Ukrainian apostrophe

The apostrophe in the Ukrainian language is used before the letters я, ю, є, ї, when they denote the combination of the consonant // with the vowels //, //, //, // after б, п, в, м, ф, р and any solid consonant ending in a prefix or the first part of a compound word.

General rules

The apostrophe is placed before я, ю, є, ї:

1. After the letters denoting the labial solid consonant sounds б, п, в, м, ф, if they are not preceded by another consonant (except р), which would belong to the root: , , , , , , , , , ; , , , , . If the consonant in front of the labial belongs to the prefix, then the apostrophe is also placed: , , , , , .
2. After a solid р at the end of the composition: , , , , , ; , , .
3. After к in the word and its derivatives: , , .
4. After prefixes and the first part of compound words ending in a solid consonant: , , , , , , , , , , , ; , , .

The apostrophe is not placed:

1. We do not write an apostrophe when there is another letter (except p) in front of the letter to denote the lip sound, which belongs to the root (base): , , , , , , , , ; but: , , , .
2. We do not write an apostrophe when ря, рю, рє mean a combination of soft р with the following а, у, е: , , , , , , , , .
3. After prefixes with a final consonant before the following і, е, а, о, у, we do not write the apostrophe: , , , , , .

• We write an apostrophe in words of foreign origin and derivatives before я, ю, є, ї, which denote the combination of the sound // with the following vowel:

1. After consonants б, п, в, м, ф, г, к, х, ж, ч, ш, р: б’єф, комп’ю́тер, п’єдеста́л, інтерв’ю́, прем’є́р, кар’є́ра; П’ємо́нт, П’яче́нца, Рив’є́ра, Ак’я́б, Іх’я́мас, Ях’я́; Барб’є́, Б’ю́кенен, Донаг’ю, Женев’є́ва, Ф’є́золе, Монтеск’є́, Руж’є́, Фур’є;
2. After the final consonant in the prefixes: ад'ютант, кон'юнктивіт, кон'юнктура, ін'єкція, диз’ю́нкція.

• The apostrophe is not spelled:

1. In front of the digraph йo: курйо́з, серйо́зний;
2. When я, ю denote the softening of the previous consonant before a, y: бязь, бюдже́т, бюро́, кюве́т, пюпі́тр, резюмé, мюри́д, фюзеля́ж, рюкза́к, рюш, Барбю́с, Бюффо́н, Вю́ртембергґ, Мю́ллер, Гюґо́, Рюдберґ.

Apostrophe in surnames

The apostrophe is written after the labial, velar and р before я, ю, є, ї: Аляб'єв, Ареф'єв, Водоп'янов, В'яльцева, Григор'єв, Захар'їн, Луб'янцев, Лук'янов, Пом'яловський, Прокоф'єв, Юр'єв; before йо the apostrophe is not written: Воробйов, Соловйов.

Note. When я, ю mean the combination of a softened consonant a, y, the apostrophe before them is not written: Бядуля, ', Рюмін.

The abbreviated particle "d" and the Irish particle "o" are written with proper names through an apostrophe: Д'Аламбер, Д'Артаньян, Д'Обіньє; О'Генрі, О'Кейсі, О'Коннейль.