10 Beginner Ukulele Chords Every Ukulele Player Needs to Know

If you just started playing ukulele, then you need to know these beginner ukulele chords.

It’s just a matter of time before you’re learning a song with these chords.

Believe it or not, in the free 14-video lesson course Learn to Play Ukulele Today, I teach you how to play four distinct songs using just four of these essential ukulele chords.

In this lesson, learn the ten most important ukulele chords every complete beginner needs to know. It’s not an exaggeration to say these chords are used to play hundreds of songs, so if you know these, you’re well on your way to making music! Watch the video to get tips and tricks on how to play these chords.

Keep reading for the chord diagrams.

Beginner Ukulele Chord #1: C Major

The first chord you need to know is the C major chord.

Major chords are the most common quality of chords and are often associated with a “happy” or “upbeat” mood.

To play a C major chord, place the ring finger on the 3rd fret of the bottom A-string. Let the top three strings ring open.

Beginner Ukulele Chord #2: Am

The next chord is an Am chord, said A minor.

Chord letters followed by a lowercase m are considered minor chords. Minor chords are the second most common chord quality and are often associated with a “sad” mood when compared to a major chord.

To play an Am chord, place the middle finger on the 2nd fret of the top g-string. Let the bottom three strings ring open.

Beginner Ukulele Chord #3: F Major

Next, learn an F major chord.

To play an F major chord, place the middle finger on the 2nd fret of the top g-string and the index finger on the 1st fret of the E-string. Let the other strings ring open.

Pro Tip: When switching from an Am to F chord, keep the position of the Am chord the same and simply place the index finger for the F chord. Always try to find common relationships between chords as a ukulele player.

Beginner Ukulele Chord #4: G Major

Check out the G major chord.

To play a G major chord, place the index finger on the 2nd fret of the C-string, ring finger on the 3rd fret of the E-string, and middle finger on the 2nd fret of the bottom A-string. Let the top g-string ring open.

Beginner Ukulele Chord #5: Dm

Here we have another minor chord – the Dm chord.

To play a Dm chord, place the middle finger on the 2nd fret of the top g-string, ring finger on the 2nd fret of the C-string, and index finger on the 1st fret of the E-string. Let the bottom A-string ring open.

Pro Tip: Make sure the middle finger is laying right on top of the ring finger to fit all your fingers between the frets. Be sure to watch the video above to see an example of what I mean.

Beginner Ukulele Chord #6: A Major

Alright, we’re half way through these ten must-know beginner ukulele chords.

Great work!

It’s time to learn the A major chord.

To play an A major chord, place the middle finger on the 2nd fret of the top g-string and index finger on the 1st fret of the C-string. Let the bottom two strings ring open.

Beginner Ukulele Chord #7: A7

So far you’ve learned major and minor chords. Now it’s time to learn a dominant seventh chord called A7 – said A seventh or A seven – as indicated by the number 7 that follows the chord letter.

Dominant seventh chords have a country, jazzy, or bluesy sound to them, which gives them character and a distinct sound.

To play an A7 chord, place the index finger on the 1st fret of the C-string. Let the other three strings ring open.

Beginner Ukulele Chord #8: E7

Here’s another dominant seventh chord for you to learn – the E7.

To play an E7 chord, place the index finger on the 1st fret of the top g-string, middle finger on the 2nd fret of the C-string, and ring finger on the 2nd fret of the bottom A-string. Let the E-string ring open.

Beginner Ukulele Chord #9: D Major

Now it’s time to learn the D major chord.

This chord isn’t as easy to play as the previous chords but it’s an essential, must-know chord that is well worth the practice since it shows up in so many popular songs. In the video, I give you a couple variations on how to play this chord depending on your finger flexibility and size.

To play a D major chord, barre or press down the index finger on the top three strings at the 2nd fret, bending the finger back slightly to allow the bottom A-string to ring out.

For me, I find that using the middle finger to barre the top three strings at the 2nd fret is more comfortable, so you may try that instead.

For those with smaller fingers, you may find this last variation to be easier to play, which is performed by placing the middle finger on the 2nd fret of the top g-string, ring finger on the 2nd fret of the C-string, and little finger on the 2nd fret of the E-string. Let the bottom A-string ring open.

Pro Tip: Don’t be discouraged if you have to work at this chord. Practice each variation to see which one works best for you. And be sure to watch the video for extra tips and tricks.

Beginner Ukulele Chord #10: D7

For the final must-know ukulele chord, we have the D7 chord.

This chord shape shows up in so many songs on ukulele, so you don’t want to overlook this important chord.

Like the previous chord, the D7 takes practice.

To play a D7 chord, barre or press down all four strings at the 2nd fret with the index finger and place the middle finger on the 3rd fret of the bottom A-string.

Alternatively, you can play the D7 in the easier “Hawaiian D7” variation. To do so, place the middle finger on the 2nd fret of the top g-string and ring finger on the 2nd fret of the E-string. Let the other two strings ring open.

You’ll want to practice both versions of the D7. I highly recommend the barre D7 chord shape since it opens up a world of chords for your ukulele playing if you can master that chord. It’s not that the Hawaiian D7 is a bad chord, but there are some reasons why I’m not the biggest fan.