Dots, a small arc, and different vowels

One letter, two cases

Ukrainian uses 33 Cyrillic letters, read from left to right. Capitals start sentences and names. These lessons use upright print: handwriting and italics can look different. A letter name is a label; the sound cue tells you how to read it. The soft sign is a letter but has no sound of its own.

e

Е е makes e, approximately the vowel in bed. Є є is a different letter: compare the straight and curved left edges.

е

e

y

И и is approximately the vowel in bit, not ee. Compare И и with І і and Й й. The teaching label y names this vowel; it is not English y in yes.

и

y

i

І і makes ee, as in see. The lowercase has one dot; ї has two and adds a y sound.

і

i

yi

Ї ї makes yi: y as in yes followed by ee. Its two dots distinguish it from І і.

ї

yi

yot

Й й is the consonant y in yes. Look for the short curved mark above И и; it is not a vowel.

й

yot