Learn Ukrainian
Мова -- душа народу | Language is the soul of a nation
A free, open-source Ukrainian language course from A1 to C2, based on the Ukrainian State Standard 2024 and aligned with CEFR.
Start Learning
What is this?
A comprehensive Ukrainian language curriculum with 1,778 modules across 22 tracks:
- 6 core CEFR levels (A1 -- C2) covering grammar, vocabulary, and communication
- 16 specialization tracks -- history, biographies, literature, professional Ukrainian, folk culture, Old East Slavic, and Ruthenian
- Theory-first approach -- understand grammar deeply, not just memorize phrases
- Interactive exercises -- quizzes, matching, fill-in-the-blank, error correction
- Cultural context -- decolonization perspective, authentic Ukrainian sources
- 100% free -- no ads, no subscriptions, no paywalls
Tracks
Core Levels
| Level | Modules | Description |
|---|
| A1 | 55 | Beginner -- Cyrillic alphabet, basic grammar, practical scenarios |
| A2 | 69 | Elementary -- All 7 cases, aspect intro, practical scenarios |
| B1 | 94 | Intermediate -- Aspect mastery, motion verbs, communication |
| B2 | 93 | Upper-Intermediate -- Passive voice, registers, professional basics |
| C1 | 132 | Advanced -- Stylistics, literature, complex grammar |
| C2 | 110 | Mastery -- Native-level proficiency |
Specialization Tracks
| Track | Modules | Description |
|---|
| HIST | 140 | Ukrainian history from origins to present |
| ISTORIO | 136 | Advanced historiography -- primary sources, imperial mechanisms |
| BIO | 180 | Notable Ukrainians through history |
| LIT | 232 | Ukrainian classics and literary analysis |
| FOLK | 27 | Folk Culture -- music, crafts, traditions, mythology |
| OES | 102 | Old East Slavic -- historical linguistics (X--XIII century) |
| RUTH | 115 | Ruthenian -- Middle Ukrainian (XIV--XVIII century) |
Literature Sub-tracks
| Track | Modules | Theme |
|---|
| LIT-ESSAY | 63 | Polemics, philosophy, and political thought |
| LIT-WAR | 29 | Literature of resistance (1914 -- present) |
| LIT-FANTASTIKA | 25 | Ukrainian Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Chimaera |
| LIT-YOUTH | 32 | Children's & Young Adult literature |
| LIT-DRAMA | 17 | Modern stage and dramatic tradition |
| LIT-HUMOR | 14 | Satire, irony, and the Ukrainian comic tradition |
| LIT-HIST-FIC | 23 | Historical fiction and reimagining the past |
Why Learn Ukrainian?
- 45 million speakers worldwide
- Rich literary tradition -- Shevchenko, Franko, Lesya Ukrainka
- Unique grammar -- 7 cases, verbal aspect, motion verb system
- Growing global interest -- solidarity with Ukraine
Getting Started
Online (Recommended)
Visit learn-ukrainian.github.io and start with A1.
Local Development
git clone https://github.com/learn-ukrainian/learn-ukrainian.github.io.git
cd learn-ukrainian.github.io
npm install
# Start the website (Astro Starlight)
npm run dev:starlight
# Opens at http://localhost:4321/
Requirements: Node.js 20+, Python 3.12.15 (for build scripts and audits)
Project Structure
learn-ukrainian/
├── curriculum/l2-uk-en/ # Source curriculum
│ ├── plans/{track}/ # Module plans (source of truth)
│ ├── {track}/ # Content, activities, vocabulary
│ │ ├── meta/ # Build configuration
│ │ ├── activities/ # Interactive exercises (YAML)
│ │ ├── vocabulary/ # Vocabulary lists (YAML)
│ │ ├── research/ # Research notes (seminar tracks)
│ │ └── status/ # Audit results (auto-generated)
│ └── curriculum.yaml # Module manifest
├── dashboards/ # Static analysis & progress dashboards
├── starlight/ # Website (Astro Starlight)
│ └── src/content/docs/ # Published module pages (MDX)
├── scripts/ # Build tools, audits, batch processing
├── schemas/ # JSON Schema for YAML validation
└── docs/ # Architecture docs, best practices
Standards & Quality
- CEFR-aligned -- Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
- Ukrainian State Standard 2024 -- Official language proficiency requirements
- Automated audits -- every module checked for word count, vocabulary, activities, naturalness
- Cross-agent review -- AI-assisted build pipeline with adversarial quality gates
Quick Start (Developers)
Want to run the build pipeline locally or contribute code? The full guide is
in CONTRIBUTING.md. The short version:
# 1. Python environment — pyenv + 3.12.15 with sqlite extensions
PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS="--enable-loadable-sqlite-extensions" pyenv install 3.12.15
pyenv local 3.12.15
python -m venv .venv
.venv/bin/pip install -r requirements.txt
# 2. Frontend
cd starlight && npm install && cd ..
# 3. Services (Sources 8766, Monitor 8765, Astro 4321, private Work 8769)
./services.sh start
./services.sh status
# Work adapter diagnostics: ./services.sh status work && ./services.sh logs work
# 4. Pre-commit hooks — mirror CI locally
pip install pre-commit && pre-commit install
# 5. Build a module
.venv/bin/python scripts/build/v6_build.py a1 2 --writer gemini
# 6. Audit a module
.venv/bin/python scripts/audit_module.py curriculum/l2-uk-en/a1/sounds-letters-and-hello.md
# 7. Tests
.venv/bin/pytest tests/ -q
All work happens on main — no feature branches. Use git worktree for
isolation when needed. Read CLAUDE.md + docs/best-practices/ before
touching pipeline code.
Back up gitignored epic handoffs/plans, local fleet state, SQLite databases,
and BGE-M3 dense embedding shards as encrypted, versioned restic snapshots:
./scripts/backup-data.sh doctor
./scripts/backup-data.sh backup # preview
./scripts/backup-data.sh backup --execute # create a snapshot
The backup uses an rclone remote without writing through the Google Drive
Desktop mount. Setup, verification, and staging-only restore instructions are
in docs/runbooks/data-backup.md.
Contributing
We welcome contributions! See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.
Areas where help is especially welcome:
- Native speaker review of Ukrainian text
- Activity design and testing
- Bug reports and content corrections
- Pipeline tooling (Python) — see open issues tagged
infrastructure
License
Content (curriculum, wiki, exercises, plans) is
CC BY-SA 4.0 — free to share and adapt.
Code (scripts, build tooling, Starlight components) is MIT — free
to use, modify, and distribute.
Слава Україні! 🇺🇦
Star us on GitHub to support Ukrainian language education.
