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Lesson on Russian Pronunciation! Lear Proper Russian Pronunciation!
Russian Lesson - Pronunciation Print
In this lesson let's learn the proper Russian pronunciation! First let's take a look at the Russian vowels. There're 11 vowels in the Russian alphabet:
А Б В Г Д Е Ё Ж З И Й К Л М Н О П Р С Т У Ф Х Ц Ч Ш Щ Ъ Ы Ь Э Ю Я
Vowels
А Е Ё И О У Ы Э Ю Я
Simple Vowels

А И О У Ы Э


А
Скакалка
Барабан
И
Пилили
Приснились
О
Колесо
Сторож
Unstressed O becomes [A]
Молоко – [МАЛАКО]
Порошок - [ПАРАШОК]
У
Буду
Улыбнулся
Ы

The most difficult Russian sound for English-speakers. Sounds like "ui" sound in English "quick". Sounds "shorter" than Russian И, more like English ‘I’ in “sit."

Дыры
Стыдно
Э
Мэр
Экран
Й (short И)
Always used with another vowel before or after
Йод
Майка
Сухой
Complex Vowels
Е Ё Ю Я

Е=Й+Э
Еле-еле
Перепел
Unstressed Е becomes [И]
МЕТРО – [МИТРО]
СТЕРЕТЬ – [СТИРЕТЬ]
Unstressed E becomes [Ы]
after Ж, Ц, Ш.
ЦЕНА (price) – [ЦЫНА]
ЖЕНА (wife) – [ЖЫНА]
Ё = Й+О
Мёд
Перекрёсток

Ё is always stressed!

Ю = Й+У
Воюют
Индюк
Я = Й+А
Ляля
Слякоть
Брянск
Russian Consonants
Б В Г Д Ж З К Л М Н П Р С Т Ф Х Ц Ч Ш Щ Ъ Ь
Б = B
Банк
В = V
Водка
Г = G
Глаза
Д = D
Дорога
Ж = ZH
Железо
З=Z
Золото
К = K
Корова
Л=L
Лошадь
М=M
Метро
Н=N
Нос
П=P
Парад
Р is trilled (rolled)
Ракета
Феррари
Риторика
С=S
Собака
Т = T
Томат
Ф=F
Фигура
Х=H
Хорошо
Ц=TS
Царь
Цапля
Цистерна
Ч=CH
Чистый
Чеснок
Ш=SH
always hard
Шорты
Широко
Щ = SH
like "shch" in "fresh cheese"
(always soft)
Щука
Борщ
Щи
Ъ
makes the previous consonant "hard"
Подъезд
Съел  - Сел
Ь
makes the previous consonant "soft"

Тень
Сыновья

 

Comments (7)add
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arpefa
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written by arpefa , September 05, 2009
I had some problems with the pronunciation but now it seems clear to me. Thanks.
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yafi
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written by yafi , October 02, 2009
This is great, particular the reading at the end that ties all the sounds together. Admittedly, this clip challenges me, but in a good way. I think after a few viewings, I should be able to pronounce the complex vowels with relative ease. Thank you!
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martin
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written by martin , December 18, 2009
Great !!!this is very cool websites how to learnd russian
спасибоsmilies/smiley.gif
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JUGGERNAUT789
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written by JUGGERNAUT789 , March 07, 2010
i love this website its free its simple its fun. whoever runs this site THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!smilies/cheesy.gif
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Votes: +3
Russian-Plus.com
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written by Russian-Online-Tutor , April 01, 2010
This is me thank you!smilies/wink.gif
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Catherine
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written by Catherine , April 17, 2010
thank you sooo much! it helped. but i dont understand when the o becaomes the a sound.
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Dean65
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written by Dean65 , June 18, 2010
" I dont understand when the o becaomes the a sound. "

From what I can make out there seems to be a vowel shift occurring due to modifications in pronunciation over time and the spelling not keeping pace.
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