What kind eat letters and sounds in Russian? Which letters represent which sounds? What is the difference between soft and hard consonants? When is a consonant hard and when is it soft? Why do we need soft (b) and hard signs (b)?
Want to find answers to all these questions? Then read on!
Letters and sounds
Below you will find an interactive Russian alphabet with audio. For each letter [in square brackets], the sounds that it can stand for are indicated, as well as examples of words with this letter.
And here, for sure, you will immediately have two questions:
#1 Why do some letters have two sounds?
This is a feature of the Russian language. Some letters can represent two different sounds: a hard and a soft consonant. To clearly demonstrate this principle, I specially selected two examples for such letters: one with a hard consonant, and the other with a soft consonant.
#2 Why are no sounds shown for "ь" and "ъ"?
These are soft and hard signs. By themselves, they do not represent any sounds. They show us how to read the previous consonant: a consonant before a hard sign will be hard, and a consonant before a soft sign will be soft.
Also, sometimes we need to separate a consonant from a vowel, and for this we will write one of these signs between them. This is how we distinguish, for example, the words "seed" and "family".
In the article you will learn about the history of the Russian alphabet, as well as the rules for spelling and pronunciation of each of its letters.
Around 863, Cyril and Methodius (chronicler brothers) streamlined all "Slavic" writing, after Emperor Michael the Third ordered them to do so. The writing was called "Cyrillic" and entered the Greek script. After that, the Bulgarian school of “scribes” actively developed and the country (Bulgaria) became the most important center for the distribution of the “Cyrillic alphabet”.
Bulgaria is the place where the first Slavic "book" school appeared and it was here that such significant publications as the Psalter, the Gospel and the Apostle were rewritten. After Greece, "Cyrillic" penetrated into Serbia and only at the end of the 10th century became the language in Russia. We can safely say that the modern Russian alphabet is a derivative of the Cyrillic alphabet and the old Slavic "eastern" speech.
A little later, the Russian alphabet received 4 more new letters, but 14 letters from the “old” alphabet were gradually excluded one by one, because they were no longer needed. After the reforms of Peter the Great (beginning of the 17th century), superscript characters were completely eliminated from the alphabet, and other "doublet" characters were simply abolished. The most recent reform of the Russian alphabet took place at the beginning of the 19th century, and after it the alphabet appeared to mankind, which is observed to this day.
How many letters are there in the Russian alphabet?
The modern Russian alphabet, consisting of exactly 33 letters, became official only in 1918. It is interesting that the letter "Ё" in it was approved only in 1942, and before that it was only considered a variation of the letter "E".
Cyril and Methodius
The alphabet of the Russian language - 33 letters black and white, printed: what it looks like, print on one sheet, printed A4 format, photo.
In order to learn the spelling of each letter of the Russian alphabet, you may need its printed black and white version. After downloading such a picture, you can print it on any A4 landscape sheet.
Russian alphabet in order from A to Z, numbered in direct order: photo, print
Each letter in the Russian alphabet has its own serial number.
Russian alphabet, numbered in reverse order: photo, print
Reverse order of letters in the alphabet and reverse numbering.
How to pronounce, read the letters of the Russian alphabet, Cyrillic: transcription, letter names
Russian alphabet of capital and capital letters: photo, print
Russian written speech also requires calligraphy and calligraphy. Therefore, you should definitely remember the spelling rules for each capital and small letter in the alphabet.
How to write capital letters of the Russian alphabet for first graders: combining capital letters of the Russian alphabet, photo
Toddlers who are just starting to learn written speech will definitely need prescriptions in which they will learn not only the spelling of letters, but also all their obligatory connections with each other.
Prescription of Russian letters:
Spelling of Russian letters A and B 
Spelling of Russian letters V and G 
Spelling of Russian letters E and D 
Spelling of Russian letters Yo and Zh 
Spelling of Russian letters 3 and I 
Spelling of Russian letters Y and K 
Spelling of Russian letters L and M 
Spelling of Russian letters H and O 
Spelling of Russian letters P and R 
Spelling of Russian letters C and T 
Spelling of Russian letters U and F 
Spelling of Russian letters Х and Ц 
Spelling of Russian letters Ch and Sh 
Spelling of Russian letters Щ, ь and ъ 
Spelling of Russian letters E and Yu 
Spelling of Russian letters I How many vowels, consonants, hissing letters and sounds are there in the Russian alphabet, and which is more: vowels or consonants?
