In this lesson, you'll get acquainted with the Russian alphabet. After you learn all Russian letters and some pronunciation rules, you'll be able to understand Russian words simply reading them letter-by-letter.
The Russian alphabet Азбука (Azbooka) сontains 33 letters: 10 vowels, 21 consonants, and 2 signs. The capital and the lowercase of most Russian letters look alike in their printed form.
Russian sounds are less energetic than English ones and the articulation of Russian-speakers is more relaxed. Spelling and pronunciation are much closer in Russian than in English.
Note, that English transcription presented in this table is highly conditional. Russian sounds are not full equivalents for English ones. I always recommend beginners to listen carefully to the difference between Russian and English sounds and compare them. Don't read Russian words in English way. Actually, Russian is not English :)
The Russian alphabet Азбука (Azbooka) сontains 33 letters: 10 vowels, 21 consonants, and 2 signs. The capital and the lowercase of most Russian letters look alike in their printed form.
Russian sounds are less energetic than English ones and the articulation of Russian-speakers is more relaxed. Spelling and pronunciation are much closer in Russian than in English.
Printed Letter
|
Hand-written
|
Name in English
|
Name of Letter in Russian
|
English
Transliteration
|
Sound in Russian
|
Similar English Sound
|
А а
|
А а
|
ah
|
А
|
А а
|
[А]
|
Like
"a" in car
|
Б б
|
Б б
|
beh
|
БЭ
|
B b
|
[Б]
|
Like
"b" in bat
|
В в
|
В в
|
veh
|
ВЭ
|
V v
|
[В]
|
Like
"v" in van
|
Г г
|
Г г
|
geh
|
ГЭ
|
G g
|
[Г]
|
Like
"g" in go
|
Д д
|
Д д
|
deh
|
ДЭ
|
D d
|
[Д]
|
Like
"d" in dog
|
Е е
|
Е е
|
yeh
|
ЙЭ
|
YE ye
|
[ЙЭ]
|
Like
"ye" in yet
|
Ё ё
|
Ё ё
|
yo
|
ЙО
|
YO yo
|
[ЙО]
|
Like
"yo" in yonder
|
Ж ж
|
Ж ж
|
zheh
|
ЖЭ
|
Zh zh
|
[Ж]
|
Like
"s" in measure
|
З з
|
З з
|
zeh
|
ЗЭ
|
Z z
|
[З]
|
Like
"z" in zoo
|
И и
|
И и
|
ee
|
И
|
EE ee
|
[И]
|
Like
"ee" in see
|
Й й
|
Й й
|
ee kratkoyeh
|
И краткое
|
I i or Y y
|
[Й]
|
Like "y" in boy or toy
|
К к
|
К к
|
kah
|
КА
|
K k
|
[К]
|
Like
"k" in kitten, "c" in cat.
|
Л л
|
Л л
|
ehli
|
ЭЛЬ
|
L l
|
[Л]
|
Like
"l" in light
|
М м
|
М м
|
ehm
|
ЭМ
|
M m
|
[М]
|
Like
"m" in mat
|
Н н
|
Н н
|
ehn
|
ЭН
|
N n
|
[Н]
|
Like
"n" in no
|
О о
|
О о
|
“oh”
|
О
|
O o
|
[О]
|
Like
"o" in bore
|
П п
|
П п
|
peh
|
ПЭ
|
P p
|
[П]
|
Like
"p" in pot
|
Р р
|
Р р
|
ehr
|
ЭР
|
R r
|
[Р]
|
Like
Scottish "r" in run, rolled
|
С с
|
С с
|
ehs
|
ЭС
|
S s
|
[С]
|
Like
"s" in sam
|
Т т
|
Т т
|
teh
|
ТЭ
|
T t
|
[Т]
|
Like
"t" in tap
|
У у
|
У у
|
oo
|
У
|
U u
|
[У]
|
Like
"oo" in boot
|
Ф ф
|
Ф ф
|
ehf
|
ЭФ
|
F f
|
[Ф]
|
Like
"f" in fat
|
Х х
|
Х х
|
khah
|
ХА
|
H h
|
[Х]
|
Like
"h" in hello
|
Ц ц
|
Ц ц
|
tseh
|
ЦЭ
|
TS ts
|
[Ц]
|
Like
"ts" in bits
|
Ч ч
|
Ч ч
|
cheh
|
ЧЭ
|
CH ch
|
[Ч]
|
Like
"ch" in chip
|
Ш ш
|
Ш ш
|
shah
|
ША
|
SH sh - hard
|
[Ш]
|
Like
"sh" in shut
|
Щ щ
|
Щ щ
|
shyah
|
ЩА
|
SH sh - soft
|
[Щ]
|
Like
"sh" in sheep, but softer
|
ъ
|
ъ
|
tvyordiy
znahk
|
Твёрдый знак
|
Hard Sign
|
no
sound |
Letter before
ъ is hard
|
ы
|
ы
|
i
|
Ы
|
I i
|
[Ы]
|
Like
"i" in ill, but more open
|
ь
|
ь
|
myagkeey
znahk
|
Мягкий знак
|
Soft Sign
|
no
sound |
Letter before
ь is soft
|
Э э
|
Э э
|
eh
|
Э
|
E e
|
[Э]
|
Like
"e" in pet
|
Ю ю
|
Ю ю
|
yoo
|
ЙУ
|
YU yu
|
[ЙУ]
|
Like
"u" in use or university
|
Я я
|
Я я
|
yah
|
ЙА
|
YA ya
|
[ЙА]
|
Like
"ya" in yandex
|
Learn how to read and write in Russian with
Awesome Russian Basics!
With its help you will master the Russian alphabet and learn how to read and write your first Russian words, phrases, and simple stories.
The course includes:
- Interactive PDF textbook with handwriting practice;
- Audio guide (links and QR-codes);
- List of the Russian alphabet with the right pronunciation;
- Big and clear examples that show you how to trace block letters by following arrows;
- Introduction to Russian phonetics;
- Pronunciation and spelling rules;
- Russian phonetic exercises;
- Words and phrases with stress marks and English translation;
- 300+ basic Russian words and phrases on various topics: people, things, jobs, food, days of the week, months, colors, countries and cities, numbers, personal and possessive pronouns, questions, daily activities;
- 7 stories in easy Russian: It’s Moscow!; My Family; My Bag; My Apartment; My Room; My City; My Smartphone;
- 16 Russian motivational quotes about studying and learning.
Dear friends, I invite you to my online Russian lessons. I have over 10 years’ experience in teaching General and Business Russian to international students of various levels, ages and backgrounds. At my classes I use modern methods of teaching to help people communicate and enjoy the experience of learning Russian. Want to learn more about my teaching methods and see my learning materials?
Subscribe to the Russian Voice on
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
0 Comments