The Russian alphabet uses the Cyrillic script and consists of 33 letters, including 21 consonants, 10 vowels and two modifier letters (hard and soft signs), which do not have a sound.
In the table below, you will see the following:
- list of letters (uppercase and lowercase)
- letter names in the Russian alphabet
- common transliteration
- approximate pronunciation of each Russian letter (compared to English)
Listen to the audio to hear how the Russian alphabet sounds.
Letter | Letter name | Transliteration | Sound of the letter |
А а | [a] | a | Like 'a' in ‘car’ |
Б б | [бэ] | b | Like 'b' in ‘book’ |
В в | [вэ] | v | Like 'v' in ‘vet’ |
Г г | [гэ] | g | Like 'g' in ‘go’ |
Д д | [дэ] | d | Like to 'd' in ‘dog’ |
Е е | [е] | e | Like 'ye' in ‘yet’ |
Ё ё | [ё] | yo | Like 'yo' in ‘yoga’ |
Ж ж | [жэ] | zh | Like 's' in ‘pleasure’ or ‘vision’ |
З з | [зэ] | z | Like 'z' in ‘zoo’ |
И и | [и] | i | Like 'ea' in ‘each’ |
Й й | [и краткое] (i short) | i | Like 'y' in ‘boy’ |
К к | [ка] | k | Like 'k' in ‘key’ |
Л л | [эль] | l | Like 'l' in ‘love’ |
М м | [эм] | m | Like 'm' in ‘man’ |
Н н | [эн] | n | Like 'n' in note |
О о | [o] | o | Like 'o' in ‘more’ |
П п | [пэ] | p | Like 'p' in ‘pet’ |
Р р | [эр] | r | Like to 'r' in ‘right’ |
С с | [эс] | s | Like 's' in ‘sun’ |
Т т | [тэ] | t | Like 't' in ‘top’ |
У у | [у] | u | Like 'oo' in ‘cool’ |
Ф ф | [эф] | f | Like 'f' in ‘fun’ |
Х х | [ха] | kh | Like 'h' in ‘hut’ |
Ц ц | [цэ] | ts | Like 'ts' in ‘boots’ |
Ч ч | [че] | ch | Like 'ch' in ‘cheese’ |
Ш ш | [ша] | sh | Like 'sh' in ‘shut’ |
Щ щ | [ща] | shch | Like 'shch' in ‘fresh cheese’ |
Ъ ъ | [твердый знак] (hard sign) | - | has no sound |
Ы ы | [ы] | y | Like to 'y' in ‘symbol’ |
Ь ь | [мягкий знак] (soft sign) | - | has no sound |
Э э | [э] | e | Like 'e' in ‘end’ or ‘met’ |
Ю ю | [ю] | yu | Like 'u' in ‘use’ |
Я я | [я] | ya | Like 'ya' in ‘yard’ |