RUSSIAN ALPHABET

JUMPSTART

How to Master the

Cyrillic Script in Record
Time

BY POLINA SHATALOVA
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2
Table of Contents

1. Introduction to the Russian Alphabet

2. Understanding the Russian Alphabet
3. Alphabet Chart
4. Mastering Challenging Sounds
5. Reading Practice
6. Progressive Word Lists
7. Building Reading Skills
8. Practice Exercises
9. Continue Learning

3
Introduction to the Russian Alphabet

Welcome to the "Russian Alphabet Jumpstart" created especially for

you by me (Polina), the founder of Learn Russian Daily!

If you're embarking on the exciting

journey of learning Russian,
congratulations on taking the first
step! As someone who has helped
thousands of learners like you
through my Instagram page and
online courses, I know that
mastering the Russian alphabet is
the foundation for your success..

The Russian alphabet, known as the Cyrillic alphabet, may seem

intimidating at first glance, especially if you're used to the Latin
alphabet used in English. However, with the right guidance and
practice, you'll soon discover that it's not as challenging as it appears.

In this guide, we'll dive deep into the fascinating world of the Russian
alphabet. You'll learn not only how to recognize and pronounce each
letter but also gain valuable insights into the unique aspects of
Russian writing and sound system.

4
How to Use This Guide

This guide is designed to take you from complete beginner to

confident reader of Russian text. Here's how to make the most of it:

Tips for Success

- Study for at least 15 minutes daily

- Practice writing and reading aloud
- Use the progress checklist at the end of each section
- Record yourself pronouncing letters and words
- Complete all exercises before moving forward
-Use the associated audios to help you with pronunciation

5
Progress checklist

Track your journey to mastering Cyrillic!

Basic Letters
□ I can recognize and pronounce all vowels (А, О, У, Э)
□ I can recognize letters similar to English (М, К, Т)
□ I can write simple words using these letters
□ I can read basic signs using these letters

Similar-Looking Letters
□ I can distinguish В (v) from B (b)
□ I can distinguish Р (r) from P (p)
□ I can distinguish Н (n) from H (h)
□ I can read words containing these letters

Unique Russian Letters

□ I can pronounce Ж (zh)
□ I can pronounce Щ (shch)
□ I can pronounce Ы (y)
□ I can use Ь and Ъ correctly

6
Progress checklist

Reading Skills
□ I can read short words without pausing
□ I can read signs and labels
□ I can recognize common word patterns
□ I can read simple phrases fluently

Pronunciation Mastery
□ I can pronounce all soft sounds correctly
□ I can pronounce all hard sounds correctly
□ I can read words with multiple consonants
□ I can read words with stress marks

Practice Goals
□ I practice reading for 2 minutes daily
□ I can write all letters in print form
□ I recognize letters in different fonts
□ I can read without referring to the chart

Congratulations! Each checkmark brings you closer to

mastering the Russian alphabet. Keep practicing!

Date Started: _____________

Date Completed: _____________

7
 A few key features of the
Russian alphabet that make it
distinct from the Latin alphabet:

The Cyrillic script consists of 33

1. letters, compared to the 26 letters
in the Latin alphabet.

Some letters may look similar to their

2. Latin counterparts but have different
pronunciations (e.g., "В" looks like
"B" but sounds like "V").

There are letters specific to Russian

3. sounds that don't exist in English,
such as "ъ" (hard sign) and "Ь"
(soft sign).

Throughout the "Russian Alphabet Jumpstart," we'll

explore these unique aspects in detail, providing you
with a comprehensive understanding of the Russian
writing system. You'll find clear explanations, examples,
and plenty of practice opportunities to help you master
each letter and sound.

8
 As you progress through the guide,
remember that learning the alphabet is
not just about memorization; it's about
understanding the foundation to make
your learning journey easier in the future.
With each letter you master, you'll unlock
new words, phrases, and possibilities for
communication.

So, are you ready to take your first steps

towards Russian alphabet mastery?

Before to start, remember, It isn’t a big deal if some concepts seems

strange at first, it will become natural with time, and the more you
practice, the easier it will seem.

And if you have a comprehension issue, you can directly reach me at my

personal email address: [email protected]

Now let's begin this exciting adventure together!

9
Alphabet Chart
In the coming page you’ll find the alphabet
chart. As you explore the chart, take note of
the following key points:

Pay attention to the differences

1. between print and cursive forms of
each letter. Familiarizing yourself
with both will help you recognize and
write Russian text more easily.

