Russian Alphabet: Letters and First Words

Accepted answers

• a as in father

Correct feedback

А а: Like “a” in “father”; keep it short.

Grammar rule

А а: Like “a” in “father”; keep it short.

Accepted answers

• b as in ball

Correct feedback

Б б: Like “b” in “ball”.

Grammar rule

Б б: Like “b” in “ball”.

Accepted answers

• v as in voice

Correct feedback

В в: Like “v” in “voice”, not English B.

Grammar rule

В в: Like “v” in “voice”, not English B.

Accepted answers

• hard g as in go

Correct feedback

Г г: Usually hard “g” as in “go”, not “g” in “giant”.

Grammar rule

Г г: Usually hard “g” as in “go”, not “g” in “giant”.

Accepted answers

• d as in door

Correct feedback

Д д: Like “d” in “door”, with the tongue near the upper teeth.

Grammar rule

Д д: Like “d” in “door”, with the tongue near the upper teeth.

Accepted answers

• ye as in yes

Correct feedback

Е е: “Ye” as in “yes” initially; after most consonants, an “e” vowel with a softened consonant.

Grammar rule

Е е: “Ye” as in “yes” initially; after most consonants, an “e” vowel with a softened consonant.

Accepted answers

• yo

Correct feedback

Ё ё: “Yo” without an English “oh” glide initially; after most consonants, “o” with a softened consonant.

Grammar rule

Ё ё: “Yo” without an English “oh” glide initially; after most consonants, “o” with a softened consonant.

Accepted answers

• a hard sound roughly like s in pleasure

Correct feedback

Ж ж: Roughly “s” in “pleasure”, but harder, with the tongue farther back.

Grammar rule

Ж ж: Roughly “s” in “pleasure”, but harder, with the tongue farther back.

Accepted answers

• z as in zoo

Correct feedback

З з: Like “z” in “zoo”.

Grammar rule

З з: Like “z” in “zoo”.

Accepted answers

• ee as in see

Correct feedback

И и: Like “ee” in “see”, but shorter; usually softens the preceding consonant.

Grammar rule

И и: Like “ee” in “see”, but shorter; usually softens the preceding consonant.

Accepted answers

• a short y glide, not a separate vowel

Correct feedback

Й й: A short “y” glide as in “yes” or the end of “boy”; not a separate vowel.

Grammar rule

Й й: A short “y” glide as in “yes” or the end of “boy”; not a separate vowel.

Accepted answers

• k as in skate

Correct feedback

К к: Like “k” in “skate”, with less puff of air than in “key”.

Grammar rule

К к: Like “k” in “skate”, with less puff of air than in “key”.

Accepted answers

• a dark l, roughly as in full

Correct feedback

Л л: Hard л is roughly the dark “l” in “full”; soft л has the tongue raised toward the palate.

Grammar rule

Л л: Hard л is roughly the dark “l” in “full”; soft л has the tongue raised toward the palate.

Accepted answers

• m as in mum

Correct feedback

М м: Like “m” in “mum”.

Grammar rule

М м: Like “m” in “mum”.

Accepted answers

• n as in no

Correct feedback

Н н: Like “n” in “no”, not English H.

Grammar rule

Н н: Like “n” in “no”, not English H.

Accepted answers

• a pure o, without an English oh glide

Correct feedback

О о: A pure “o”, roughly “o” in “more” without the r; unstressed о reduces toward “ah” or “uh”.

Grammar rule

О о: A pure “o”, roughly “o” in “more” without the r; unstressed о reduces toward “ah” or “uh”.

Accepted answers

• p as in spin

Correct feedback

П п: Like “p” in “spin”, with little puff of air.

Grammar rule

П п: Like “p” in “spin”, with little puff of air.

Accepted answers

• a tongue-tip tapped or rolled r

Correct feedback

Р р: A tongue-tip tap or trill, not English P or the English “r”.

Grammar rule

Р р: A tongue-tip tap or trill, not English P or the English “r”.

Accepted answers

• s as in sun

Correct feedback

С с: Like “s” in “sun”, not English “k”; it can sound like z before a voiced consonant.

Grammar rule

С с: Like “s” in “sun”, not English “k”; it can sound like z before a voiced consonant.

Accepted answers

• t as in stop

Correct feedback

Т т: Like “t” in “stop”, with the tongue near the upper teeth and little puff of air.

Grammar rule

Т т: Like “t” in “stop”, with the tongue near the upper teeth and little puff of air.

Accepted answers

• oo as in moon

Correct feedback

У у: Like “oo” in “moon”, but shorter; not English “y”.

