How to pronounce Ukrainian
Say it like yoo-KRAY-nee-un. Ukrainian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KRAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Ukrainian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- yoo
- KRAY
- nee
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ukrainian pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- yooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- KRAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- neeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Ukrainian
American and British speakers say Ukrainian in essentially the same way: /juˈkreɪniən/ in the US and /juːˈkreɪniən/ in the UK.
British respelling: yoo-KRAY-nee-un.
What does Ukrainian mean?
- the Slavic language spoken in the Ukraine
- of or relating to or characteristic of Ukraine or its people or culture
Words that rhyme with Ukrainian
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Ukrainian.
Questions about saying Ukrainian
How do you pronounce Ukrainian?
Say yoo-KRAY-nee-un. The American pronunciation is /juˈkreɪniən/. In British English it is /juːˈkreɪniən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Ukrainian?
Ukrainian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KRAY). Broken into parts: yoo · KRAY · nee · un.
Do Americans and Brits say Ukrainian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /juˈkreɪniən/ and the British form is /juːˈkreɪniən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.