Guardian writer Charlotte Higgins reflects on learning Ukrainian amid war

What happened

The Guardian’s chief culture writer Charlotte Higgins reports on her personal experience learning Ukrainian following travels to Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict. She began weekly lessons in London with Olha Makar, originally from western Ukraine, who balanced teaching with assisting displaced teenagers.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure or battlefield claim should be read as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source. Higgins explains that unlike learning other languages that focus on practical phrases for travel and dining, her Ukrainian lessons were deeply marked by the context of war. She learned vocabulary related to drones, rockets, air raid alarms, and bomb shelters – terms that reflect the country’s current reality.

Her linguistic journey revealed the profound personal impact of the war on civilians. One phrase introduced by her teacher, meaning “Before the war, I lived in Kyiv. I love this place and I want to live there again,” encapsulates displacement, loss, and longing, conveying a sorrow embedded in everyday conversation.

Known from the source

• Charlotte Higgins is The Guardian’s chief culture writer.
• She began learning Ukrainian after visiting Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict.
• Her lessons were with Olha Makar, who lives in western Ukraine and also helps displaced teenagers.
• The war heavily influences current Ukrainian language, introducing terms related to military action and civilian defense.
• The phrase about living in Kyiv before the war reflects displacement and emotional impact on civilians.

What remains unclear

Four years into the conflict and multiple visits to Ukraine, Higgins emphasizes that language learning provided a lens into the resilience and struggles of Ukrainians, illustrating how the war shapes not only geopolitical developments but also cultural identity and personal narratives.

What remains unclear: Confirm that all direct quotations from Charlotte Higgins and Olha Makar are accurate from the source. Verify correct translation and context of the Ukrainian phrase cited. Confirm no additional details from the Guardian source about wider cultural or civilian impact are available. Check that the tone remains aligned with the Ukraine desk’s standards for conflict-sensitive reporting.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has treated the source material as confirmed within the supplied source context, while retaining attribution to the original publisher.

Original source: The Guardian Ukraine. Open the source.