Important to remember:
- In the Russian alphabet, letters are divided into vowels and consonants.
- Vowels - 10 pcs.
- Consonant letters - 21 pcs. (+ ь, ъ sign)
- There are 43 sounds in Russian
- It has 6 vowels
- And 37 consonants
Introduction to the modern Russian alphabet letter e, d, e: when and who included?
Interesting to know:
- The letter ё appeared in the alphabet in the 19th century.
- The letter й appeared in the alphabet after the 15-16th century (appeared in Slavic church writings after the Moscow edition).
- The letter e appeared in the 17th century (during the development of a civil font)
What is the last letter in the Russian alphabet?
The letter Yo is the “last” letter in the Russian alphabet, since it was approved relatively recently (at the beginning of the 19th century).
Young and forgotten letters of the Russian alphabet: names
The modern Russian alphabet has gone through many transformations before finding its final form. Many letters were forgotten or excluded from the alphabet as unnecessary.
The number of letters of the Russian alphabet that do not indicate sounds: names
IMPORTANT: A letter is a graphic sign, sound is a unit of sounding speech.
In Russian, the following letters do not have sounds:
- b - softens the sound
- ъ - makes the sound hard
What is the last consonant letter of the Russian alphabet: name
The last letter (consonant) that arose in the modern alphabet is Щ (ligature Ш+Т or Ш+Ч).
Transliteration of the Russian alphabet in Latin: photo
Transliteration is the translation of letters into the English alphabet, while preserving the sound.
Calligraphic handwriting: a sample of the Russian alphabet
Calligraphy is the rules for writing capital letters.
Video: "Live alphabet for kids"
Everyone who begins to learn English, necessarily at the first stage of their journey, encounters the alphabet and the pronunciation of its letters. It is very important not only to know how the letters are called, but also in general with Russian pronunciation.
For the correct pronunciation of the alphabet Below is a table of all letters with both English and Russian transcriptions. Of course, you need to know English transcription - it is used in any dictionary, it is just as important as knowing the alphabet itself. But for beginners who have not yet fully mastered English transcription, we give the sounds of the English alphabet in Russian letters.
| Letter | Name | Pronunciation | Russian entry letter names |
| a | a | Hey | |
| b | bee | bi | |
| c | cee | si | |
| d | dee | di | |
| e | e | And | |
| f | ef | ef | |
| g | Gee | ji | |
| h | aitch | h | |
| i | i | ah | |
| j | Jay | jay | |
| k | kay | kay | |
| l | el | ||
| m | em | Em | |
| n | enn | en | |
| o | o | OU | |
| p | pee | pi | |
| q | cue | cue | |
| r | ar | a, ar | |
| s | ess | es | |
| t | tee | ti | |
| u | u | Yu | |
| v | vee | in and | |
| w | double-u | [`dʌbl`ju:] | double |
| x | ex | the ex | |
| y | wy | wye | |
| z | zed, zee | , | zed, zee |
As for the letter Z, the British version is “zed”, the American one is “zi”.
It may seem that the English alphabet is more complicated than the Russian one. But actually it is not. There are only 26 letters in it (for comparison, in Russian - 33), and only 6 of them (A, E, I, O, U, Y) are vowels. Unfortunately, these vowels do not always correspond to the alphabetic pronunciation. For example, Aa - in the alphabet it reads like [hey]: “cake” - cake, “later” - later, but not in the words “bag” - luggage, “flag” - flag and many others.
