Russian Alphabet (Русский алфавит)

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering the letters of the Russian Alphabet, their names, and their phonetic English equivalents as presented in the lecture notes.

А а (ah)

Sounds like a in father

Б б (beh)

Sounds like b in boy

В в (veh)

Sounds like v in very

Г г (geh)

Sounds like g in go

Д д (deh)

Sounds like d in dog

Е е (yeh)

Sounds like ye in yes

Ё ё (yo)

Sounds like yo in yoyo

Ж ж (zheh)

Sounds like s in measure ("zh" sound)

З з (zeh)

Sounds like z in zoo

И и (ee)

Sounds like ee in see

Й й (ee krat-kah-yeh)

Sounds like y in boy

К к (kah)

Sounds like k in kite

Л л (el)

Sounds like a soft l

М м (em)

Sounds like m in man

Н н (en)

Sounds like n in no

О о (oh)

Sounds like o in more (unstressed often sounds like “uh”)

П п (peh)

Sounds like p in pen

Р р (er)

Rolled/trilled r

С с (es)

Sounds like s in sun

Т т (teh)

Sounds like t in stop

У у (oo)

Sounds like oo in boot

Ф ф (ef)

Sounds like f in fish

Х х (khah)

Throat sound like ch in loch

Ц ц (tseh)

Sounds like ts in cats

Ч ч (cheh)

Sounds like ch in church

Ш ш (shah)

Sounds like sh in ship

Щ щ (shchah)

Longer, softer sh sound (“sheesh” without the final sh); a long, soft “shch” sound

Ъ ъ (hard sign)

No sound; separates and hardens the previous consonant

Ы ы (ih)

Deep i sound with no exact English equivalent; say “ee” from deep in your throat

Ь ь (soft sign)

No sound; softens the previous consonant

Э э (eh)

Sounds like e in met

Ю ю (yoo)

Sounds like you

Я я (yah)

Sounds like ya in yard