🗣 Practice #pronunciation of the Russian alphabet step by step!

Vowels (гласные)

А – [ah] as in father

• Example: "мама" (mah-mah) – mom

О – [oh] as in or (when stressed); [ah] as in about (when unstressed)

• Example: "молоко" (muh-lah-KOH) – milk

У – [oo] as in moon

• Example: "сумка" (SOOM-kuh) – bag

Э – [eh] as in met

• Example: "это" (EH-tuh) – this

И – [ee] as in see

• Example: "кино" (kee-NOH) – cinema

Ы – A sound between [i] and [u], like ill, but deeper.

• Example: "быстро" (BUI-strah) – quickly

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Consonants (согласные)

Soft and Hard Variations

Б – [b] as in bat

• Hard: "брат" (braht) – brother
• Soft: "бить" (beet') – to beat

В – [v] as in vet

• Hard: "вот" (voht) – here
• Soft: "весь" (vyes') – all

Г – [g] as in go

• Hard: "где" (gdyeh) – where
• Soft: "гибкий" (GEEP-kee) – flexible

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Unique Sounds

Ж – [zh] as in measure

• Example: "жизнь" (zhizn') – life

Х – [kh] as in loch

• Example: "хлеб" (khlyeb) – bread

Ц – [ts] as in cats

• Example: "цена" (tseh-NAH) – price

Ч – [ch] as in chess

• Example: "часы" (chuh-SY) – clock

Ш – [sh] as in shut

• Example: "шапка" (SHAHP-kuh) – hat

Щ – [shch] as in fresh cheese

• Example: "щёки" (SHCHYOH-kee) – cheeks


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Hard and Soft Signs

Ъ – Hard sign: separates sounds (no pronunciation).

• Example: "объект" (ob-YEKT) – object

Ь – Soft sign: softens the preceding consonant.

• Example: "день" (dyen') – day

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Let’s Practice Sentences:

1. Мама мыла раму.

Translation: Mom washed the window frame.
Phonetic Pronunciation: [MAH-mah MY-lah RAH-mu]

• Мама (MAH-mah) – Mom
• Stress on the first syllable.
• The vowel "А" is pronounced as [ah].

• мыла (MY-lah) – washed
• Stress on the first syllable.
• "Ы" is a deeper sound, like in ill.

• раму (RAH-mu) – frame (accusative case of рама)
• Stress on the first syllable.
• "А" in unstressed position sounds like [ah].

Practice:

• Say each word slowly: Мама... мыла... раму.
• Now, say the full sentence: Мама мыла раму.

2. Где твоя книга?

Translation: Where is your book?
Phonetic Pronunciation: [Gdyeh tvah-YAH KNEE-gah]

• Где (Gdyeh) – Where
• A single syllable word. The "Г" sounds like [g], and "д" merges with "е" to make the gdyeh sound.

• твоя (tvah-YAH) – your (feminine)
• Stress on the second syllable.
• "Тв-" is pronounced as [tv].

• книга (KNEE-gah) – book
• Stress on the first syllable.
• "И" sounds like [ee] as in see, and "г" is hard [g].

Practice:

• Say each word: Где... твоя... книга.
• Combine into the full sentence: Где твоя книга?

3. Я люблю русский язык.

Translation: I love the Russian language.
Phonetic Pronunciation: [Ya lyoo-BLYOO ROOS-kee ya-ZYK]

• Я (Ya) – I
• A single syllable word, pronounced as [ya].

• люблю (lyoo-BLYOO) – love
• Stress on the second syllable.
• "Лю" is pronounced as [lyoo], rolling the "л".

• русский (ROOS-kee) – Russian
• Stress on the first syllable.
• "Р" is rolled, and "у" sounds like [oo].

• язык (ya-ZYK) – language
• Stress on the second syllable.
• "Я" is [ya], and "ы" is pronounced like a deep [i].

Practice:

• Say each word: Я... люблю... русский... язык.
• Now the full sentence: Я люблю русский язык.

✨ Your turn to practice! Drop your favorite Russian phrases in the comments. 😊

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