- Forum >
- Topic: Russian >
- Russian Keyboard
Russian Keyboard
Duolingo English to Russian course needs a Russian keyboard feature
45 Comments
I would like to know why, after four years, this has not been changed? If a keyboard cannot be added, why not make it so that all lessons have the option to pick the words from a selection? I find it ironic that Duo is all about language accessibility, yet from the offset has rendered this course impossible to do on anything where you can't change keyboards?
My solution so far is to use Gboard in Android. Would so like to use a real keyboard however.
I hope you get an answer. I am still toggling happily though. Maybe they think that typing blind makes things 'stick' in brains more.
Would be nice if there was a virtual keyboard à la Google Translate, or even this Memrise Cyrillic course:
http://www.memrise.com/course/45001/the-russian-cyrillic-alphabet
Check the Cyrillic course out; it's not long. In any case, while DL is fixing the input functionality, you can type either the script letters or romanized Russian in Google Translate, then copy and paste the Cyrillic rendering.
Hey guys, if you would like to print this one out to keep by your computer or with you when you do your Russian lessons, I found a pretty decent sized one and created a thread about using it. I'll post the keyboard layout here and then the link to the thread right under it.
I agree. From the lesson interface, I infer that there is supposed to be some sort of built-in Russian keyboard feature, but it doesn't work for me. No matter whether I click the "switch alphabets" button before or after typing, my letters still appear only in English. I already know how to switch my own keyboard over to Russian on my own, but isn't there some Duo-internal method to do this?
I see, thank you cherub721! In that case, what is the "switch keyboards" button for?
The "switch" button let's you read Russian words in Cyrillic as well as romanized script.
2580
This add-on is very convenient and has phonetic typing. http://www.benya.com/transliterator/ You toggle on and off with F2.
I also agree. I move the slider to activate, but no Russian Keyboard appears. I want to use the Duolingo Schools version, but until this is fixed, it's not my "go to".
I have had my students add the Google Input Tools extension. Works well within Duolingo.
Thank you! So helpful. It made the Russian course much more bearable to use. I installed the phonetic version of the Russian keyboard (Русская клавиатура (фонетический)) to make it easier. Keyboard shortcut makes it very quick to switch keyboards in Chrome.
I agree with Duolingo needing a Russian keyboard. I always get the question wrong just because I don't have the correct keyboard.
I want to encourage the learners to learn to type blind, without sticking symbols on the key-board. By using a chart at first to locate the positions, I managed to type blind in 4 hours time. I did this by rewriting all sentences that I learn, immediately in a Word document after each sentence when they occur.
As with the English for Russian speakers course and the Ukrainian for English speakers course, you must use the software keyboard your Operating System provides (see this Wikia) or some add-on substitute.
I have to manually switch my keyboard back and forth between English and Russian, which makes this course a hassle.
If you use any foreign-language keyboard along with English that's what you have to do. What operating system (linux, Windows, Mac OS) do you use? Each operating system does this differently. (See this.)
You can set up hot keys to make the switch much easier--just a keystroke or two. For instance, to switch to English I hit CTRL-7 and to go to Russian CTRL-8. But I have more than 1 FL keyboard. With only 2 keyboards, total, you can just toggle from one to the other (the default on Windows is CTRL-spacebar, I think). Setting this up is not hard and REALLY worth it, as it makes switching between languages as easy as possible, and it's what you do to set up all other FL keyboards too.
So I'd say definitely go for it. No pain, no gain!
From a PC, go to the - settings (configuration panel in english ? ... sorry my PC is in french), - then languages, - change keyboards - a window opens, again : change keyboard - add - click on the + , at the language you wich (russian) - then keyboard - then "russian" - then OK - on the right, bottom of the screen, in the bar, you should find two letters, for example EN for english, or FR for french, or ES for spanish etc. CLick on, RU should appear, choose it, and your keyboard is in cyrillic !
That's gorgeous ! ... But now, you have to learn the cyrillic keyboard wich is completely different.
To begin by this is very hard. Duolingo should propose the ready words all the time, or the letters (as it is for all the special letters in other languages). At least, to the level 8-10.
good luck. Remember, russian is a very common language... you can probably find awesome methods at the library.
Fine if you are computer literate.... what if you are an IT moron like me ? Also keep getting things wrong because can't move on because of Latin based keyboard. Hate to say it but Babbel puts Cyrillic characters which you unscrabble to give an answer.
I still prefer this site as it is free and fun when you can give an answer. So as some of these posts go back a long time why no action on this common problem? It puzzles me why use keyboard/wordbank appear with some actions needing answers in Russian but not in all. It would help if they did.
I agree with you. What's more surprising is that it doesn't even seem to be available if you choose the paid version that they offer either.
Anyway, I'm really not sure what you're having difficulty with but I'm guessing that it's with transferring what you wrote from that site to this one. If that's the case then you need to learn how to "Copy and Paste" or "Select All and Paste"
I'll try to explain the process. You should be able to click your mouse on either the left or the right side, depending on which finger you use.
