r/LearnUkrainian / Intermediate

Why does my speech sound 'Russianized' to my relatives?

Posted by u/Heritagelearner_749 / May 30, 2026

I’m a heritage speaker and I’ve been trying to reclaim my Ukrainian, but every time I visit my family in Lviv, they point out that my vocabulary uses Russian-influenced loanwords instead of the authentic Ukrainian equivalents. I want to sound more natural and less like I’m translating from Russian in my head. Does anyone know of a good way to practice avoiding these regional traps if I don't have time for a full immersion course?

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