Focus on the English pronunciation

2. equivalents to develop an intuitive
understanding of how each letter
sounds. Keep in mind that some
Russian sounds may not have exact
English counterparts.

Study the example words associated

3. with each letter. These words are
commonly used in everyday Russian
and will help you build your
vocabulary while reinforcing your
alphabet knowledge.

10
 Russian Letters
LETTER ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION EXAMPLE WORDS

Аa "A" AS IN "FATHER" МАМА (MAMA), ПАПА (PAPA)

Бб "B" AS IN "BOY" БАНАН (BANAN), БАР (BAR)

Вв "V" AS IN "VASE" ВАЗА (VAZA), ВОЛК (VOLK)

Гг "G" AS IN "GO" ГОРОД (GORAT), ГРИБ (GRIP)

Дд "D" AS IN "DOG" ДОМ (DOM), ДЕРЕВО (DEREVA)

Ее "YE" AS IN "YES" ЕЛЬ (YEL'), ЕНОТ (RACCOON)

Ёё "YO" AS IN "YOLK" ЁЖ (YOZH), ЁЛКА (YOLKA)

Жж "ZH" AS IN "PLEASURE" ЖИЗНЬ (ZHIZN'), ЖИРАФ (ZHIRAF)

Зз "Z" AS IN "ZOO" ЗЕБРА (ZEBRA), ЗИМА (ZIMA)

Ии "I" AS IN "SKI" ИКРА (IKRA), ИГРА (IGRA)

Йй "Y" AS IN "BOY" ЙОГУРТ (YOGURT), ЙОГ (YOG)

Кк "K" AS IN "KITE" КОТ (KOT), КНИГА (KNIGA)

Лл "L" AS IN "LOVE" ЛАМПА (LAMPA), ЛУЖА (LUZHA)

МЫЛО (MYLO), МУЖ (MUSH)

Мм "M" AS IN "MOM"

Нн "N" AS IN "NO" НОС (NOS), НОЧЬ (NOCH')

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Оо "O" AS IN "MORE" ОБЛАКО (OBLAKA), КИНО (KINO)

Пп "P" AS IN "PEN" ПУТЬ (PUT’), ПОЛ (POL)

Рр "R" AS IN "ROSE" (ROLLED) РЫБА (RYBA), РУКА (RUKA)

Сс "S" AS IN "SUN" СОЛНЦЕ (SONTSE), СЕСТРА (SESTRA)

Тт "T" AS IN "TOY" ТИГР (TIGR), ТОРТ (TORT)

Уу "U" AS IN "MOON" УТКА (UTKA), МУХА (MUKHA)

Фф "F" AS IN "FAN" ФРУКТЫ (FRUKTY), КОФЕ (KOFE)

Хх "KH" AS IN "LOCH" ХЛЕБ (KHLEP), УХО (UKHA)

Цц "TS" AS IN "BOOTS" ЦИРК (TSIRK), ЦВЕТОК (TSVETOK)

Чч "CH" AS IN "CHAIR" ЧАЙ (CHAY), ОЧКИ (OCHKI)

Шш "SH" AS IN "SHIP" ШКОЛА (SHKOLA), МЫШЬ (MYSH')

Щщ "SHCH" AS IN "FRESHCHEESE" ЩУКА (SHCHUKA), БОРЩ (BORSHCH)

Ъъ SILENT, SEPARATES CONSONANTS ОБЪЕКТ (OB"YEKT), СЪЕЗД (S"YEZD)

Ыы "Y" AS IN "ILL" ТЫ (TY), МЫ (MY)

Ьь SOFT SIGN, PALATIZES CONSONANTS КОНЬ (KON'), СОЛЬ (SOL')

Ээ "E" AS IN "RED" ЭКРАН (EKRAN), ЭТАЖ (ETAZH)

Юю "YU" AS IN "YOU" ЮГ (YUG), ЛЮДИ (LYUDI)

Яя "YA" AS IN "YARD" ЯБЛОКО (YABLOKO), СЕМЬЯ (SEM'YA)

12
 Try the following tips:

Practice pronouncing each letter and

example word out loud, referring to
the English pronunciation equivalents
.1
as a guide.

Write out the letters and words in

both print and cursive forms to .2
develop your handwriting skills.

Print flashcards or sticky notes with

the letters and example words to .3
practice recognition and recall
throughout the day.

13
 Remember, mastering the Russian alphabet is a
gradual process. Don't feel overwhelmed by the
number of letters or the new sounds. Take your time,
practice consistently, and celebrate each small
victory along the way.

