Русская Азбука Learning To Read Russian The Russian Alphabet

(a) (a) The first group contains five letters which are easy to learn:

Capital Small Pronunciation

А а [a] as in father

К к [k] as in kangaroo

M м [m] as in man

О о [o] as in bottle - but note that in

unstressed syllables standard
Moscow pronunciation of o is
closer to [a]

Т т [t] as in tan

тóт [tot] that

кóт [kot] cat

так [tak] so

там [tam] there

ктó-то [któ-ta] someone (second o pronounced

[a] because it is unstressed). This
word has the same rhythm as
English ‘totter’ which is stressed
on the o.

(b) The second group contains seven letters which look like English ones but have different sounds:

Capital Small Pronunciation

В в [v] as in vet

Е е [ye] as in yes

Н н [n] as in never

Р р [r] as in error (rolled as in Scottish

English)

С с [s] as in sit

У у [oo] as in boot

Х х [h] pronounced like the ch in

German Bach

нет [nyet] no

Москвá [mask-vá] Moscow

метрó [mye-tró] metro, underground railway

óн [on] he
 онá [a-ná] she

сесрá [sye-strá] sister

ресторáн [rye-sta-rán] restaurant

Now try these ones, covering the pronunciation on the right:

Translation Pronunciation

сáхар sugar [sá-har]

вам to you [vam]

Вéра Vera [vyé-ra]

утро morning [o’o-tra]

Невá Neva [nye-vá] (river in St Petersburg)

кáсса cash dsk [ká-ssa]

кáрта map [kárt-ta]

мáрка postage stamp [már-ka]

(c) The third group contains thirteen letters which look unfamiliar but have familiar sounds:

Capital Small Pronunciation

Б б [b] as in bet

Г г [g] as in get

Д д [d] as in debt

Ё ё [yo] as in yonder. (Note: Russians

normally omit the two dots, so in
books, newspapers etc. this letter
looks the same as e [ye];
however, the dots are printed in
dictionaries and books for
foreigners)

З з [z] as in zoo

И и [ee] as in eel

Й й [y] as in boy; й forms diphthongs,

so óй sounds like [oy] in boy, ай
sounds like the high in sigh, уй
[ooi] sounds like the out in the
name Louis

Л л [l] as in people

П п [p] as in pet

Ф ф [f] as in fat
 Э э [e] as in fed

Ю ю [yoo] as in universe

Я я [ya] as in yak

мир [meer] peace, world

да [da] yes

футбóл [foot-ból] football

спасӣбo [spa-se’e-ba] thank you

до свидáния [da svee-dá-nee-ya] goodbye ( до has no stress, so is

pronounced [da])

Югослáвия [yoo-ga-slá-vee-ya] Yugoslavia

Алексáндр [a-lye-ksándr] Alexander

спӯтик [sp’ot-neek] sputnik, travelling companion

Владивосток [vla-dee-va-stóck] Vladivostok

Россйя [ra-sse’e-ya] Russia

Толстóй [tal-stóy] Tolstoi (author of War and Peace)

зимá [zee-má] winter

Белфáст [byel-fást] Belfast

ликёр [lee-kyór] liqueur (ë always carries the

stress, so there is no need to print
the ‘ mark on the ë)

я знáю [ya zná-yoo] I know

Аэрофлóт [a-e-ra-flót] Aeroflot (the Russian Airline)

самолёт [sa-ma-lyót] aeroplane

бойкóт [bay-kót] boycott

парк [park] park

киóск [kee-ósk] kiosk

Байкáл [bay-kál] Baikal (lake in Siberia)

телефóн [tye-lye-fón] telephone

Прáвда [práv-da] Pravda (= truth)

(d) The last group contains eight letters which take longer to learn:

Capital Small Pronunciation

Ж ж [zh] pronounced like the [s] in

pleasure
 Ц ц [ts] as in its

Ч ч [ch] as in church

Ш ш [sh] as in shut

Щ щ [shsh] as in Welsh sheep

Ъ ъ hard sign - this letter has no

sound of its own but represents a
very short pause

Ы ы [i] as in bit, but with the tongue tip

further back

Ь ь soft sign - [y] as in yet, but

pronounced simultaneously with
the letter before it - so нь sounds
like the [ny] in canyon. Try not to
separate the [y] from the
preceding letter, particularly at the
ends of words

журнáл [zhoor-nál] magazine

царéвич [ts-ryé-veech] son of the tsar

гостӣница [ga-ste’e-nee-tsa] hotel

чай [chay] tea

дрӯжба [dro’ozh-ba] friendship

щи [shshee] cabbage soup

бóрщ [borshsh] beetroot soup

шампáнское [sham-pán-ska-ye] champagne, sparkling wine