You understand more than you think
Most Russian speakers understand everyday Ukrainian almost immediately. We build on that instead of starting with the alphabet.
Switching from Russian to Ukrainian
If you grew up speaking Russian and want to switch to Ukrainian — at work, at home or in your own head — you're not starting from zero. You already understand a lot. My Ukrainian lessons for Russian speakers help you actually speak it: naturally, correctly, and without feeling that everyone is waiting for a mistake.
Why a separate approach
The languages are close enough to feel easy and different enough to catch you out. That's why switching needs its own plan.
Most Russian speakers understand everyday Ukrainian almost immediately. We build on that instead of starting with the alphabet.
Calques, false friends and surzhyk feel natural because they sound almost right. We learn to notice them — and replace them.
Switching is about practice in a safe place. We speak Ukrainian from the first minute, at a pace that feels comfortable.
Ukrainian vs Russian
These aren't signs of a poor education — they're what happens when two close languages meet. Once you see them, they're easy to fix.
Russian words and endings slipping into Ukrainian sentences, often without noticing.
Я не понімаюЯ не розумію
Phrases translated word for word from Russian that sound almost right — but aren't.
приймати участьбрати участь
Words that exist in both languages with different meanings: «неділя» is Sunday, not a week; «час» is time, not an hour.
Побачимося через неділюПобачимося через тиждень
Ukrainian has a special form for addressing people, and it's the first thing native speakers notice.
Олена, привіт!Олено, привіт!
«и» isn't «ы», «г» is soft and breathy, «в» at the end of a word sounds close to a short «у», and «щ» is «шч». Small things that make you sound natural.
Switching in real life
Meetings, emails, calls and presentations — we start with the vocabulary you need most often.
Speaking Ukrainian with your children or partner, reading together, answering the questions kids ask.
Thinking, counting and texting in Ukrainian — the last step, and the one that makes the switch feel like yours.
If you need the state language proficiency exam, we can add exam practice to your plan.
Prices
Begin with a 30-minute trial for €15. For switching, the 5-lesson pack works well: €24 per lesson (20% off) and five focused sessions on the traps that matter most for you.
€15
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€24 per lesson · save 20%
Student reviews
I've been taking weekly Ukrainian conversation practice lessons with Alina for several months now and have seen a real improvement in my conversation skills. She clearly takes an interest in her students and is excellent at guiding a conversation to help a student produce output and be creative with the language. Highly recommend!
I worked more on endings of words, which were quite difficult, but getting the hang of it, also working on adjectives in different cases!
Alina is very patient and encouraging, and quite flexible in adapting material to the lessons as we go along, and in sensing what would be good exercises for the next lesson. (We are focusing on the cases, several lessons for each case.)
Good questions
Not at all. You already understand most of what you hear, and that's a huge head start. What's left is speaking practice and learning to notice the Russian habits — both are very doable at any age.
Completely. Many people feel that way, and that's exactly why these lessons are a calm, private space. No one is judging you here — mistakes are simply the material we work with.
Surzhyk is a mix of Ukrainian and Russian. It isn't a crime, but if you want to speak clean Ukrainian, it helps to know where it creeps in. We learn to notice it and replace it with natural Ukrainian words.
It depends on how much Ukrainian you already hear and how often you speak. The five-lesson pack is a good start: by the end you'll know your own typical mistakes and how to fix them.
In Ukrainian from the start, at a pace that's comfortable for you. If a rule needs explaining, I can switch to Russian for a moment — whatever helps you move forward.
Keep exploring
Своя мова
Lessons are arranged on Instagram: message me, and we'll begin with a 30-minute trial (€15) to talk about where you want to use Ukrainian and make a calm, realistic plan.