How widely spoken is Russian in Ukraine?
Despite Ukrainian being the national language of Ukraine, Russian is also widely spoken. While 67.5\% of the population consider Ukrainian their national language, 29\% think of their mother tongue as Russian according to a poll from 2001.
Can Russian and Ukrainian people understand each other?
Russian is not mutually intelligible with Ukrainian or Belarusian. The only reason why Ukrainophone Ukrainians and Belarusophone Belarusians easily understand Russian is that they constantly hear and/or read it from the very childhood due to extreme level of Russification in Russian Empire and USSR times.
Is Russian difficult to learn?
Russian is widely believed to be one of the most difficult languages to learn. The need to learn the Russian alphabet serves as yet another obstacle for many people who would like to learn the language. They might be surprised to know that the Russian alphabet actually takes only about 10 hours to learn.
Is it difficult to speak Russian?
“How to speak Russian” – it’s a question I often hear from people who are interested in the Russian language. Since the Russian language is so different from the English language, it requires a different pronunciation. And this is often pretty difficult for a non native speaker. So, before we start, let me get one thing clear.
Is the Russian language spoken in Ukraine?
Yes. Russian is spoken in Ukraine as a first or a second language by almost everybody. Ukraine was a part of the Russian Empire and after that it was a part of the Soviet Union for more than two centuries.
Why did the Ukrainian language decline in Ukraine?
The Ukrainian language, despite official encouragement and government funding, like other regional languages, was often frowned upon or quietly discouraged, which led to a gradual decline in its usage.
What is the best way to learn Russian?
1 Focus on speaking first. Many people make the mistake of diving into the learning books first thing when they want to learn a language. 2 When you’re speaking simple phrases – add grammar. This one builds on the first rule. 3 Practice every day. 4 Find native speakers. 5 Immerse yourself in Russian media.