Alternative Latin-alphabet transcriptions are shown in parentheses. Alternatives commonly given by on-line Cyrillic-Latin converters are marked with an asterisk *.
Cyrillic
character |
transcription |
pronunciation | note |
 | a |
stressed: "a" in English "father
unstressed: "a" in "Lima" |
hard |
 | b | as in English |
 | v |
as in English |
 | g |
English g in "go". Never English g in "gin." |
 | d |
similar to English |
dt |
 |
e
(sometimes "ye" at beginning of word) |
stressed: "ye" in English "yet" (but see also entry for ë)
unstressed: same as Russian "i" (see)
Note: When this letter appears at the beginning of a Russian word, it is often transcribed "ye" to distinguish it from the letter I transcribe as "e^" (see below). This does not cause confusion with the separate vowel "y" (see below), because the sequence "y-e" never appears at the beginning of a Russian word.
Example: The surname «Ezhov» is often written "Yezhov." |
soft |
 | ë |
(always stressed) "yaw" in English "yawl"
The dots are shown in dictionaries and primers; otherwise this is usually written "e." |
soft |
 |
zh |
voiced "sh" sound: the "s" in "measure"
(always hard) |
 | z |
as in English "zoo" |
 | i |
as in Spanish, or the English "i" in "machine"
Keep in mind, however, that the preceding consonant is "soft" (palatalized). When unstressed, Russian "i" often sounds more like a quickly and softly pronounced English "yi" in "yip." |
soft |
 |
j
(y, i) |
English "y" in "toy" or "yet" |
 | k |
as in English "bucket" | kpt |
 | l |
soft: like English "ll" in "million"
hard: somewhat like English "l" in "yolk" |
 | m |
as in English |
 | n |
as in English |
 | o |
stressed: as in Spanish, or like English "au" in "auto"
unstressed: like Russian "a" (see) |
hard |
 | p |
as in English "reaper" |
kpt |
 | r |
is trilled (rolled) |
 | s |
always unvoiced, as in English "set" |
 | t |
similar to "t" in English "butter" |
dt,
kpt |
 | u |
as in Spanish, or like English "oo" in "boot" |
hard |
 | f |
as in English |
 |
x
(h *, kh) |
Spanish "j", Polish or Greek "ch", German "hard ch";
distantly related to English "h" |
 |
c
(ts *) |
English "ts" in "cats"
(always hard) |
 |
ch |
as in English
(always soft) |
 |
sh |
as in English
(always hard) |
 |
shch
(sch *) |
like English "shch" in "fresh cheese"
(always soft) |
 |
" or ''
(hard sign) |
(makes previous consonant "hard". Puts English "y" sound [as in "yet"] in front of following "soft" vowel.)
Since Russian uses «brackets» for quotes, the hard sign " and the soft sign ' need not be confused with quotes.
|
 | y |
related to Russian "i" (see), but follows "hard" consonant.
The most difficult Russian sound to explain to English-speakers.
Sounds a bit like "ui" sound in English "quick," or sometimes more like "uoy" in "buoy" (pronounced softly and quickly).
Sounds "shorter" than Russian "i" to English ears, more like English "i" in "pit." |
hard |
 |
'
(soft sign) |
makes previous consonant "soft"
Also, if followed by "soft" vowel, puts English "y" sound (as in "yet") in front of vowel |
 |
e^
(e *, eh) |
English "e" in "bet"
Note: Except in a handful of compound words, or foreign borrowings (eg "poe^t," "poe^ziya,"), this letter is only found at the beginning of words. For that reason, most transcription systems do not bother to distinguish it from the common "soft" letter "e," except at the beginning of words. (See "note" to "e" above.) |
hard |
 | yu |
English "yu" in "Yule" |
soft |
 | ya |
stressed: English "ya" as in "yacht"
unstressed: like Russian "i" (see). |
soft |
If the last consonant in a cluster is "soft" (palatalized), then the one(s) before it are soft as well, eg in the word «otomsti» ("avenge"), the «m» and the «s» are soft just like the «t».
Incidentally, Polish, a related language written with a Latin script, solves the same problem by using "i" to indicate palatalization ("softness"). "I" also can be a stand-alone "soft" vowel: