Week 1
Day 2 Russian Alphabet – Part 1
The Russian alphabet has 33 letters, with 10 vowels, 21 consonants, and 2 signs. You already know some Russian letters!
There are 5 Russian letters that look and sound like English letters:
А К М О Т
Letter Sound Similar English sounds in words
А 'a' as in ‘father’
К ‘k’ as in ‘kind’
М ‘m’ as in ‘mother’
О ‘o’ as in ‘more’
Т ‘t’ as in ‘ten’
Examples (letters that look and sound the same)
кот- kot (cat)
кто? -ktoh (who?)
как?- kahk (how? )
Том- Tom (boy’s name)
там- tahm (there)
мама- mah-mah (mom)
There are 8 Russian letters that look like English letters but they sound different: В Н Р С У Х Е И
Letter Sound Similar English sounds in words
В 'v' as in ‘van’
Н ‘n’ as in ‘no’
Р ‘r’ as in ‘run’
С ‘s’ as in ‘sing’
У ‘oo’ as in ‘boot’
Х ‘h’ as in ‘hill’
Е ‘yeh’ as in ‘yet’
И ‘ee’ as in ‘see’
Examples (Letters that look, but don't sound the same)
метро-myeht-ro-(metro)
нос-nohs (nose)
рис-rees-(rice)
киви- kee-vee-(kiwi)
ракета-rah-kyeh-tah-(rocket)
луна-loo-nah(moon)
Day 3 Russian Alphabet – Part 2
7 Russian letters that sound like English letters but look different:
Б Г Д З Л П Ф
Letter Sound Similar English sounds in words
Б 'b' as in ‘boy’
Г ‘g’ as in ‘good’
Д ‘d’ as in ‘dog’
З ‘z’ as in ‘zoo’
Л ‘l’ as in ‘lamp’
П ‘p’ as in ‘pay’
Ф ‘f’ as in ‘fan’
Examples (letters that do not look, but sound the same)
да –dah (yes)
нет-nyeht-(no)
папа- pah-pah (daddy)
флаг –flahg-(flag)
класс-klahs (class)
кофе-koh-fyeh (coffee)
зебра-zyeh-bra (zebra)
студент-stoo-dyehnt (student)
телефон-tyeh-lyeh-fohn (telephone)
лампа-lahm-pah (lamp)
суп soop-(soup)
вода-voh-dah (water)
пингвин-peen-gveen (penguin)
Now let's examine 11 Russian letters that look and sound different.
Ч Ж Ш Ц Щ Э Ю Я Ë Ы Й
Letter Sound Similar English sounds in words
Ч 'ch' as in ‘chin’
Ж ‘zh’ as in ‘measure’
Ш ‘sh’ as in ‘shop’
Ц ‘ts’ as in ‘bits’
Щ ‘sh’ as in ‘sheep’
Ы 'i' as in ‘live’
Э ‘e’ as in ‘apple’
Ю ‘yu’ as in ‘use’
Я ‘ya’ as in ‘yard’
Ё ‘yo’ as in ‘yolk’
Й ‘y’ as in ‘say’
Examples (letters that do not look or sound the same)
пицца-pee-tsah (pizza)
йогурт-yo-gurt (yogurt)
журнал-zhur-nal (journal)
жираф-zhee-rahf (giraffe)
сын-syn (son)
президент-pryeh-zee-dyehnt (president)
костюм-kos-tyum (costume)
чай-chai (tea)
экзамен-ek-zah-myehn (examination)
In Russian there are 2 letters that do not have sounds:
Ъ called a hard sign-means a slight gap between letters
Ь called a soft sign-consonant before it is softened
Examples (soft and hard signs)
cоль- sohl’(salt)
отель-oh-tyehl’ (hotel)
cъел –s’yehl (ate)
and here is the vocab Russian English
кот cat
кто? who?
как? how?
Том Tom (boy’s name)
там There
мама mom
метро metro
нос nose
рис rice
киви kiwi
ракета rocket
луна moon
да yes
нет No
папа daddy
флаг flag
класс class
кофе coffee
зебра zebra
студент student
телефон telephone
лампа Lamp
суп soup
вода water
пингвин penguin
пицца pizza
йогурт yogurt
журнал journal
жираф giraffe
сын son
президент president
костюм costume
чай Tea
экзамен Examination
cоль salt
отель hotel
cъел ate
