Learn Ukrainian with music

Ukrainian music has become one of the most-shared cultural exports of the last few years, which means the songs are current and the vocabulary is alive rather than archival.

Watch for: the vocative case, and sounds that distinguish Ukrainian from Russian immediately.

1. 1Connect Spotify and press play on any Ukrainian track.
2. 2The lyric line lights up in time with the vocal, with the English right below it.
3. 3Tap a word to keep it. It lands in your vault for review later — the song never stops.

• Okean Elzy

  Clear, anthemic Ukrainian.

• Jerry Heil

  Modern spoken register.

• KAZKA

  Melodic, slow, easy to follow.

• Go_A

  Folk vocabulary with modern production.

• Christina Soloviy

  Careful diction, poetic lyrics.

A song repeats the same phrase four or five times and you don't mind. Melody carries the words into memory the way rote repetition never does, and because you chose the track, you'll play it again tomorrow.

Free: one language, 20 saved words, 3 songs a day.

Pro from $1.99/month: unlimited words and songs. Pro Unlimited adds every language.

Can I really learn Ukrainian from songs?

Not on its own — but as the listening and vocabulary half of your study it beats any app, because you repeat willingly. Singuistic adds the reading and review half.

Do I need Spotify Premium?

You need a Spotify account so we can read what's playing. Playback works with what your account already allows.

Which songs have synced lyrics?

Most popular tracks. When a song has no synced version we show the plain lyric, still translated.