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Russian vs Ukrainian: which should you learn?

A side-by-side comparison of Russian and Ukrainian: how hard each is, how long it takes, where you can use it and who each suits.

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Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team

Russian vs Ukrainian at a glance

Russian compared with Ukrainian
FeatureRussianUkrainian
Written inCyrillicCyrillic
Difficulty for English speakersHarderHarder
Hours to working proficiencyabout 1,100about 1,100
Time at 15 minutes a day12.1 years12.1 years
Time at 30 minutes a day6 years6 years
Time at 1 hour a day3 years3 years
HelloЗдравствуйтеПривіт
Thank youСпасибоДякую

Estimates for a native English speaker, following the US Foreign Service Institute’s groupings. Languages the Institute does not rank are placed beside their closest relatives. Your own pace will differ.

Choose Russian if...

  • You want reach across a large region and a start on other Slavic languages.
  • You will use it in Russia and much of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Watch out for: cases and verb aspect, though the alphabet takes only days.

Choose Ukrainian if...

  • You want a fast-growing community of learners and a base for reading other Slavic languages.
  • You will use it in Ukraine.

Watch out for: cases and the Cyrillic alphabet, which is quick to learn.

Pronunciation and grammar: what to expect

Russian. Takes time. The alphabet is a weekend job. Cases and verb forms are the long part, which is why short, whole sentences work better than lists of endings.

Ukrainian. cases and the Cyrillic alphabet, which is quick to learn

In both, the quickest fix for pronunciation is the same: hear a whole sentence, say it out loud and check how close you were. That is the loop 4ToSpeak runs on every sentence.

Which first, Russian or Ukrainian?

Russian and Ukrainian are close relatives, so a lot carries over. Learn one, and the second takes noticeably fewer hours than starting from scratch. Start with whichever you will use sooner.

If you cannot decide, start both for a week at 15 minutes a day. After seven days you will know which one you look forward to, and motivation matters more than the difference in hours.

Start Russian or start Ukrainian, both free with no card.

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FAQ

Questions, answered

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Is Russian or Ukrainian easier to learn?

Russian and Ukrainian are a close call for English speakers: both take about 1,100 hours to reach working proficiency, so pick by where you will use it. Difficulty is for native English speakers and follows the US Foreign Service Institute's groupings.

Should I learn Russian or Ukrainian first?

Learn Russian first if you want reach across a large region and a start on other Slavic languages. Learn Ukrainian first if you want a fast-growing community of learners and a base for reading other Slavic languages. Russian and Ukrainian are close relatives, so a lot carries over. Learn one, and the second takes noticeably fewer hours than starting from scratch. Start with whichever you will use sooner.

Can I learn Russian and Ukrainian at the same time?

You can, but their similarity makes them easy to mix up. Most learners do better by getting Russian to a comfortable level first and then adding Ukrainian, which will feel much faster.

How long does it take to learn Russian compared with Ukrainian?

At 30 minutes a day, Russian takes about 6 years to reach working proficiency and Ukrainian about 6 years. Holding a first simple conversation takes far less in either.

Related guides

More on Russian and Ukrainian

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