The Russian Alphabet

Letter

Russian
name

Pronunciation (with English examples)

Transcribed

Audio samples  as text

A a

a

a - long as in 'father";
short as in 'mother"

a

long: янвàрь
short: в январé

Б б

be

b - hard as in 'boss' or soft as in 'Bjorn'

b

hard: быть
soft: бить

В в

ve

v - hard as in 'vase' or soft as in 'view'

v

hard: новый
soft: новейший

Г г

ge

g - hard as in 'God' or soft as in 'argue'

g

hard: много
soft: многие

Д д

de

d - hard as in 'day' or soft as in 'dew'

d

hard: награда
soft: наградить

Е е

ye

ye - as in 'yet' - in the initial position, after vowels and after ь and ъ.
yi - as in 'yeast'. Also 'e', 'a', 'i' or 'ɨ'.

ye, yi, e, a, i, ɨ

with y: ехать
without y: побег

Ё ё

yo

Always stressed!
yo - as in 'your' - in the initial position, after vowels and after ь and ъ.
Also 'o'.
Softens  preceding consonants.

yo, o

with y: ёж
without y: жёлтый

Ж ж

zhe

sh as in 'pleasure'

ʒ

жить

З з

ze

z - hard as in 'zero' or soft as in 'resume'

z

завтра

И и

i

i: - stressed as in 'deep';
i - unstressed as in 'pit';
after ж, ш, ц - wie ы (see below).
Softens  preceding consonants.

i:, i, ɨ

один
like 'ы':  машина

Й й

i
krátkoye
(short)

y - as in 'young'

i, y

мой

К к

ka

k - hard as in 'can' or soft as in 'keep'

k

hard: кот
soft: кит

Л л

el

l - hard as in 'lord' or soft as in 'million'

l

hard: белый
soft: белить

М м

em

m - hard as in 'must' or soft as in 'Muse'

m

hard: масло
soft: мясо

Н н

en

n - hard as in 'null' or soft as in 'nude'

n

hard: ныть
soft: нить

О о

o

o - if stressed - long as in 'obey';
shorter then 'a' - if unstressed as in 'together'

o, ə or ɔ

long: нóвый
short: новéйший

П п

pe

p - hard as in 'pot' or soft as in 'peer'

p

hard: пат
soft: пять

Р р

er

r trilled with the tip of the tongue; hard or soft

r

hard: рукá
soft: рюмка

С с

es

s - hard as in 'some' or soft as in 'sue'

s

hard: суд
soft: сюда

Т т

te

t - hard, but unaspirated as in 'time' or soft as in 'tulip'

t

hard: тонуть
soft: тянуть

У у

u

shorter then 'oo' in 'goose'

u

думать

Ф ф

ef

f - hard as in 'fall' or soft as in 'few'

f

hard: кафé
soft: кóфe

Х х

kha

ch - hard similar to 'Lochness' or soft. No English equivalent.

ch

hard: хохотать
soft: хихикать

Ц ц

tse

ts (always hard) as in 'tsar'

ts

цвет

Ч ч

tche

tch (always soft) as in 'cheers'

ʧ

учить

Ш ш

sha

sh (always hard) as in 'sure'

ʃ

школа

Щ щ

tsha

tsch (always soft) as in 'schtschi' (Russian cabbage soup)

ʃtʃ

ещё

Ъ ъ

tvyordyi znak (hard sign)

The hard sign is not pronounced. It is placed between a hard consonant and the vowels -е, -ё, -ю, -я. These vowels are pronounced with the distinct initial 'j' (je, jo, ju, ja).

подъезд

Ы ы

ɨ

A retracted variety of 'i' pronounced with the tongue blocking the throat. No English equivalent.

y

ты

Ь ь

myachkiy znak (soft sign)

The soft sign is not pronounced. It softens a preceeding consonant and indicates the distinct pronunciation of the initial 'j' of the following vowels -е, -ё, -ю, -я (je, jo, ju, ja).

sometimes 'j'

дверь

Э э

ε

'ε' or 'e' similar to 'set'

ε, e

это

Ю ю

yu

ju as in 'you'. In some cases the 'j' is hardly pronounced.
Softens preceeding consonant.

yu, u

юмор

Я я

ya

ja - if stressed as in 'young'
yi - if unstressed as in 'yeast', but shorter. Can sometimes be reduced to 'a' or 'i'.
Softens preceeding consonant.

ya, yi, yə, a, i

яблоко