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Russian Cyrillic: all 33 letters and first words

Learn to read Russian: all 33 Cyrillic letters with their sounds and an example word each, then 17 first words and phrases, with stress marked.

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А а

Vowel

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  1. 1
    А а
    Vowel
    a · as in “father”
    ма́ма (mama) · mum; mom
  2. 2
    Б б
    Consonant
    b · as in “bed”
    ба́бушка (babushka) · grandmother
  3. 3
    В в
    Consonant
    v · as in “van”
    вода́ (voda) · water. Looks like a Latin B, but sounds v
  4. 4
    Г г
    Consonant
    g · as in “go”
    го́род (gorod) · city. In the endings -ого and -его it’s said v: его́ (yego, said “yevo”) · him; his
  5. 5
    Д д
    Consonant
    d · as in “dog”
    де́ти (deti) · children
  6. 6
    Е е
    Vowel
    ye · as in “yes”; e after a consonant
    ле́то (leto) · summer
  7. 7
    Ё ё
    Vowel
    yo · as in “yonder”
    ёлка (yolka) · fir tree; Christmas tree. Always stressed, and often printed as plain е
  8. 8
    Ж ж
    Consonant
    zh · like the s in “pleasure”
    жена́ (zhena) · wife
  9. 9
    З з
    Consonant
    z · as in “zoo”
    зима́ (zima) · winter. Easy to mix up with the digit 3
  10. 10
    И и
    Vowel
    i · like the ee in “meet”
    и́мя (imya) · first name. On its own, и means “and”
  11. 11
    Й й
    Consonant
    y · as in “boy”
    музе́й (muzey) · museum. A short i that glides off the vowel before it, as in “hey”
  12. 12
    К к
    Consonant
    k · as in “kite”
    ко́шка (koshka) · cat
  13. 13
    Л л
    Consonant
    l · a dark l, as in “full”
    луна́ (luna) · moon
  14. 14
    М м
    Consonant
    m · as in “map”
    мо́ре (more) · sea
  15. 15
    Н н
    Consonant
    n · as in “net”
    не́бо (nebo) · sky. Looks like a Latin H, but sounds n
  16. 16
    О о
    Vowel
    o · as in “more”, when stressed
    молоко́ (moloko) · milk, said “ma-la-KO”: without stress, о sounds like a
  17. 17
    П п
    Consonant
    p · as in “pen”
    па́па (papa) · dad. Shaped like the Greek letter π
  18. 18
    Р р
    Consonant
    r · tapped or rolled
    рука́ (ruka) · hand; arm. Looks like a Latin P, but sounds r
  19. 19
    С с
    Consonant
    s · as in “sun”
    соба́ка (sobaka) · dog. Looks like a Latin C, but sounds s
  20. 20
    Т т
    Consonant
    t · as in “top”
    телефо́н (telefon) · telephone. In handwriting, the lowercase looks like a Latin m
  21. 21
    У у
    Vowel
    u · like the oo in “food”
    у́тро (utro) · morning. Looks like a Latin y, but sounds u
  22. 22
    Ф ф
    Consonant
    f · as in “fun”
    фо́то (foto) · photo
  23. 23
    Х х
    Consonant
    kh · like the ch in Scottish “loch”
    хо́лодно (kholodno) · it’s cold. Looks like a Latin X, but sounds kh
  24. 24
    Ц ц
    Consonant
    ts · as in “cats”
    цена́ (tsena) · price
  25. 25
    Ч ч
    Consonant
    ch · as in “cheese”
    часы́ (chasy) · clock; watch
  26. 26
    Ш ш
    Consonant
    sh · as in “shop”, with the tongue pulled back
    шко́ла (shkola) · school
  27. 27
    Щ щ
    Consonant
    shch · a long, soft sh, as in “fresh sheep”
    о́вощи (ovoshchi) · vegetables. Looks like ш with a small tail
  28. 28
    Ъ ъ
    Sign
    Hard sign · no sound of its own; written ” or left out
    Separates a prefix from a following е, ё, ю or я, which keep their y sound: подъе́зд (podyezd) · building entrance
  29. 29
    Ы ы
    Vowel
    y · like the i in “ill”, with the tongue pulled back
