PRONUNCIATION
In the Russian language, there are consonant and vowel letters. Russian has five vowel sounds and ten vowel letters. Five of the letters are “hard” and the rests are “soft”. The one vowel sound in each word that is stressed receives special emphasis. As you speak Russian, try in the beginning to exaggerate your pronunciation.
Consonant Letters | ||
Russian
Letter |
Russian Sound | Example |
б | b as in bat | банк |
в | v as in vote | вот |
г | g as in go | гол |
д | d as in dog | да |
ж | zh as in azure | жена |
з | z as in zoo | за |
й | y as in boy | мой |
к | k as in kayak | касса |
л | l as in lot | лампа |
м | m as in mall | муж |
н | n as in note | нос |
п | p as in papa | парк |
р | r as in rabbit | рот |
с | s as in sun | суп |
т | t as in toe | такси |
ф | f as in fund | фунт |
х | ch as in bach, loch | ах |
ц | ts as in tsar | царь |
ч | ch as in cheap | чнтает |
ш | sh as in show | шапка |
щ | sh as in sheep | щн |
ъ | hard sign | |
ь | soft sign |
VOWELS | ||
Russian
Letter |
Russian Sound | Example |
HARD VOWELS | ||
а | a as in father | да |
з | e as in echo | зхо |
ы | y as in hairy | мы |
о | o as in hello | но |
у | u as in rule | ну |
SOFT VOWELS | ||
я | ya as in yahoo | я |
е | ye as in yes | нет |
и | ee as in bee | ива |
ё | yo as in yo-yo | полёт |
ю | u as in union | юмор |
You know you’re in Russia when the simple sign for a restaurant looks like PECTOPAH. Actually, the Russian alphabet has only a few more letters than English. But to get started, look at the list below. Read aloud the pronunciation in the first column and then look at the Russian letters in the middle column. At the far right you’ll see the translation and you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn how many of them you already know. After the first three words we’ll add only one new letter per word.
Pronunciation | Russian | English | Pronunciation | Russian | English |
da | да | yes | zal | зал | hall |
nyet | нет | no | fkhot | вход | entrance |
bank | банк | bank | vykhat | выход | exit |
bar | бар | bar | tsentr | центр | center |
park | парк | park | byuro | бюро | bureau |
kasa | касса | cashier | gardirop | гардероб | garderobe |
taksi | такси | taxi | pochta | почта | post office |
kiosk | киоск | kiosk | ryat | ряд | row |
kafe | кафе | café | stoytye | стойте | Stand! |
bufyet | буфет | buffet | nye kurit | не курить | No smoking |
mitro | метро | metro | bal’shoy | болбшой | the Bolshoi |
maskva | москва | moscow | zhenski | женский | ladies’ (room) |
aeraport | азропорт | airport | mushkoy | мужской | men’s (room) |
aeraflot | азрофлот | aeroflot | yischo | ещё | more, else |