A Brief History

Ukrainian is an East Slavic language that traces its origins to the ancient state of Kievan Rus. Ukrainian is written in a form of the Cyrillic alphabet and is closely related to Polish, Belarusian, and Russian, though each language maintains distinct pronunciation, grammar, and lexicon. The Ukrainian language has persisted despite two bans by Imperial Russia and political persecution during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The language has survived thanks to the people of Ukraine and its rich cultural tradition of folklore, music, and poetry.

Fun Facts About the Language

  • The most used letter in the Ukrainian alphabet is P
  • There are 37 million native speakers across the globe
  • There are 1 million Ukrainians in the United States, with the largest communities living in California, New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania
  • The oldest mention of the Ukrainian language dates back to the year 858
  • Ukrainian is one of 50 languages to use the Cyrillic alphabet
  • Nouns can be given diminutive forms to convey endearment, size, familiarity, informality, and more

Famous Ukrainian Speakers

What Ukrainian Means to Me

The ability to navigate successfully across cultures is not a luxury; it is a necessity.