This is the entire original poem of the national anthem. If you click on all the syllables from top to bottom, you will hear the entire national anthem spoken by Viktoria Terekhova (Вікторія Терехова - an Ukrainian refugee in the Netherlands) - a real native speaker. She gives accents of different pitches to the syllables, but you can ignore them, because those pitches are determined by my music.
With few exceptions, I followed the official transcription of the Cyrillic-Ukrainian alphabet.
Go through the complete list and explanations several times and your pronunciation will be perfect.
If there is nothing in the exemplification, I took it for granted.
This all gets a bit tight on your mobile, allthough the page adapts itself at the size of the screen. So I advise you to check this page on your computer/laptop.
Ukrainian | English | Prononciation | Exemplification |
---|---|---|---|
Ще | shtchè | Quickly say a "sh" of 'shower' then a "t" and again "sh" of ' shower' in succession with è of 'ever' | |
не | nè | A n followed by a 'è' from 'èver' | |
вмер-ла | vmèr-la | A "v" of variable followed by "mèrla" (together these are 2 syllables: vmèr-la) | |
У- | ou | The "U" of "Ubiquity" | |
кра-ї- | kra-yi- | "kra" followed by "yi" so 2 syllables: "kra" and "yi" |
|
ни | ny | a "n" then a "y" far back in the mouth - a bit like "n+y+j" in yearj | |
i | i | ||
сла- | sla- | ||
ва | va | ||
i | i | ||
во- | vo- | ||
ля | lia | sound not too clear, but it's really "l-i-a" | |
Ще | shtchè | Quickly say a "sh" of 'shower' then a "t" and again "sh" of ' shower' in succession with è of 'ever' | |
нам | nam | ||
бра- | bra- | the "a" is short as in absent | |
ття | tia | at the end of the "a" we already hear that the sound tends towards the "t" | |
мо- | mo- | with a slightly stretched "m" and a nice round "o" as in overly | |
ло- | lo- | ||
ді-ї | di-yi | these are 2 syllables: see the music - "di" and "yi" | |
у- | ou- | ||
сміх- | smikh- | "smi" with "kh" like in Geiger at the end | |
неть- | njetj- | "njetj" where the j at the end indicates a soft t. Also often rendered with an apostrophe | |
cя | sia | don't pay attention to the tone | |
до- | do- | ||
ля | lia | ||
Зги- | zgi- | A "z" of zap, a "g" of garage and a ea of each, one after the other in succession | |
нуть | nutj | A "n", a "u" as in umber and a soft t in succession | |
нa- | na- | ||
ші | shi | A "sh" as in shower and an "i" | |
во- | vo- | A "v" and an "o" as in other | |
рі- | ri- | Note the melodic character of the "i" - not useful for the music | |
жень- | zhenj- | a "z" (not s!) followed by "je" then a "n" with a "j" (hence a soft n) | |
ки | ky | the "k" is easy, but not this "y": say a "i" articulating back in the mouth - sounds a bit like Yiddish | |
як | yak | ||
ро- | ro- | make it a nice round 'o' | |
са | sa | with a sharp 's' | |
на | na | ||
сон- | son- | ||
ці | tsi | ||
За- | za- | ||
па- | pa- | ||
ну- | nu- | ||
єм | yem | ||
і | i | ||
ми | my | the "m" followed by a "i" articulated at the very back of the mouth - looks a bit like Yiddish (see also 'ky' above) | |
бра- | bra- | at the end of the "a" we already hear that it tends towards the "t" | |
ття | tya | the "a" is short as in abbey | |
у | u | ||
свої- | svoyi- | ||
й | y | ||
сто- | sto- | ||
рон- | ron- | ||
ці- | tsi- | ||
Дy- шу(-) й |
Du- shu(-) y |
|
Something special is going on with this word ('Du+shu+y'): normally the word is pronounced directly with the last syllable "i" attached(i.e. "taped" together). I used it in two forms: attached and detached. That way you get Dushuy or Dushu and yè afterwards. |
ті- | ti- | ||
ло- | lo- | ||
ми | my | the "m" with the famous "y" at the back of the mouth (see above) | |
по- | po- | with a round "o" | |
ло- | lo- | with a round "o" | |
жим | zhym | "zh" followed by the famous "y" at the back of the mouth - and then a 'm' | |
за | za | ||
на- | na- | ||
шу | sju | ||
сво- | svo- | ||
бо- | bo- | ||
ду | du | ||
І | i | A slightly elongated "i" | |
по- | po- | ||
ка- | ka- | ||
жем | zhem | A "zh" with a 'è' - and a 'm' | |
що | shtcho | Quickly say a "sh" of 'shower' then a "t" and again "sh" of ' shower' in succession with o of 'offer' | |
ми | my | See above for this special "y" sound | |
бра- | bra- | At the end of the "a" you can already hear that it tends to the "t". | |
ття | tia | ||
ко- | ko- | A short "o" of offer | |
заць- | zatsj- | Remember: a 'z' at the beginning and not a 's' | |
ко- | ko- | le "o" est allongé | |
го | vo | The "o" is extended | |
ро- | ro- | The "o" is extended | |
ду | du |