Pronunciation Rules
Key Pronunciation Rule: Vowel Reduction
In Russian, vowels are only fully pronounced when stressed. Unstressed vowels are reduced.
| Stressed | Unstressed | Example |
|---|---|---|
| О → [O] | О → [A] | молоко (milk) = ma-la-KO |
| Е → [YE] | Е → [YI] | велосипед (bicycle) = vye-la-si-PYET |
| Я → [YA] | Я → [YI] | язык (language) = yi-ZIK |
💡 Russian dictionaries mark stress with an accent: молоко́
Hard vs Soft Consonants
Russian consonants come in hard (твёрдый (TVYORdiy)) and soft (мягкий (MYAKkiy)) pairs.
- Hard: pronounced normally
- Soft: followed by Ь, Е, Ё, И, Ю, Я — consonant is “palatalized” (slightly like adding a Y sound)
Example: Н (hard) vs НЬ (soft, like “ny” in “canyon”)
Voiced/Voiceless Pairs
At the end of a word, voiced consonants become voiceless:
| Voiced | Voiceless | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Б | П | хлеб (bread) → pronounced [khlep] |
| В | Ф | |
| Г | К | |
| Д | Т | год (year) → pronounced [got] |
| З | С | |
| Ж | Ш |
Practice
How is unstressed О pronounced?
Like А — e.g. молоко is pronounced ma-la-KO
What happens to voiced consonants at end of word?
They become voiceless (Б→П, Д→Т, Г→К, etc.)
What makes a consonant 'soft' in Russian?
It is followed by Ь or a 'soft' vowel (Е, Ё, И, Ю, Я)