Module 1 · Lesson 7 of 18 free lessons

Complete strangers — Russian letters that do not look or sound like English letters

This lesson introduces Russian letters that neither look nor sound like English letters. Even though these sounds do exist in the English language, they are not represented by any letter of the English alphabet but rather are denoted by combinations of English letters.

In the audio you will hear the names of the letters and examples of words where these letters are used.

Like in the previous lessons, examples of Russian words that are internationalisms are shown without translations. Try to guess their meaning.

Й й [ey] май, йо́гурт, йо́га, геро́й, музе́й, хокке́й, волейбо́л

Ё ё [yo] актёр, манёвр, репортёр
ёлка fir, ребёнок child, котёнок kitten

Note: ё is always stressed

Ю ю [yu] бюро́, ю́мор
юг south, плюс plus, лю́ди people, юри́ст lawyer

Я я [ya] исто́рия, филосо́фия, эпиде́мия
дя́дя uncle, тётя aunt, ку́хня kitchen, я́блоко apple, я́года berry

Ж ж [zh] инжене́р, журнали́ст
журна́л magazine, жена́ wife, у́жин dinner, упражне́ние exercise

Ш ш [sh] шанс, шарф, шко́ла
душ shower, ша́пка cap, шу́тка joke, ко́шка cat, руба́шка shirt

Ч ч [ch] чемпио́н
чай tea, час hour, мяч ball, ча́шка cup, ве́чер evening, де́вочка girl, челове́к person

Ц ц [ts] центр, цирк
цвет color, ци́фра digit, цена́ price, лицо́ face, ку́рица hen, ле́кция lecture

Щ щ [shch] борщ
щи cabbage soup, плащ raincoat, о́вощ vegetable, о́бщество society

Handwritten block letters

The simplified handwritten version of lower case Ёё looks the same way as the capital one: ЁЁ.

The simplified handwritten version of lower case Жж (both capital and lower case) is made of straight lines placed at an angle to each other: ЖЖ.

For other letters of this group the simplified handwritten style is the same as for that shown in the alphabet.