    ры́ба (ryba) · fish. Almost never starts a word
  30. 30
    Ь ь
    Sign
    Soft sign · no sound of its own; written ’
    Softens the consonant before it, as if a faint y followed: о́сень (osen’) · autumn
  31. 31
    Э э
    Vowel
    e · as in “met”
    эта́ж (etazh) · floor of a building. Unlike е, it has no y sound
  32. 32
    Ю ю
    Vowel
    yu · as in “you”
    ю́бка (yubka) · skirt
  33. 33
    Я я
    Vowel
    ya · as in “yard”
    я́блоко (yabloko) · apple. On its own, я means “I”
  34. 34
    здра́вствуйте
    Greeting, polite
    zdravstvuyte · hello
    The first в is silent: “ZDRAST-vuy-tye”. For strangers, elders and groups
  35. 35
    приве́т
    Greeting, informal
    privet · hi
    For friends, family and children
  36. 36
    до свида́ния
    Farewell
    do svidaniya · goodbye
    Literally “until the meeting”. Polite, for any situation
  37. 37
    пока́
    Farewell, informal
    poka · bye
    For friends and family
  38. 38
    спаси́бо
    Phrase
    spasibo · thank you
    большо́е спаси́бо (bol’shoye spasibo) · thank you very much
  39. 39
    пожа́луйста
    Phrase
    pozhaluysta · please; you’re welcome
    Usually said “pa-ZHAL-sta”. Also the reply to спаси́бо
  40. 40
    да
    Word
    da · yes
    Да, коне́чно (da, konechno) · yes, of course
  41. 41
    нет
    Word
    net · no
    Also “there is no”: нет вре́мени (net vremeni) · there’s no time
  42. 42
    извини́те
    Phrase
    izvinite · excuse me; sorry
    Polite; with friends, say извини́ (izvini)
  43. 43
    Как дела́?
    Question
    kak dela? · how are you?
    Literally “how are things?” A common reply: хорошо́, спаси́бо
  44. 44
    хорошо́
    Word
    khorosho · good; fine; OK
    Said “kha-ra-SHO”: both unstressed о sound like a
  45. 45
    Меня́ зову́т…
    Phrase
    menya zovut… · my name is…
    Literally “they call me…”: Меня́ зову́т А́нна
  46. 46
    О́чень прия́тно
    Phrase
    ochen’ priyatno · nice to meet you
    Literally “very pleasant”. Said after introductions
  47. 47
    Я не понима́ю
    Phrase
    ya ne ponimayu · I don’t understand
    Then: Повтори́те, пожа́луйста (povtorite, pozhaluysta) · please say that again
  48. 48
    Ско́лько сто́ит?
    Question
    skol’ko stoit? · how much does it cost?
    ско́лько · how much; how many. сто́ит · it costs
  49. 49
    Где туале́т?
    Question
    gde tualet? · where is the toilet?
    The same pattern works for anything: Где метро́? · where is the metro?
  50. 50
    Вы говори́те по-англи́йски?
    Question
    vy govorite po-angliyski? · do you speak English?
    Вы is the polite or plural “you”; ты (ty) is informal

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to learn the Cyrillic alphabet?

Many learners can sound out Russian words within a week or two of short daily sessions. The false friends (В, Н, Р, С, У and Х) take the most practice.

What do the accent marks mean?

They show the stressed syllable. Russian stress is hard to predict and changes how vowels sound, so learner materials mark it; everyday Russian text doesn’t. One-syllable words carry no mark, and ё is always stressed.

Which transliteration does this deck use?

A simple English-based one: zh for Ж, kh for Х, ts for Ц, shch for Щ, ya and yu for Я and Ю, and ’ for the soft sign. It’s the style used in most phrasebooks.

Why do two letters have no sound?

The soft sign ь makes the consonant before it soft, as if a faint y followed. The hard sign ъ is rarer: it separates a prefix from a following е, ё, ю or я, so they keep their y sound.

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