A Better Ukranian Input Method
Duolingo needs a virtual keyboard input method like Google Translate has. After following that linked video (which was apparently made for a Surface tablet), I got as far as switching my computer's input method to Ukranian. Since I don't have a Ukranian keyboard, that didn't work very well at all. I typed "tam" hoping for "там", and I got "ефь".
Here's a better solution (though still not great): Open a new tab for Google Translate with the source language set to Ukranian (https://translate.google.com/#uk/en/), click the "Select Input Tool" drop-down arrow, and choose the Ukranian keyboard. Then you can click it to type in your answer for Duolingo and copy and paste the result into your Duolingo tab.
Update: Google Input Tools is better still. It will save you from having to switch tabs and copy and paste. There is a Chrome extension and a stand-alone application for Windows: http://www.google.com/inputtools/
15 Comments
When I heard Ukrainian was coming out, I used this touch typing site to learn the keyboard layout and how to type in Cyrillic. Now I just need to stop getting distracted by my Norwegian tree and put my new skills to good use.
2020
I have been looking for something like this ever since I started learning Russian. Thank you!
I used to think like you. When I first started Ukrainian on Duolingo (being a total beginner, of course), I totally abhorred the concept of having to learn a new keyboard. I don't have a Ukrainian keyboard either, but I got around it. Here's how:
I used the Ukrainian keyboard on Windows 7 (via alt+shift) and learned the keyboard. I'm still at a low level and not too good at it yet, but I'm definitely making headway. My advice would be to just learn the keyboard. If you really want to learn Ukrainian, then you'll just have to learn it eventually anyway, so why not start now while you're still new. It'll make typing in Ukrainian easier, because you won't have to type in Google Translate, ctrl+c, and ctrl+v everything all the time.
Just jump into the deep end and give it a go. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but it WILL be worth it if you stick to it.
P.S. If you go for it, then great! My advice to you is to open up a picture where all of the letters are on the keyboard on a separate tab, and go off of that when you first start. Eventually, you won't need it anymore! :)
You mean just learn to type on my QWERTY keyboard and have Cyrillic come out? That's not going to happen. I don't even touch-type in English. I'd go for a more permanent solution (like attaching stickers to my keys), but really I'm just messing around in Ukrainian. I study every language course that comes out on Duolingo. I do hope Duolingo gets a virtual keyboard working for dabblers like me who want to hop around freely from course to course.
I am sure they will add this feature eventually. This course is still in beta, so they expect the people using it to really be into learning the language, and will get a keyboard, learn the qwerty keyboard inputs, or keep the On-Screen Keyboard option on (This is what I would recommend for you!!). They will probably have a virtual keyboard by the time it goes to phase 3. You can turn off the typing input setting for Ukrainian in the meantime to lessen the frustration.
To clarify Euglots previous post- you can download the Ukrainian keyboard and instead of memorizing it keep the On-Screen Keyboard on.
Thanks, this makes sense. It seems to me that some sort of virtual keyboard is needed for quick switching between English and Ukrainian input, especially if you like to do timed practice. I've been wondering how they'd handle this problem for a while. Still wondering, really.
I agree. I've found it a bit annoying having to switch keyboards from English to Ukrainian so often. But I wrote (would have typed if my printer was working) out qwerty with the Ukrainian letters on top of each row and just refer to that as I'm typing. I'm starting to get to know where the letters are and reckon I'll be able to go a lot faster the more I practise.
I'm using Google Input Tools, which is a Chrome browser extension and it'll show the keyboard. At first, I was using the Belorussian keyboard without realizing it, till I had to type a certain letter and couldn't find it on the keyboard. Now I know which is the Ukrainian keyboard.
This is pretty nice. There is a stand-alone Windows version too. For those of us that don't want to invest the time in touch-typing a new keyboard layout just yet. Have some lingots!
I use the keyboard layout linked to in this thread https://www.duolingo.com/comment/7669787.
It's really intuitive and easy to use.
Don't know if this'll be helpful, but here's an online version: http://www.101languages.net/ukrainian/keyboard/
