How to Type Ukrainian Letters on a Computer

Ukrainian uses the Cyrillic alphabet, but several letters are different from Russian and other Cyrillic languages. You can type Ukrainian by adding a system keyboard, using an online keyboard for short tasks, or carefully entering the letters one by one.

Things You’ll Need

• A computer, tablet, or phone
• A text editor or form
• An internet connection if you use an online keyboard

Steps

1. Decide whether you need a temporary or permanent keyboard.

If you write Ukrainian regularly, install the Ukrainian keyboard layout on your device. If you only need to type a name, greeting, address, or short message, an online keyboard may be quicker.

1. Open an online Ukrainian keyboard.

Go to the Ukrainian keyboard. You can type with your physical keyboard or click the letters on the on-screen layout. This is useful when you do not want to change your computer’s system settings.

1. Learn the Ukrainian letters that are easy to confuse.

Pay special attention to these letters:

• Ґ and ґ
• Є and є
• І and і
• Ї and ї

Ukrainian also uses Ь and ь, as well as punctuation and symbols such as ₴, №, «, and ».

1. Type the text and check each special character.

Compare the text with the original spelling. Do not assume that a Russian or general Cyrillic keyboard will produce the correct Ukrainian letters. A single incorrect character can change a name or make a word look wrong.

1. Copy the finished text as Unicode.

Select the text after checking it, then copy it into your document, message, email, or form. Paste it into the final destination and confirm that the letters still display correctly.

1. Install a permanent Ukrainian layout if you type often.

For regular writing, add Ukrainian in your device’s keyboard or language settings. A permanent layout is more convenient for long documents, while an online keyboard is often sufficient for occasional text.

Tips

• Ukrainian and Russian Cyrillic layouts are not identical.
• Check і, и, ї, є, е, ґ, and г carefully.
• If you use transliteration, review the result against the original Ukrainian spelling.
• Use a font with good Cyrillic support when preparing documents for other people.

Warnings

• Transliteration can produce a readable approximation, but it does not always prove the correct pronunciation or spelling.
• An online keyboard is convenient for short tasks, but frequent Ukrainian writers may prefer a full system input method.