Pronunciation Guide

Now that you've familiarized yourself with

the Russian alphabet, it's time to dive
deeper into the world of Russian
pronunciation. In this section, we'll
explore the unique sounds of the Russian
language and provide you with practical
tips to master them.

14
Challenging Russian Sounds
While some Russian letters have similar
pronunciations to their English counterparts,
others may require a bit more practice. Here
are a few challenging sounds to pay special
attention to:

Ы This letter represents a unique Russian

vowel sound that doesn't exist in
English. To pronounce it, position your
tongue as if you're saying "ee" (as in
"meet"), but then move your tongue
back and say "ih" (as in "sit").

Щ
This letter is often referred to as the
"long soft sh" sound. To pronounce it,
start with the "sh" sound (as in "ship")
and hold it for a slightly longer duration
while keeping your tongue pressed
against the roof of your mouth.

Ь The soft sign doesn't have a sound of its

own but instead modifies the
pronunciation of the consonant that
comes before it. When you see this
letter, soften the preceding consonant
by bringing your tongue closer to the
roof of your mouth.

15
More Challenging Letters and Sounds
While you're now familiar with ы, щ, and ь,
let's explore other challenging aspects of
Russian pronunciation that require special
attention:

ж This one is tricky, it both souds like "s" in

the word “measure”, and like “g” in the
word “gender”

х
Unlike English "h", this sound comes
from the back of your throat. Think of
the "ch" in Scottish "loch" or German
"Bach".

ц This makes a "ts" sound as in "bits" or

“cats”, but as one quick sound.

16
Common Letter Combinations

Russian often combines consonants in ways that may seem

challenging at first. Here are some common combinations:

ст

Found in many common words. Pronounced as one unit, not as

separate sounds.
Examples:
СТОЛ (stol) - table
СТУЛ (stul) - chair
МЕСТО (mesto) - place

зд

Another frequent combination that requires practice.

Examples:
ЗДЕСЬ (zdes') - here
ГНЕЗДО (gnezdo) - nest

дн

A natural combination in Russian, though tricky for English speakers.

Examples:
ОДИН (odin) - one
ТРУДНО (trudno) - difficult

17
Building Confidence with Complex Sounds

Try these practice words that combine multiple challenging sounds:

Combining ж + н:

ВАЖНО (vazhno) - important

МОЖНО (mozhno) - possible/allowed

Combining ст + щ:

СЧАСТЬЕ (schast'ye) - happiness

ГРУСТЯЩИЙ (grustyashchiy) - being sad

Combining х + т:

ХОТЕТЬ (khotet') - to want

ПЛОХО (plokho) - badly

Remember: Take your time with these combinations. It's better to

pronounce them slowly and correctly than quickly and incorrectly.

18
Practice Exercises

1. Similar Sound Pairs

Practice these pairs that often confuse new learners:

ЖИТЬ - ШИТЬ (zhit' - shit') - to live - to sew

ЦЕЛЬ - СОЛЬ (tsel' - sol') - goal - salt
ХОР - ГОЛ (khor - gol) - choir - goal
ЗУБ - СУП (zub - sup) - tooth - soup
ЩЕКА - ЧЕКА (shcheka - cheka) - cheek - safety pin
РЫБА - ЛИПА (ryba - lipa) - fish - linden tree
БЫТЬ - БИТЬ (byt' - bit') - to be - to hit
ЛУК - ЖУК (luk - zhuk) - onion - beetle

2. Challenging Sound Sequences

Master these words with multiple difficult sounds:

ЩЁТКА (shchyotka) - brush

ЖЕНЩИНА (zhenshchina) - woman
СЧИТАТЬ (schitat') - to count
СЖАТЬ (szhat') - to squeeze
ВЪЕЗД (v'yezd) - entrance
ВЗГЛЯД (vzglyad) - glance

19
Practice Exercises

3. Tongue Twisters

Start slowly and gradually increase speed:

ЩУКА В РЕКЕ ЖИВЁТ

(shchuka v reke zhivyot)
- The pike lives in the river

One harder now

ЦЫП-ЦЫП-ЦЫП, ЦЫПЛЯТКИ
(tsyp-tsyp-tsyp, tsyplyatki)
- Chick-chick-chick, little chicks

Quick Tips:
- Start with individual words before attempting pairs
- Practice each combination for at least 5 minutes
- Record yourself and compare your progress
- Use audio ressource to hear correct pronunciations
- Practice at different speeds - slow, normal, and fast

20
 Tips for Mastering Russian
Pronunciation

Listen and repeat: Expose yourself

to native Russian speech as much as
1. possible. Watch Russian movies, listen
to Russian podcasts, and practice
repeating the sounds and words you
hear.

