# Russian/Ukrainian: Should I drop Ukrainian?



## GFGH22

Hey guys I'm new to the forum and excited to join!! 

But, I have a question that has been sitting in the back of my mind lately..

I love Slavic languages, all of them but my favorites are Russian and Ukrainian. So natuarlly I am learning both of them at one time. Though lately I have been wondering if I should stop learning ukrainian because I tend to mix them up and I have not been obtaining lots of Ukrainian any more. Though, I know that when you learn languages that you consistanly have barriers associated with it. But, I have a much better speaking, listening/ comprehension of Russian and it has much more speaker and oppurtunities to use it. I also know that if you had to choose the two closest languages in the slavic family it would be Ukrainian and Russian (right?). So i was thinking that if I drop Ukrainian and study Russian and once i get a better, more advanced hold on the language I should come back to Ukrainian and then learn it. Also wouldn't it be easier since I would already know Russian? So basically would it be the smarter choice to learn Russian and then come back to Ukrainain to save me time (will it save me time?) and grief?

Thanks for your help guys in advanced!!


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## Bazhena

I’d advise you to choose one of them for now. Like all related languages, they have many common things, many similar things, and many completely different things. And this fact makes things very difficult for foreign speakers. 
I picked up Ukrainian in October. Now I’ve finished the first declension and move to the second one. And we even haven’t studied verb forms yet! I see that some case endings are the same as in Russian, but others aren’t. Some Ukrainian words change stress in different grammar forms the same way their Russian equivalents do, but many don’t act the same way. 
Speaking these languages you should constantly keep in mind so many tiny details, that I guess that one can go crazy if s/he tries to begin studying Russian and Ukrainian at  the same time.
I think that you’d better pick one now, and when you remember its basic grammar well enough, I can start learning the second one. The knowledge of the first of the languages will help you to master the second quickly.
 
Good luck!


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## GFGH22

Thank you so much for your input! 

It is nice to here from a native person of one of the languages I am studying, and somebody with experiences in both Russian and Ukrainian. I had a feeling that it would be much more of a wise choice to put Ukrainian to rest for a while and come back when I can put more effort into it. 

Though one more question, when would be the right time to give Ukrainian another try? After having an advanced hold on Russian? Or once I have learned all the grammar? Also if you had to put a percent on it, how much of the vocabulary of Ukrainian is transparent to Russian??


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## Vladislav

Well, basically the difference between the Russian and the Ukrainian is the same as between Spanish and Italian. 

 A native Spanish-speaker could understand an Italian if he speaks very slowly and using an easy vocabulary. But in principal they're not the same altough many words are similar.

As for me, I would advise you to study Russian. If you go to Ukraine almost everybody will understand you. As well as if you go to the most part of the former Soviet Union and some other Eastern European countries. 

 Whereas Ukrainian is a language which even in Ukraine not everybody understands...you choose.


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## Anatoli

I would rate similarity between Russian and Ukrainian much higher  than Spanish and Italian. I am basing my observation on similarity of  most basic  words and  grammar.

If you are tempted to learn 2 languages I can't stop you but it is confusing to learn 2 very similar. Even if they were dissimilar, it's like learning 2 scientific subjects together - you devote more time to one than to another. Slavic languages are challenging, so it's better to make up your mind what you want to learn.

You can come back occasionally, sometimes contrasting grammars helps to memorise them. Everyone's different, I think, all depends on your self-discipline and motivations.


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## Vladislav

Well, Russian is my native language and Spanish is 99% my native language ... and I don't notice the difference between my comprehension of Italian (related to my Spanish) and Ukrainian (related to my Russian).


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## kpacotka

The other day, Babushka referred to my son as "dyetina" ... and I say " dyetina?" "ah... Dyetina, eta ribyonik." It's like that everyday at Babushka's. I should learn Ukrainian, but first I need to get better at Russian. LOL!


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## Etcetera

Vladislav said:


> If you go to Ukraine almost everybody will understand you. As well as if you go to the most part of the former Soviet Union and some other Eastern European countries.


Yes, Russian is quite wide-spread in these countries. 
In my opinion, it's better to study the language you have more opportunities to practise. Besides, there is much more literature in Russian.


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## Bonjour

I think Russian is more widespread and is a language of UN etc as opposed to Ukrainian+Ukrainians will usually understand Russian 

As smb already said-with Russian you'll have more opportunities in the world than with Ukrainian language


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## Natalya2006

I think you should focus on Russian first as it's a much wide spread language and if you ever go to Ukraine , people will understand you if you speak Russian and would speak Russian themselves. And as someone already mentioned, there is a lot of fantastic Russian literature to be read. Although there's also great Ukranian literature, you're likely to find Russian literature more available.
 In my family, my father speaks Russian to me while my mother speaks Ukranian and it might seem confusing, but I understand and can speak the two.The two languages are similar but Ukranian is softer while Russian is harder to the ear . Anyway both languages are very beautiful.


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