Russian Keyboard
Duolingo English to Russian course needs a Russian keyboard feature
29 Comments
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?
1993
Duolingo doesn't have a built in keyboard for this or the Ukrainian course.
I see, thank you cherub721! In that case, what is the "switch keyboards" button for?
- 100
The "switch" button let's you read Russian words in Cyrillic as well as romanized script.
- 100
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.
- 1993
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.
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 with Duolingo needing a Russian keyboard. I always get the question wrong just because I don't have the correct keyboard.
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.
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.
I'm using this site for now: https://www.branah.com/russian You just have to cut and paste.
- 14
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.
- 14
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.
- 14
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.