Break it down: When faced with a

2. long or challenging word, break it
down into smaller parts. Focus on
pronouncing each syllable separately
before blending them together.

Record yourself: Use your phone or

computer to record yourself speaking
3. Russian. Listen back to the recordings
and compare your pronunciation to
that of native speakers. Identify areas
for improvement and keep practicing.

21
Reading Practice

Congratulations on mastering the Russian alphabet! Now it's time to

put your knowledge into action and experience the joy of reading
Russian texts.

HOW TO PRACTICE

OBSERVE: LOOK AT EACH RUSSIAN WORD IN THE LIST.

BREAK DOWN: SEPARATE THE WORD INTO INDIVIDUAL LETTERS.
IDENTIFY: USE YOUR ALPHABET CHART TO FIND THE SOUND EACH
LETTER REPRESENTS.
BLEND: COMBINE THE SOUNDS TO PRONOUNCE THE WHOLE WORD.
CHECK: COMPARE YOUR PRONUNCIATION WITH THE GUIDE
PROVIDED.
REPEAT: GO THROUGH THE PROCESS FOR EACH WORD IN THE LIST.
PRACTICE: READ THE WORDS MULTIPLE TIMES TO IMPROVE YOUR
FLUENCY AND RECOGNITION OF CYRILLIC LETTERS.

Helpful Tips
Pay special attention to similar-looking letters:

"и" (i) vs. "й" (y)

"ш" (sh) vs. "щ" (shch)
"ь" (soft sign) vs. "ъ" (hard sign)

Refer to your alphabet chart and pronunciation guide often to

reinforce your understanding of each letter's sound.
Don't rush! Take your time to properly form each sound.

22
Reading exercise
RUSSIAN ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION ENGLISH MEANING

КОТ KOT CAT

ДОМ DOM HOUSE

СОН SON SLEEP, DREAM

МИР MIR WORLD, PEACE

ШАР SHAR BALL

СОК SOK JUICE

НОС NOS NOSE

РОТ ROT MOUTH

СЫР SYR CHEESE

ЛЕС LES FOREST

ЛУК LUK ONION, BOW

СУП SUP SOUP

ДУБ DUB OAK

ЖУК ZHUK BEETLE

ЗУБ ZUB TOOTH

23
ЧАС CHAS HOUR

ЧАЙ CHAY TEA

ГОЛ GOL GOAL

УШИ USHI EARS

ЁЖ YOZH HEDGEHOG

ЮГ YUG SOUTH

ЯД YAD POISON

МУЖ MUZH HUSBAND

РИС RIS RICE

ЛЁД LYOD ICE

МЁД MYOD HONEY

БЫК BYK BULL

СЫН SYN SON

ЩИТ SHCHIT SHIELD

ХОР KHOR CHOIR

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Medium Words (4 Letters)

МАМА MAMA MOM

ПАПА PAPA DAD

ВОДА VODA WATER

РУКА RUKA HAND

НЕБО NEBO SKY

ОКНО OKNO WINDOW

СТОЛ STOL TABLE

СТУЛ STUL CHAIR

РЕКА REKA RIVER

ЛУНА LUNA MOON

СОЛЬ SOL' SALT

СНЕГ SNEG SNOW

ЛЕТО LETO SUMMER

ЗИМА ZIMA WINTER

ПИТЬ PIT' TO DRINK

25
Longer Words (5+ Letters)

СОБАКА SOBAKA DOG

МАШИНА MASHINA CAR

СПАСИБО SPASIBO THANK YOU

ХОРОШО KHOROSHO GOOD

МОЛОКО MOLOKO MILK

ДЕВУШКА DEVUSHKA GIRL

ТЕЛЕФОН TELEFON TELEPHONE

ПОГОДА POGODA WEATHER

РАБОТА RABOTA WORK

ШКОЛА SHKOLA SCHOOL

УЛИЦА ULITSA STREET

ДРУЗЬЯ DRUZ'YA FRIENDS

СОЛНЦЕ SOLNTSE SUN

ДЕРЕВО DEREVO TREE

СТРАНА STRANA COUNTRY

26
 Remember, reading practice is an essential part of
mastering the Russian alphabet. By studying these
words and referring to the alphabet chart, learners
will develop their ability to recognize and pronounce
Cyrillic letters accurately.

