📣 Practice Pronunciation of the Russian Alphabet Step by Step!
А – [ah] as in father
• Example: мама (mah-mah) – mom
О – [oh] as in or (stressed); [ah] as in about (unstressed)
• Example: молоко (muh-lah-KOH) – milk
У – [oo] as in moon
• Example: сумка (SOOM-kuh) – bag
Э – [eh] as in met
• Example: это (EH-tuh) – this
И – [ee] as in see
• Example: кино (kee-NOH) – cinema
Ы – A sound between [i] and [u], like ill, but deeper
• Example: быстро (BUI-strah) – quickly
Б – [b] as in bat
• Hard: брат (braht) – brother
• Soft: бить (beet') – to beat
В – [v] as in vet
• Hard: вот (voht) – here
• Soft: весь (vyes') – all
Г – [g] as in go
• Hard: где (gdyeh) – where
• Soft: гибкий (GEEP-kee) – flexible
Ж – [zh] as in measure
• Example: жизнь (zhizn') – life
Х – [kh] as in loch
• Example: хлеб (khlyeb) – bread
Ц – [ts] as in cats
• Example: цена (tseh-NAH) – price
Ч – [ch] as in chess
• Example: часы (chuh-SY) – clock
Ш – [sh] as in shut
• Example: шапка (SHAHP-kuh) – hat
Щ – [shch] as in fresh cheese
• Example: щёки (SHCHYOH-kee) – cheeks
Ъ – Hard sign: separates sounds (no pronunciation)
• Example: объект (ob-YEKT) – object
Ь – Soft sign: softens the preceding consonant
• Example: день (dyen') – day
Let’s Practice Sentences!
Translation: Mom washed the window frame.
Phonetic Pronunciation: [MAH-mah MY-lah RAH-mu]
Stress on the first syllable.
The vowel "А" is pronounced [ah].
"Ы" is a deeper sound, like in ill.
• раму (RAH-mu) – frame (accusative case of рама)
Roll the "R", and "У" sounds like [oo].
Say each word: Мама... мыла... раму.
Full sentence: Мама мыла раму.
Translation: Where is your book?
Phonetic Pronunciation: [Gdyeh tvah-YAH KNEE-gah]
Merge "г" and "д" into [gd], soften with [yeh].
• твоя (tvah-YAH) – your (feminine)
Stress on the second syllable.
• книга (KNEE-gah) – book
"И" sounds like [ee]; "г" is hard [g].
Say each word: Где... твоя... книга.
Full sentence: Где твоя книга?
Translation: I love the Russian language.
Phonetic Pronunciation: [Ya lyoo-BLYOO ROOS-kee ya-ZYK]
A single syllable word, pronounced [ya].
• люблю (lyoo-BLYOO) – love
Roll the "л", stress the "yoo".
• русский (ROOS-kee) – Russian
Stress on "ROOS"; roll the "р".
• язык (ya-ZYK) – language
Stress on the second syllable; "ы" is a deep [i].
Say each word: Я... люблю... русский... язык.
Full sentence: Я люблю русский язык.
✨ Your turn to practice! Drop your favorite Russian phrases in the comments. 😊