Assuming you're right handed... Just make sure you are placing your hand on your mouse so that your index finger is on the top left side of the mouse and your second finger is on top of the right side.
Go to the website: https://www.branah.com/russian as you normally would and with your hand in the position I described use your index finger to Left click on each letter you need.
The letters you select will start appearing in the text box above the keyboard. Just keep doing this using the letters, space and backspace as needed until you are done. Next...
Keeping your mouse in the text box - use your second finger to click the Right side of your mouse. When you do that you should see a list of options appear for you to choose from... Undo Cut Copy Paste Delete Select All etc...
Now use your mouse to Left click the "Select All" option. When you do that all the words you've typed in the text box should become highlighted.
Now keeping your mouse in the text box do a Right click again. (The same options will come up each time you use the right click option.)
But this time Left click the word "Cut" and the words you had "typed" should disappear.
It's "as if" you now have the words that you "Cut" inside of your mouse and can now carry them with you back over to the Duolingo site and use them for your answer.
So bring them over by going back to the Duolingo page where you want to type your answer and place your mouse in the dialog box. (I'm assuming that you know how to go back and forth between different site pages. If not let me know)
Now that back the first thing you do is Left click your mouse. Even if you don;t see anything happen you need to do this to "let the mouse know where you are".
Next Right click the mouse to again have the list of options appear.
Left click on the word "Paste".
Voilà
The words that you "Cut" from the other website should now appear here at Duolingo.
Some other things...
I wouldn't worry about using capital letters or punctuation marks. I don't use them and the answers I give are graded as correct just the same. (For me it's a waste of time to have to use the "shift" and punctuation keys).
You can choose "Copy" instead of "Cut" if you want what you typed to remain in the box and you'll still be able to bring what you wrote over to the Duolingo (or anywhere else).
I'm not very computer literate myself but I do know just from playing around that there's other stuff you can do like double clicking on the left side of the mouse quickly in order to highlight one word or quickly triple click to highlight entire sections instead of using the "Select All" function and you might want to try that sometime in the future.
I hope this works for you.
Thanks I have actually managed as I played about with setting and there was an 'add keyboard' so I tried it and I can now toggle between English and Russian. I am still a idiot though where IT is concerned. My tablet isn't very well at the moment either but I can now progress . Thanks again спаснбо Charles
Okay, great, but now you have me curious. Where is the "add keyboard" option located? That sounds better than what I'm working with. Thanks.
Hi Again. On my HP 7Stream tablet I went to settings, then time and date menu , chose Time and Language, then Country or Region, then clicked on +'. Add a Language'. From the long list of countries I chose Russia , clicked the straight forward Russian and the Russian typewriter keyboard options and Hey Presto... I can toggle! I haven't tried on either of my laptops yet but intend to. Let me know if you manage.
I've done that but toggling between the two keyboards on my laptop isn't an option. Anyway it's good to know so I can look for it on my next purchase. Thanks.
Como se puede instalar en el ordenador el alfabeto ruso ? Muchas gracias.
I run both Windows and Linux computers. Adding a Russian keyboard is not too hard on Windows, but on Ubuntu 18.04, I tried a few solutions, all of which failed. Of course, GBoard on my Android phone works great (Russian phonetic is the easiest to learn IMHO). For the 'puters, I found the suggestion in the forums to use the browser extension DuoKeyboard. It's a little odd to set up, but easy to do and once done it detects (99% of the time), which language is required for a particular exercise, pops up a virtual keyboard image (so not key stickers required) and handles the typing flawlessly. This way, I get a keyboard right in the lesson and across all platforms.
- 374
I absolutely agree - having read how to get a russian keyboard I am seriously wondering if I will ever even get to start the course! This sound a nightmare!
I joined this discussion last year and have since managed to add Cyrillic keyboard on my HP Tablet and a couple of laptops. If I can do it anyone can ! If you can find time and language all you do is go to add language and scroll to Russian click and follow the prompts. I toggle between Russian & English and don't find it too onerous. I am an IT idiot gener
Read my post from last year. I have since done the same on two laptops with Windows operating system & happily toggle between the two keyboards. It isn't onerous at all and I am an IT idiot general!y! So if I can do it so can anyone! GOOD LUCK.
The Russian keyboard works well on ipad, but many of the other learning features are absent.
I agree - duolingo needs to change lessons so we can do the lesson with our existing Keyboard!!
I remember contributing to this issue previously. It is possible to toggle between English and Cyrillic keyboards on Windows machines without too much bother See previous contribution. I expect it is still on nthis thread as most go on for years!
The Russian keyboard does need to be available otherwise it is impossible to write in Russian. I have restarted so many times.
IT IS POSSIBLE IF YOU HAVE A MACHINE WITH WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM... See my comment of 2 weeks ago, 2 months ago and another from 2019. Hope they help you.
Find it ! Have a look on google-search, find the best way regrarding the machine you use.
