Place the ukulele tab in front of you as you play the ukulele. The quickest way to learn to read tabs is to play along as you are learning to read.
Look at the four lines of the tab and at the four strings of the ukulele. The four lines represent the strings of the ukulele. Standard tuning for a ukulele is G-C-E-A. In the tab, the G is the bottom line and the A is the top line.
Think of the frets on the ukulele as numbers. The first fret is "1" and the second fret is "2" and so forth. Numbers on the tab represent the frets on ukulele. For example, a "3" on the bottom line tells you to play the third fret of the G string. A "2 " on the second line tells you to play the second fret of the E string.
Play a melody by following the series of numbers. Tabulature represents melodies by a series of successive number. Each number represents the actual note on the ukulele.
Learn to play chords and intervals by playing the numbers simultaneously. Intervals are two notes and chords are three or more notes. Tabulature represents intervals and chords by stacking the numbers on top of one another. For example, a G major chord is G-B-D. To play the chord in the first position on the ukulele the notes are the open G string (0 on the fourth line), D on third string (2 on the third line), G on the second string (3 on the second line) and B on the first string (2 on the first line),
Learn to read the more advanced symbols in tab. In addition to the fingerings for individual notes, intervals and chords, ukulele uses other symbols to indicate strumming patterns, time signatures and techniques such as hammer-ons and pull-offs.