Learn the Russian Alphabet 2025

Learn the Russian Alphabet: A Complete Guide with English Pronunciation

Learning the Russian language begins with mastering its alphabet — the Cyrillic script. It may look intimidating at first, but once you understand the letters and their sounds, reading and speaking Russian becomes much easier. In this guide, we’ll go through each Russian letter, its uppercase and lowercase forms, Russian name, and approximate English sound. Let’s get started!
🇷🇺 Overview of the Russian Alphabet The Russian alphabet (Cyrillic alphabet) consists of 33 letters.
It includes some letters similar to English, some that look the same but sound different, and others that are completely unique.
Russian Alphabet Chart

Uppercase Lowercase Name (in Russian) Approx. Sound (English) А а а a as in car Б б бе b as in bat В в ве v as in vet Г г ге g as in go Д д де d as in dog Е е е ye as in yes Ё ё ё yo as in yonder Ж ж жэ zh as in measure З з зэ z as in zoo И и и ee as in see Й й и краткое (short i) y as in boy К к ка k as in kite Л л эл l as in love М м эм m as in man Н н эн n as in nose О о о o as in not (or a as in car when unstressed) П п пе p as in pen Р р эр rolled r (like Spanish r) С с эс s as in sun Т т те t as in top У у у oo as in boot Ф ф эф f as in fun Х х ха kh as in Bach or loch Ц ц цэ ts as in cats Ч ч че ch as in chess Ш ш ша sh as in shut Щ щ ща shch as in fresh cheese Ъ ъ твёрдый знак (hard sign) no sound — separates syllables Ы ы ы like i in ill (deep sound) Ь ь мягкий знак (soft sign) softens the preceding consonant Э э э e as in met Ю ю ю you as in universe Я я я ya as in yard

Tips for Learning Russian Pronunciation Practice out loud – Russian letters sound different depending on stress and position.

Listen to native speakers – It helps to watch Russian movies or listen to music.

Start simple – Begin with letters that sound like English (А, К, М, Т).

Pay attention to soft and hard sounds – The “Ь” (soft sign) and “Ъ” (hard sign) change how words are pronounced.

Use flashcards – Visual repetition is key when memorizing new letters.

Fun Facts About the Russian Alphabet The modern Cyrillic script was developed from the Greek alphabet around the 9th century.

The letters Ё, Й, and Щ have no exact equivalents in English.

The letter Р sounds like the English r but is rolled like in Spanish.

The soft sign (Ь) doesn’t make a sound — it just softens the letter before it.

Why Learn the Russian Alphabet? Knowing the alphabet is your first step toward: Reading street signs and menus in Russia 🇷🇺

Understanding basic Russian phrases

Learning grammar and pronunciation correctly

Building confidence for further language study

Even learning the basics can make your travel or study experience in Russia much more enjoyable! Final Thoughts Mastering the Russian alphabet is easier than it looks. Within a few days of practice, you’ll be able to recognize letters, read simple words, and begin your journey toward fluency. Whether you’re visiting Russia, studying abroad, or simply exploring a new language, start with the Cyrillic script — it’s your gateway to understanding one of the world’s richest cultures.