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Meet the Vowels

Learn the ten vowel letters and the sounds they make, from А (a) to Я (ya).

  • Define and explain Meet the Vowels in your own words
  • Use key terms such as гласная (glásnaya) — vowel accurately
  • Apply what you have learned to new examples and questions
  • Avoid the common mistakes learners make with this topic

Russian uses a special alphabet called Cyrillic, and it has 33 letters — each with its own sound. The good news is that Russian words are read almost exactly as they are written, with no silent letters to trick you. By the end of this chapter you will read your first Russian words all by yourself.

This lesson focuses on Meet the Vowels: learn the ten vowel letters and the sounds they make, from А (a) to Я (ya).

Definition: Meet the Vowels

Learn the ten vowel letters and the sounds they make, from А (a) to Я (ya).

Key ideas

One letter, one sound

Russian is very honest: each letter usually keeps the same sound wherever it appears. Once you learn that М says 'mmm' and А says 'ah', you can read МА anywhere — in мама (máma — mum), in машина (mashína — car) and in марка (márka — stamp). Reading Russian feels like cracking a code, and the code barely changes.

Hard and soft consonants

Many Russian consonants come in pairs: a hard version and a soft, smiley version. Compare мат (mat — checkmate), said with a firm T, with мать (mat' — mother), where the soft sign Ь makes the T soft and gentle. For the soft sound your tongue moves a little forward — try saying 'tya' versus 'ta' and feel the difference.

Key term — гласная (glásnaya) — vowel: A vowel letter. There are ten: А, Э, Ы, О, У, Я, Е, Ё, Ю, И. Vowels make the loud, open sounds in a word.

Worked example: Meet the Vowels

How many syllables does машина have?

Three syllables — ма-ши-на — because it has three vowels: А, И, А.

Answer: Three syllables — ма-ши-на — because it has three vowels: А, И, А.

Common mistakes
  • Saying В like the English B Cyrillic В sounds like V, not B — ваза (váza) is read 'VA-za' and means 'vase'. The letter Б is the one that sounds like B.
  • Mixing up Р and P Cyrillic Р is a rolled R, not P — рыба (rýba) is read 'RY-ba' and means 'fish'. Cyrillic П is the letter that sounds like P.

Practice

Which letter sounds like V: В or Б?
One of them sounds like B instead.

В sounds like V; Б sounds like B.

How many letters are in the Russian alphabet?
It is more than the 26 of English.

33 letters.

What sound does the letter М make?
Think of the humming sound 'mmm'.

It makes an 'm' sound, as in мама (máma — mum).

Read the word кот and say what it means.
К = k, О = o (stressed, so it keeps its 'o' sound), Т = t.

кот (kot) is read 'kot' and means 'cat'.

Quick check

Meet the Vowels — quick check

Which of these best defines "гласная (glásnaya) — vowel"?

A vowel letter. There are ten: А, Э, Ы, О, У, Я, Е, Ё, Ю, И. Vowels make the loud, open sounds in a word.

Is the stress on ЗА or МОК in замок meaning 'castle'?

замок (zamók — castle) is stressed on МОК; zámok with stress on ЗА means 'lock'.
Key takeaways
  • Meet the Vowels: learn the ten vowel letters and the sounds they make, from А (a) to Я (ya).
  • One letter, one sound: Russian is very honest: each letter usually keeps the same sound wherever it appears.
  • согласная (soglásnaya) — consonant: A consonant letter.
  • Watch out for: saying В like the English B
Consonant Friends →Back to Grade 7 chaptersRelated resources →