Here it must be said that in English there are stressed and unstressed syllables. Let's consider the case of a stressed syllable. Division can also be observed here - the stressed syllable can be open and closed. Open syllables end in a vowel, and closed syllables end in a consonant. Here are examples of stressed open syllables: “la-bel” is an inscription, “ta-ke” is to receive, and so on. And here are examples of stressed closed syllables: “rab-bit” is a rabbit, “dog” is a dog, “win-dow” is a window, and so on. Please note that in the first case, the stressed vowels are read exactly the same as they sound in the alphabet.
Consider all vowels:
Vowel A
Open syllable: “la-ter” [’leitə] – later
Closed syllable: “cat” - cat
Vowel E
Open syllable: "he" - he
Closed syllable: “bend” - bend
Vowel I
Open syllable: “li-lac” [’lailək] - lilac
Closed syllable: “lift” - elevator
Vowel O [?u]
Open syllable: “pho-to” [’fəutəu] — photography
Closed syllable: “got” - received
The vowel U
Open syllable: "cu-te" - cute
Closed syllable: "numb" - numb
Vowel Y
Open syllable: "type" - type
Closed syllable: “myth” - myth
Okay. Now, continuing to answer the question of how the English alphabet is read, we need to talk about unstressed vowels. The vowels a, o, u, not being stressed, turn into the sound [ə], and the vowels e, i, y in the same case become the sound [i]. In this case, it is only necessary to appear after them the letters r, they all become [ə]. You can easily see this for yourself: “pre-fer” - to prefer, “pla-yer” ['pleiə:] - player, “doctor” ['dɔktə:] - doctor.
It is also worth paying attention to consonants: B, D, F, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, T, V, W, X, Z - they are also read respectively [b], [d], [ f], [h], , [k], [l], [m], [n], [p], [t], [v], [w], [x], [z]. Things go more complicated with the rest of the consonants.
So, for example, the letter C will be - before e, i, y, and in all other cases - [k]. See: “cinema” [’sinəmə] – cinema, “cure” – treatment.
The letter G - before e, i, y goes into, and in other cases as [g]: “ginger” [’dʒindʒə] - ginger, “goat” - goat, goat.
And S at the beginning of a word and after deaf consonants K, F, P and T is read as a sound [s], and, on the contrary, after voiced and other cases - [z]: “Simon” ['saimən] - Simon, “books” - books, "finds" - finds, "wise" - wise.
The letters R and Q are also difficult. So R is often simply discarded, dragging out the sound (“car” - car), but the word with R will be read with R (“Riko” - Riko). The letter Q can give two options - or - compare "quick" - quickly and "queue" - queue.
How to speak correctly - how are the letters in the Russian alphabet pronounced?
Although it seems like a trifling task, sometimes you forget how to pronounce the letters in the alphabet. For example, how to say: RE or ER, SHA or ES, SHA or SCH. And so that there are no such doubts, you need to learn not only the spelling of the letters of the alphabet, but also their correct name (see the second column in each table):
In russian language, as in other languages letters can have multiple sounds.
Below I will write All the letters of the Russian language and next I will write how they can sound in different places.
- YO
T - TE (If, for example, the letter b is next to it - Soft sign, then in this case TE will become TC)
Ъ - Solid Sign (Unable to pronounce separately)
b - Soft Sign (Unable to pronounce separately)
Yu - Yu Yu
I - I YA
There are 33 letters in Russian.
Correctly pronounce the letters of the Russian alphabet as follows:
A pronounced simply as Aquot ;, B - like Bequot ;, In like Вquot ;, Г like Gequot ;, D like Dequot ;, E like Yequot ;, like Yoquot ;, Zh like Zhequot ;, Z like Zequot ;, And like Andquot ;, like And short quot ;, K like Kaquot ;, L like Elquot ;, M like Emquot ;, N like Enquot ;, O like Oquot ;, P like Pequot ;, P like Erquot ;, С like Esquot ;, T like Tequot ;, U like Uquot ;, f like Efquot ;, X like Haquot ;, Ts like Tsequot ;, Ch like Chequot ;, Sh like Shaquot ;, Sch like Schaquot ;, b like hard signquot ;, Y like Yquot ;, L like soft signquot ;, E like Equot ;, Yu like Yuquot ;, I like Yaquot ;.