Tips:
If you want to improve quickly and be
able to read the Russian alphabet, take
2 minutes per day to reread this word list
every day, until you no longer need to
look at the pronunciation column.

27
Your First Phrases in Russian

Learn your first everyday expressions:

Greetings:

ДОБРОЕ УТРО (dobroye utro) - good morning

ДОБРЫЙ ДЕНЬ (dobryy den') - good afternoon
ДОБРЫЙ ВЕЧЕР (dobryy vecher) - good evening

Basic Communication:

КАК ДЕЛА? (kak dela?) - how are you?

ХОРОШО, СПАСИБО (khorosho, spasibo) - good, thank you
ДО СВИДАНИЯ (do svidaniya) - goodbye
ИЗВИНИТЕ (izvinite) - excuse me
ПОЖАЛУЙСТА (pozhaluysta) - please

Simple Questions:

ЧТО ЭТО? (chto eto?) - what is this?

ГДЕ ЭТО? (gde eto?) - where is it?
КТО ТАМ? (kto tam?) - who's there?

28
Common Russian Signs You Need to Know

Learn to recognize these common signs and labels:

Public Places:

ВХОД (vkhod) - entrance

ВЫХОД (vykhod) - exit
ТУАЛЕТ (tualet) - toilet
КАФЕ (kafe) - cafe
МЕТРО (metro) - subway
БАНК (bank) - bank

Shopping:

ОТКРЫТО (otkryto) - open

ЗАКРЫТО (zakryto) - closed
СКИДКИ (skidki) - discounts
КАССА (kassa) - cashier
РАСПРОДАЖА (rasprodazha) - sale

Warning Signs:

СТОП (stop) - stop

ОСТОРОЖНО (ostorozhno) - caution
НЕ КУРИТЬ (ne kurit') - no smoking

29
Building Simple Sentences

Learn these basic sentences:

Basic Statements:

Я ДОМА (ya doma) - I am home

ОН ТАМ (on tam) - He is there
ЭТО МОЯ МАМА (eto moya mama) - This is my mom
У МЕНЯ ЕСТЬ КОТ (u menya yest' kot) - I have a cat

Daily Activities:

Я ИДУ ДОМОЙ (ya idu domoy) - I am going home

ОНА ЧИТАЕТ КНИГУ (ona chitayet knigu) - She is reading a book
МЫ ПЬЁМ ЧАЙ (my p'yom chay) - We are drinking tea

Simple Questions & Answers:

- ГДЕ МАГАЗИН? (gde magazin?) - Where is the store?

- ТАМ (tam) - There
- СКОЛЬКО СТОИТ? (skol'ko stoit?) - How much is it?
- СТО РУБЛЕЙ (sto rubley) - 100 rubles

30
 To Continue Learning...

Congratulations on completing the "The Russian Alphabet

Accelerator" and taking a significant step towards your
Russian language goals! I hope you appreciate this book.
While it was written to provide you with a light foundation in
the Russian alphabet, this is just the beginning for any
language learning journey.

If you want to go deeper into Russian learning, I'm thrilled to

introduce my comprehensive Russian course designed
specifically for beginners. Unlike traditional textbooks, this
course offers a more efficient and engaging way to learn
Russian. With video lessons and a wealth of interactive
exercises, you'll have the opportunity to practice what you
learn and make rapid progress in your language skills.

In this course, we cover everything from the Russian

alphabet and grammar to conjugations, cases, vocabulary,
and even cultural insights. By enrolling in this course, you'll
gain access to a structured learning path that will guide
you from beginner to intermediate level in no time.

Acess the course by clicking there

31
 To Continue Learning...
To further support your Russian language learning journey,
here are some additional resources I highly recommend:

Learn Russian Daily on Instagram: My Instagram page,

Learn Russian Daily [@learnrussiandaily], for a daily dose of
Russian language tips, vocabulary, and cultural insights. I
share short, engaging lessons that will keep you motivated
and help you progress in your Russian language skills.

Lingopie: Lingopie is an excellent platform for learning

Russian through authentic video content. With a wide range
of movies, TV shows, and documentaries, you can immerse
yourself in the language and culture while improving your
listening and comprehension skills. Get a free trial by
clicking here.

Желаю вам успехов в изучении

русского языка! (I wish you success
in learning the Russian language!)

Polina Shatalova

Thank you!
32