Russian Alphabet · Lesson 3 of 4 · Level A1 · 60 min


⚠ False friends — same shape, DIFFERENT sound

These 7 letters look exactly like Latin letters — but sound completely different. This is where many beginners make mistakes. Learn them carefully and you will avoid building bad pronunciation habits.

Memory trick: Every time you see С Р У В Х Е Н, say the Russian sound out loud immediately. Override your Latin instinct.

С — looks like “C”, sounds /s/

Like “s” in sun. NOT “c” or “k”.

Examples:
сок (juice) суп (soup) Санкт-Петербу́рг

Р — looks like “P”, sounds /r/ — TRILLED!

A rolled R — the tip of the tongue vibrates against the ridge just behind your upper teeth.

Warm-up: тр-тр-тр → трр → р
Examples:
рот (mouth) ры́ба (fish) Росси́я
Practice for 5 minutes every day.

У — looks like “Y”, sounds /u/

Like “oo” in moon. NOT “y”.

Examples:
ум (mind) у́тро (morning) у́лица (street)

В — looks like “B”, sounds /v/

Like “v” in victory. NOT “b”.

Examples:
вот (here is) вода́ (water) Влади́мир

Х — looks like “X”, sounds /x/

Like the Scottish “ch” in loch or German Bach. NOT “x” or “ks”.

Examples:
хлеб (bread) хо́лод (cold) хорошо́ (good / well)

Е — looks like “E”, sounds /ye/

At the beginning of a word, Е is often like “ye” in yes. After a consonant, it usually softens that consonant and adds an “e” sound.

Examples:
е́сли (if) ем (I eat) Еле́на

Н — looks like “H”, sounds /n/

Like “n” in no. NOT “h”.

Examples:
нет (no) нос (nose) она́ (she)

Exercises & Homework

Ex. 1 — Write the Russian sound for each:
С → ___    Р → ___    У → ___    В → ___    Х → ___    Е → ___    Н → ___

Ex. 2 — Read aloud — think Russian, not Latin:

сок рот ум вот хлеб е́сли нет

Ex. 3 — Tongue twister:

Шла Са́ша по шоссе́ и соса́ла су́шку.

(Sasha walked down the road sucking a cracker.)

Homework: Write all 7 false friends with their real sounds. Practice the Р trill for 5 minutes daily and record yourself. Find 3 Russian words for each false friend.



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