Ukrainian

A language of Ukraine

українська мова‎ (Ukrayins’ka mova)

30,800,000 in Ukraine (2016), all users. L1 users: 25,000,000 (2016). Ethnic population: 34,400,000 (2016). Total users in all countries: 33,230,530 (as L1: 27,430,530; as L2: 5,800,000).

Language Maps

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia

Ukraine

Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1996, Constitution, Article 10).

Classification

Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East

Dialects

North Ukrainian dialect group, Southwest Ukrainian dialect group, Southeast Ukrainian dialect group. North Ukrainian dialect group: Eastern Polissian, Central Polissian, and Western Polissian dialects; Southeast Ukrainian dialect group: Middle Dnieprian, Slobozhan, and Steppe dialects; Southwest Ukrainian dialect group: Boyko, Hutsul, Lemko, Podilian, Pokuttia-Bukovina, Transcarpathian, Upper Dniestrian, Upper Sannian, and Volhynian dialects.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; noun head final; gender (masculine/feminine/neuter); no articles; case-marking (7 cases); verb affixes mark person, number; passives; tense and aspect; comparatives; 32 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes; non-tonal; free stress.

Language Development

Taught in all primary and secondary schools. Taught in most tertiary schools. Fully developed. Bible: 1903–2020.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Ukrainian

Writing

Cyrillic script [Cyrl]. Latin script [Latn], used in the 19th century, limited usage.

Other Comments

Christian.

Also spoken in:

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Argentina

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

31,000 in Argentina (2018), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Australia

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

7,680 in Australia (2016 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Azerbaijan

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

21,000 in Azerbaijan (2011 UNSD).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Belarus

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

6,300 in Belarus (2011 census). Most Ukrainians in Belarus speak Russian [rus] as their L1. Ethnic population: 159,000 (2009 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Bosnia and Herzegovina

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

1,800 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014 J. Leclerc).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Brazil

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

34,000 in Brazil (2021 Joshua Project). Ethnic population: 500,000 (2015).

Location

Paraná state.

Language Status

4 (Educational).

Language Use

The language is being passed on from the grandparent generation to children and grandchildren. Home; community; church services; education. All also use Portuguese [por].

Language Development

Five Ukrainian language radio stations and a Ukrainian newspaper. Taught as subject in primary schools.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. First wave of immigrants arrived in the 1890s. Due to isolation from Ukraine, Brazilian Ukrainians speak a 100-year-old form of the Galician or Upper Dniestrian dialect. The Brazilian government offers students of Ukrainian heritage scholarships to study at universities in Ukraine. In 2021, Ukrainian became a co-official language of the municipality of Prudentópolis in Paraná state. Prudentópolis is the center of the Ukrainian community in Brazil. Christian.

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Bulgaria

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

1,760 in Bulgaria (2011 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Canada

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

102,000 in Canada (2016 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Croatia

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

1,010 in Croatia (2011 census). Ethnic population: 1,880 (2011 census).

Location

Vukovar-Syrmia and Zagreb City.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2002, Constitutional Law on the Rights of Minorities, Article 15).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Czechia

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

48,300 in Czechia (2011 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Denmark

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

12,100 in Denmark (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Estonia

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

8,010 in Estonia (2013 UNSD). Ethnic population: 22,300 (2011 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Finland

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

4,410 in Finland (2018 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Georgia

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

6,800 in Georgia (Leclerc 2015).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Germany

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

146,000 in Germany (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Greece

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

17,000 in Greece (2011 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Hungary

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

3,380 in Hungary (2011 census). Ethnic population: 5,630 (2011 census).

Location

Budapest and Pest counties.

Alternate Names

Ukrán

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Israel

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

8,000 in Israel (Leclerc 2018a).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Italy

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

120,000 in Italy (2012 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Kazakhstan

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

52,500 in Kazakhstan (2009 census). Ethnic population: 333,000 (2009 census).

Location

Akmola, Aktobe, Kostanay, North Kazakhstan, Pavlodar, and West Kazakhstan regions.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Language Development

Found in minority schools.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Kyrgyzstan

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

5,400 in Kyrgyzstan (2009 census). Ethnic population: 21,900 (2009 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Latvia

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

42,300 in Latvia (2018).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Lithuania

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

5,340 in Lithuania (2014 UNSD). Ethnic population: 20,200 (2015 census).

Location

Klaipedos county: Klaipeda City municipality; Utenos county: Visaginas municipality; Vilniaus county: Elektrenai, Šalčininkai, Švenčionys, and Vilnius City municipalities.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Moldova

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

107,000 in Moldova (2014 census). Ethnic population: 181,000 (2014 census).

Location

Briceni, Cimislia, Donduseni, Drochia, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Ocnita, Riscani, and Singerei districts.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2001, National Minority Law, Article 6(1)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Norway

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

7,240 in Norway (2021 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Poland

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

26,400 in Poland (2013 UNSD).

Location

Major cities.

Alternate Names

Ukraiński

Language Status

5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(2)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

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Portugal

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

39,500 in Portugal (2007 J. Leclerc).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Romania

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

48,900 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 50,900 (2011 census).

Location

Arad, Botosani, Caras-Severin, Maramures, Satu Mare, Suceava, and Timis counties; Tulcea county in southeast (Danube delta).

Alternate Names

Ucrainean

Language Status

5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2001, Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), others).

Language Development

Taught in a few primary and secondary schools, in minority language schools in Ukrainian-speaking areas.

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Russian Federation

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

1,130,000 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 1,930,000 (2010 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Serbia

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

8,100 in Serbia (Leclerc 2020c).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Slovakia

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

5,690 in Slovakia (2013 UNSD).

Location

Scattered, mainly in larger towns in eastern Slovakia.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Christian.

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Spain

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

111,000 in Spain (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Sweden

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

6,150 in Sweden (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Turkmenistan

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

22,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b), based on ethnicity.

Location

Ashgabat and other urban centers.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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United Kingdom

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

6,580 in United Kingdom (2011 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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United States

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

152,000 in United States (2015 census).

Location

Scattered.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Language Use

Many also use English [eng].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Uzbekistan

Language NameUkrainian

User Population

72,700 in Uzbekistan (2019).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Ukrainian

Primary tabs

A language of Ukraine

Also spoken in:

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