultural identity that survived centuries of suppression. When you read Ukrainian, you're participating in an act of cultural preservation.
Next module, we'll start learning about noun gender and why it matters!
Need More Practice?
External Review
🎯 Activities
Letter Sounds
Alphabet Knowledge
Which letter makes the "h" sound in Ukrainian?
What does the letter Ї sound like?
Which letter makes the "shch" sound in борщ?
What is special about the letter Ь?
Which letter makes the "ts" sound?
What does Є sound like?
How do you pronounce Київ in Ukrainian?
Which letter was lost in Russian but kept in Ukrainian?
What sound does Ж make?
In italic/cursive, which letter looks like Latin "m"?
Which of these is a iotated vowel?
What does Я sound like?
Letter Categories
Unique Seven (Unusual Consonants)
Iotated Vowels (Built-in Y Sound)
Special Letters
Build Ukrainian Words
Complete the Greetings
Alphabet Facts
The letter Г makes an "h" sound, not a "g" sound.
Ґ exists in Ukrainian but was lost in Russian.
The letter Ї sounds like "e" in English.
Щ makes the "shch" sound in борщ.
The soft sign Ь makes a "y" sound.
There are four iotated vowels in Ukrainian: Є, Ї, Ю, Я.
Київ should be pronounced "Keev" like in Russian.
The Ukrainian alphabet has 33 letters total.
Italic т looks like "t" in Latin script.
UNESCO recognized Ukrainian borscht culture as endangered heritage.
Є sounds like "ye" as in "yes."
The letter И is the same as І in Ukrainian.
Ukrainian Cities & Countries
Food Vocabulary
Print vs Italic Confusion
Looks Different in Italic (Trap Letters)
Looks Similar in Italic
📚 Vocabulary
| Word | IPA | English | POS | Gender | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| алфавіт | /alfˈaʋit/ | alphabet | noun | ч | |
| відьма | /ʋˈidʲma/ | witch | noun | ж | |
| відьмак | /ʋidʲmˈak/ | witcher | noun | ч | |
| джинса | /dʒɪnsa/ | jeans, surreptitious advertising | noun | ж | |
| дніпро | /dniprˈɔ/ | Dnipro | noun | ч | |
| желе | /ʒɛlˈɛ/ | jelly | noun | с | |
| йогурт | /jˈɔɦurt/ | yogurt | noun | ч | |
| край | /kraj/ | edge, border, land | noun | ч | |
| ласкаво | /laskˈaʋɔ/ | kindly, warmly | adv | ||
| любов | /ljubˈɔʋ/ | love | noun | ж | |
| майонез | /majɔnˈɛz/ | mayonnaise | noun | ч | |
| мама | /mˈama/ | mother, mom | noun | ж | |
| побачення | /pɔbˈat͡ʃɛnnja/ | date, meeting | noun | с | |
| просити | /prɔsˈɪtɪ/ | to ask, to beg | verb | ||
| справа | /sprˈaʋa/ | matter, business, case | noun | ж | |
| україна | /ukraˈjina/ | Ukraine | noun | ж | |
| харків | /xˈarkiʋ/ | Kharkiv | noun | ч | |
| шоколад | /ʃɔkɔlˈad/ | chocolate | noun | ч | |
| європа | /jɛʋrˈɔpa/ | Europe | noun | ж | |
| їсти | /ˈjistɪ/ | to eat | verb |