THE RUSSIAN ALPHABET
1. Letters we already know
These are letters that are written and pronounced the same way in Russian as they are in Italian. A note on the e sound: this is a special e because it is actually pronounced “ye”.
А as in Атом (àtom) = atom / Атом.
А is pronounced like our a.
А = A
К as in Кот (Kot) = cat / Кот.
К is pronounced like our hard c.
К = K
Е as in Емо (èmo) = emo / Емо.
Е is pronounced like our e.
Е = YE
М as in Море (Mòre) = sea / Море.
М is pronounced like our m.
М = M
О as in От (Ot) = from / От.
O is pronounced like our o
О = O
Т as in Там (Tam) = there / Там.
Т is pronounced like our t.
Т = T
2. Different twins
These 5 letters look like Latin letters but they are pronounced differently.
В as in Воск (Vosk) = wax / Воск.
В is pronounced like our v.
В = V
С as in Сам (Sam) = he himself / Сам.
С is pronounced like our s.
С = S
Н as in Нос (Nos) = nose / Нос.
Н is pronounced like our n.
Н = N
Р as in Рот (Rot) = mouth / Рот.
Р is pronounced like our r, although it is rolled.
Р = R
Х as in Хор (Hor) = chorus / Хор.
Х is pronounced like our h.
Х = H
3. Greek letters
Г = the Greek letter Gamma
П = the Greek letter Pi
Ф = the Greek letter Phi
Л = the Greek letter Lambda
Д = the Greek letter Delta
Г as in Гол (Gol) = goal / Гол.
Г is pronounced like our g.
Г = G
П as in Пара (Pàra) = pair / Пара.
П is pronounced like our p.
П = P
Ф as in Фен (Fen) = hairdryer / Фен.
Ф is pronounced like our f.
Ф = F
Л as in Лак (Lak) = lucid / Лак.
Л is pronounced like our l.
Л = L
Д as in Дом (Dom) = house / Дом.
Д is pronounced like our d.
Д = D
4. Letters in the mirror
These letters look like mirror images of certain Latin letters:
И = “I” sound
Й = “Y” sound
Я = “YA” sound
Я as in Яблоко (Yàblaka) = apple / Яблоко.
Я is pronounced ya.
Я = YA
И as in Идти (Idtì) = to go / Идти.
И is pronounced like our i.
И = I
Й as in Йод (Yod) = iodine / Йод.
Й is prounounced y.
Й = Y
5. Distant neighbours
З = looks like a z in Italics (Z sound)
Ч = looks like an upside-down chair (CH sound)
Ж = looks like a mouth grinding its teeth, rather like what you have to do when you want to pronounce it (ZH sound)
Б = looks like a small b (B sound)
У = looks like a y sitting down (U sound)
Ш = looks like 3 in Roman numerals (SH sound)
Э = looks like an open mouth with a tongue in it (E sound)
Ц = looks like a wonky u (TS sound)
З as in Зуб (Zub) = tooth / Зуб.
З is pronounced like our soft z.
З = Z
Ч as in Час (Tchàs) = hour / Час.
Ч is pronounced like our ch in chow.
Ч = TCH
Ж as in Жара (Zhara) = heat / Жара.
Ж is pronounced like the j in je t’aime.
Ж = ZH
Б as in Бар (Bar) = bar / Бар.
Б is pronounced like our b.
Б = B
У as in Утка (ùtka) = duck / Утка.
У is pronounced like our u.
У = U
Ш as in Шар (Shar) = ball / Шар.
Ш is pronounced like our sh in shoe.
Ш = SH
Э as in Этаж (Etàzh) = piano / Этаж.
Э is pronounced like our e.
Э = E
Ц as in Цапля (Tsàpl’a) = heron / Цапля.
Ц is pronounced ts.
Ц = TS
6. Diphthongs
Groups of two letters, or diphthongs, exist just as they do in Italian:
Ю = looks like a planet with its orbit, like Юпитер which means Jupiter (IU sound)
Ё = an e with two little eyes over it (as in Ёж = porcupine). È is the sound
Ю as in Юпитер (Yupiter) = Jupiter / Юпитер.
Ю is pronounced iu.
Ю = YU
Ё as in Ёж (Yozh) = porcupine / Ёж.
Ё is pronounced like the yo in yo-yo.
Ё = YO
7. New letters
Щ = a kind of Ш but with something extra: it has a tail because it is a combination of the SH sound with the TCH sound
Ы = is pronounced like И but with a kind of “forced smile” while showing your teeth. Don’t worry if you can’t pronounce it properly at first, it takes a little time and practice
Ь and Ъ = the last two letters have no sound. They are used as markers: the letter Ь indicates that the preceding consonant is soft while the letter Ъ indicates that it is hard.
Щ as in Щётка (Shtchòtka) = brush / Щётка.
Щ is pronounced like sh and ch together.
Щ = SHTCH
Ъ as in Съезд (S”yèzd) = convention / Съезд.
Ъ is not pronounced, it is a kind of glottal stop.
Ъ = ”
Ы as in Мы (Mў) = we / Мы.
Ы is pronounced like our i when making a forced smile. You can practice this sound by pronouncing it while holding a pencil in your mouth.
Ы = ў
Ь as in Пить (Pit’) = to drink / Пить.
Ь is not pronounced, it indicates that the preceding consonant is soft.
Ь = ‘