My grandmother is a teacher of Russian and literature, so I remember this for the rest of my life.
b-hard sign
b-soft sign
There are thirty-three letters in the Russian language. Of these 33 letters, some are vowels and some are consonants. There are also those that do not belong to either one or the other (there are two such letters: b and b).
All vowels are pronounced exactly as they are written: for example, the letter A is pronounced like A, the letter O is pronounced like O, the letter U is pronounced like Y, and so on.
As for consonants, vowel sounds are added during their pronunciation (most often it is the sound E, sometimes the sound A or E, etc.).
For example, the letter B is pronounced correctly like this - BE, the letter G is pronounced like GE, the letter K is pronounced like KA, and so on.
b and b have no sounds.
See the pronunciation of all 33 letters of the Russian alphabet below:
There are 33 letters in Russian, but as in other languages, letters can have several sounds.
A - A; B - BE; B - VE; G - GE; D -; HER; — YO; F - ZhE; Z - ZE; And - And; K - KA; L - EL; M - EM; H - EN; O - O; P - PE; P - ER; C - ES; T - TE, in the event that the letter bquot ; is nearby, then in this case TE will be TC; U - U; F - FE; X - XE; C - CE; H - CHE; SH — SHE; SC - SCHA; b; Y - Y; b; E - E; Yu - YU;% I - YA.
There are letters in Russian, and there are sounds that these letters represent.
Letter BUT Pronounced BUT Sound BUT
Letter B Pronounced Bae Sound B
Letter IN Pronounced Ve Sound IN
Letter G Pronounced Ge Sound G
Letter D Pronounced De Sound D
Letter E Pronounced Ye Sound Ye
Letter Pronounced Yo Sound Yo
Letter F Pronounced Zhe Sound F
Letter W Pronounced Ze Sound W
Letter AND Pronounced AND Sound AND
Letter Y Pronounced And brief Sound Y
Letter TO Pronounced Ka Sound TO
Letter L Pronounced Al Sound L
Letter M Pronounced Em Sound M
Letter H Pronounced En Sound H
Letter ABOUT Pronounced ABOUT Sound ABOUT
Letter P Pronounced Pe Sound P
Letter R Pronounced Er Sound R
Letter FROM Pronounced Es Sound FROM
Letter T Pronounced Tae Sound T
Letter At Pronounced At Sound At
Letter F Pronounced ef Sound F
Letter X Pronounced Ha Sound X
Letter C Pronounced Tse Sound C
Letter H Pronounced Che Sound H
Letter W Pronounced Sha Sound W
Letter SCH Pronounced shcha Sound SCH
Letter b Pronounced soft sign No sound
Letter S Pronounced S Sound S
Letter Kommersant Pronounced hard sign No sound
Letter E Pronounced E Sound E
Letter YU Pronounced yu Sound yu
Letter I Pronounced Ya Sound Ya
Aa sounds like aquot ;. BB sounds like be. Vv sounds like vequot ;. Gg sounds like gequot ;. Dd sounds like dequot ;. It sounds like equot ;. sounds like quot;. LJ sounds like Zz sounds like zequot ;. Ii sounds like andquot ;. Yy sounds like and
short. Kk sounds like kaquot ;. Ll sounds like elquot ;. Mm sounds like umquot ;. Nn sounds like enquot ;. Oo sounds like oquot ;. Pp sounds like pequot ;. RR sounds like er. SS sounds like esquot ;. Tt sounds like tequot ;. Wu sounds like uquot ;. FF sounds like effquot ;. Xx sounds like haquot ;. Ts sounds like tse. Hh sounds like chequot ;. Shsh sounds like shaquot ;. Shch sounds like shcha. bj sounds like
hard signquot ;. Yy sounds like yquot ;. bh sounds like
soft sign. Uh sounds like equot ;. Yuyu sounds like yuquot ;. Yaya sounds like iquot ;.
Ъ-HARD SIGN
L-SOFT SIGN
It seems to be the right way to pronounce it.
Aa is pronounced as aquot ;.
