• BASIC PHONETIC FEATURES:

· Russian pronunciation is almost phonetic, it means that - one-to-one correspondence between letters and sounds, but not at all since there are a lot of specific rules to be memorized.
· In Russian language the vowels are not divided into long ones and short ones.
· As for the consonants, they are divided into palatalized (soft) and non-palatalized (hard) ones.
· In Russian language there are no diphthongs.
In the following table all of the 33 letters (both in upper and lower case):


RUSSIAN ALPHABET

Letter -Russian Name-Equivalent Sounds in English

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А-Ah(read as: a)
The Russian 'a' is pronounced like the 'a' in 'mother' or 'bas', but is a slightly shorter sound.
Aвто-Afta-Avto
Aвтобус-aftOboos- Bus
Автор-Aftar-Author
Агентство-agYEntstva-Agency

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Б-Be(read as:b)-B as in Bus, Beer, Bob
Resembles English 'b' in 'bob'. At the end of a word it is like the 'p' in 'lip'
Билет-beelYEt—Ticket
Балет-balYEt-Ballet
Бар-bAr-Bar

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В-Ve(ve- soft: wr-hard)
V as in Vodka ( soft) or Moscow( hard)
Вода-vadA-Water

Вино-veenO- Wine

Время-wrYEmya-Time( O'clock)

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Г-Ghe(read as:g) G as in God, go
Год-gOd-Year
Город-gOrad-City
Газета-gazYEta-Newspaper
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Д-De(read as:d)
D in bad, dark
Дом-dOm-House
Домино-dameenO-Domino
Дети-dYEtee-Children

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Е-Ye( read as: ye!!!)Ye in yes
Еда-yedA-Meal
Ель-YEl'-Fir
Ехать-YEhat'-Ride

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Ё-yo-Yaw in yawl, yob, yonder
Ёж-YOsh-Hedgehog

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Ж-(ZH)zh in pleasure, vision
Железо-zhelYEza-Iron
Желток-zheltOk-Yolk
Жара-zharA-Heat
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З-Ze(z)-Z in zebra, zero, bezon
Золото-zOlata-Gold

Звезда-zvyezdA-Star ( v-soft before “e”)
Зуд-zOOd-Itch

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И-ee-EE in meet , teeth, see
Ирина-eerEEna-Irina(name)
Игра-eegrA-Game
Идеал-eedyeAl-Ideal

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Й-y(as -Yoga)-some time( i)-Y as in yet, toy, boy (i)
Йод-iod-Iodine
Йoгa-iOga-Yoga
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K-Ka(k)K in Cat, cap, call
Крокодил-krakadEEl-Crocodile
Круиз-krooEEz-Cruise
Куда- koodA-Where
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Л-El(l)-L in lama , lamp, lip
Литр-lEEtr-Litre
Лифт-lEEft-Lift
Люблю-lyublYU- I love....
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