Module 1 · Lesson 5 of 18 free lessons
False friends — Russian letters that look like English letters but sound completely different
The letters introduced in this lesson also look exactly like English ones, however, the sounds they denote are completely different from those denoted by the corresponding English letters. This can be confusing for a beginner, but soon you will get used to the new perception of familiar letters.
In this lesson's audio you will hear the names of the letters and examples of words where those letters are used.
Like in the previous lesson, in the examples below stress is shown with stress marks — except for one-syllable words.
Some Russian words in the examples below are shown without translations, since they are internationalisms (they occur in several languages retaining the same or similar meaning). Try to guess their meaning.
P р [rrr] мото́р, раке́та
рот mouth, торт cake, теа́тр theater, метро́ underground, subway, ка́рта map
С с [s] текст, сорт, ма́ска, секре́т
сок juice, мост bridge, ме́сто place, ко́смос space
В в [v] Москва́, авро́ра
век century, свет light, ве́тер wind, восто́к east
Н н [n] но́рма, сена́тор, рестора́н
нос nose, весна́ spring, окно́ window, но́мер number, ко́мната room
У у [ooh] ка́ктус, во́тум, курсо́р
внук grandson, рука́ hand, су́мка bag, уро́к lesson, нау́ка science
Х х [h] хор, хром, ха́ски, хара́ктер
хрен horseradish, му́ха fly, у́хо ear, са́хар sugar