Grammar rule

У у: Like “oo” in “moon”, but shorter; not English “y”.

Accepted answers

• f as in fish

Correct feedback

Ф ф: Like “f” in “fish”.

Grammar rule

Ф ф: Like “f” in “fish”.

Accepted answers

• the ch sound in Scottish loch

Correct feedback

Х х: Like “ch” in Scottish “loch”: air rubs at the back of the mouth; not “ks”.

Grammar rule

Х х: Like “ch” in Scottish “loch”: air rubs at the back of the mouth; not “ks”.

Accepted answers

• ts together, as in cats

Correct feedback

Ц ц: Like “ts” in “cats”, pronounced together even at the start of a word.

Grammar rule

Ц ц: Like “ts” in “cats”, pronounced together even at the start of a word.

Accepted answers

• a soft ch sound

Correct feedback

Ч ч: Roughly “ch” in “cheese”, but softer, with the tongue raised toward the palate.

Grammar rule

Ч ч: Roughly “ch” in “cheese”, but softer, with the tongue raised toward the palate.

Accepted answers

• a hard sh sound

Correct feedback

Ш ш: Roughly “sh” in “shop”, but hard, with the tongue farther back.

Grammar rule

Ш ш: Roughly “sh” in “shop”, but hard, with the tongue farther back.

Accepted answers

• a long soft sh sound

Correct feedback

Щ щ: Modern Russian: a long, soft “sh”, tongue raised toward the palate; not “sh-ch”.

Grammar rule

Щ щ: Modern Russian: a long, soft “sh”, tongue raised toward the palate; not “sh-ch”.

Accepted answers

• separates, keeping the consonant hard and the following y glide

Correct feedback

Ъ ъ: Hard sign: separates a consonant from a following е, ё, ю or я, preserving its “y” glide.

Grammar rule

Ъ ъ: Hard sign: separates a consonant from a following е, ё, ю or я, preserving its “y” glide.

Accepted answers

• a vowel with no exact English equivalent, tongue back from ee

Correct feedback

Ы ы: No exact English equivalent. Start with “ee”, move the tongue body back, and keep the lips unrounded.

Grammar rule

Ы ы: No exact English equivalent. Start with “ee”, move the tongue body back, and keep the lips unrounded.

Accepted answers

• marks the preceding consonant as soft here, with no sound of its own

Correct feedback

Ь ь: Soft sign: often marks a soft consonant; can also separate it from a following vowel.

Grammar rule

Ь ь: Soft sign: often marks a soft consonant; can also separate it from a following vowel.

Accepted answers

• e roughly as in bed, without an initial y

Correct feedback

Э э: Roughly “e” in “bed”, without an initial “y” sound.

Grammar rule

Э э: Roughly “e” in “bed”, without an initial “y” sound.

Accepted answers

• you / yoo

Correct feedback

Ю ю: “You” initially; after most consonants, “oo” with a softened consonant.

Grammar rule

Ю ю: “You” initially; after most consonants, “oo” with a softened consonant.

Accepted answers

• ya

Correct feedback

Я я: “Ya” as at the start of “yard”; after most consonants, “ah” with a softened consonant.

Grammar rule

Я я: “Ya” as at the start of “yard”; after most consonants, “ah” with a softened consonant.

Accepted answers

• m-a-m-a

Correct feedback

М is m and А is a: ма́ма (mum / mom). Stress the first syllable.

Grammar rule

М is m and А is a: ма́ма (mum / mom). Stress the first syllable.

Accepted answers

• k-o-t

Correct feedback

К + О + Т gives k-o-t: кот (cat). О is stressed and has no English oh glide.

Grammar rule

К + О + Т gives k-o-t: кот (cat). О is stressed and has no English oh glide.

Accepted answers

• t-a-m

Correct feedback

Т + А + М gives t-a-m: там (there), one syllable.

Grammar rule

Т + А + М gives t-a-m: там (there), one syllable.

Accepted answers

• t-a-k

Correct feedback

Т + А + К gives t-a-k: так (like this / so).

Grammar rule

Т + А + К gives t-a-k: так (like this / so).

Accepted answers

• s-o-k

Correct feedback

С sounds like s, not k: сок (juice). The О is stressed.

Grammar rule

С sounds like s, not k: сок (juice). The О is stressed.

Accepted answers

• d-o-m

Correct feedback

Д + О + М gives d-o-m: дом (house). The О is stressed.

Grammar rule

Д + О + М gives d-o-m: дом (house). The О is stressed.