BB is pronounced like bequot ;.
Vv is pronounced as vequot ;.
Gg is pronounced as gequot ;.
Dd is pronounced dequot ;.
Its pronounced as equot ;.
pronounced like quot;.
Zhzh is pronounced as zhequot ;.
Zz is pronounced as zequot ;.
Ii is pronounced as andquot ;.
Yi is pronounced as and short quot ;.
Kk is pronounced as ka.
Ll is pronounced as el.
Mm is pronounced as emquot ;.
Nn is pronounced as enquot ;.
Oo is pronounced like oquot ;.
Pp is pronounced as pequot ;.
RR is pronounced as er.
Ss is pronounced as esquot ;.
Tt is pronounced as tequot ;.
Wu is pronounced like uquot ;.
FF is pronounced like effquot ;.
Xx is pronounced as haquot ;.
Tsz is pronounced as tse.
Hh is pronounced like chequot ;.
Shsh is pronounced like shaquot ;.
Shch is pronounced like shcha.
Ъъ is pronounced like hard signquot ;.
Yy is pronounced as yquot ;.
b is pronounced like soft sign.
Uh is pronounced like equot ;.
Yuyu is pronounced yu.
Yaya is pronounced as iquot ;.
Initially, each letter of the Russian alphabet corresponded to a word that began with the corresponding sound (az, beeches, lead, verb, good ...), as well as in the Greek alphabet (alpha, beta, gama, delta ...). Then, the alphabet underwent changes and began to be built according to the principle of the Latin alphabet (a, be, ce, de ...) and at present each letter of the alphabet is named after the sound denoting e (a, be, ve, ge, de ...).
Teaching modern children to read, they use different practices, but it is very important to know the correct name of the letters.
Each letter of the Russian alphabet has the correct pronunciation of this letter, but there is also a sound of this letter, which is slightly different from the pronunciation.
A Pronunciation A Sound A
B Pronunciation B Sound B
V Pronunciation V Sound V
G Pronunciation G Sound G
D Pronunciation Da Sound D
E Pronunciation Ye Sound Ye
pronunciation yo sound yo
J Pronunciation J Sound J
Z Pronunciation Z Sound Z
And Pronunciation And Sound And
Y Pronunciation And Short Sound Y
K Pronunciation Ka Sound K
L Pronunciation L Sound L
M Pronunciation Em Sound M
N Pronunciation En Sound N
O Pronunciation O Sound O
P Pronunciation P Sound P
R Pronunciation Er Sound R
C Pronunciation Es Sound C
T Pronunciation Te Sound T
u pronunciation u sound u
F Pronunciation Ef Sound F
X Pronunciation Ha Sound X
C Pronunciation C Sound C
Ch Pronunciation Che Sound Ch
Sh Pronunciation Sha Sound Sh
sch Pronunciation sch Sound sch
b Pronunciation soft sign No sound
Y Pronunciation Y Sound Y
Ъ Pronunciation solid sign No sound
E Pronunciation E Sound E
Yu Pronunciation Yu Sound Yu
I Pronunciation Ya Sound Ya
1. RUSSIAN ALPHABET
Yi- and short (short i)
ЪЪ-hard sign (hard sign)
b - soft sign (softsign)
RUSSIAN PRONUNCIATION
This cycle came about at the request of several members of our school who had problems with Russian pronunciation. I will try to tell you in an accessible form about Russian phonetics - that is, the laws of Russian pronunciation.
1. RUSSIAN ALPHABET
There are 33 letters in Russian, but there are many more sounds. Some Russian sounds are similar to English or German, but there are sounds that are different from the sounds of English and German.
First, listen to the Russian alphabet and pay attention to the spelling of Russian letters.
Yi- and short (short i)
ЪЪ-hard sign (hard sign)
b - soft sign (softsign)
Hard and soft signs do not convey sounds, but serve to soften consonants or separate letters, but some letters can convey two sounds each.
The Russian alphabet is called Cyrillic. In addition to Russia, it is used in some countries of the former Soviet Union, as well as in Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia.
