Learn all 33 letters of the Russian (Cyrillic) alphabet with their names, sounds and example words.
А а
"a" as in "father", sound /a/
Б б
"b" as in "bed", sound /b/
В в
"v" as in "van", sound /v/
Г г
"g" as in "go", sound /g/
Д д
"d" as in "dog", sound /d/
Е е
"ye" as in "yet", sound /ye/; example: ел (ate)
Ё ё
"yo" as in "yolk", sound /yo/; example: ёлка (fir tree)
Ж ж
"zh" like the "s" in "pleasure", sound /zh/; example: жена (wife)
З з
"z" as in "zoo", sound /z/
И и
"ee" as in "see", sound /i/; example: имя (name)
Й й
short i, a brief /y/ as in "boy"; example: мой (my)
К к
"k" as in "kite", sound /k/
Л л
"l" as in "lamp", sound /l/
М м
"m" as in "map", sound /m/
Н н
"n" as in "net", sound /n/
О о
"o" as in "more", sound /o/; example: он (he)
П п
"p" as in "pen", sound /p/
Р р
rolled "r", sound /r/
С с
"s" as in "sun", sound /s/
Т т
"t" as in "top", sound /t/
У у
"oo" as in "food", sound /u/; example: утро (morning)
Ф ф
"f" as in "fun", sound /f/
Х х
"kh" like the "ch" in Scottish "loch", sound /kh/
Ц ц
"ts" as in "cats", sound /ts/
Ч ч
"ch" as in "church", sound /ch/; example: час (hour)
Ш ш
"sh" as in "shop", sound /sh/
Щ щ
soft "shch", like a long soft "sh"; example: щи (cabbage soup)
Ъ ъ
hard sign: no sound of its own, separates a consonant from the following vowel
Ы ы
deep "i", sound /ɨ/, made with the tongue pulled back; example: мы (we)
Ь ь
soft sign: softens the preceding consonant; example: мать (mother)
Э э
"e" as in "met", sound /e/; example: это (this)
Ю ю
"yu" as in "you", sound /yu/; example: юбка (skirt)
Я я
"ya" as in "yard", sound /ya/; example: я (I)