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Unit 11 · з, ж and ш · Meet

з, ж and ш

Hear voice in z and zh and compare zh with sh.

About this unit

Three hissing sounds. З and ж buzz in the throat; ш is the quiet partner of ж.

  • Ззstar
    z, as in “zoo”
    звезда́ · star
  • Жжwoman / wife
    zh, like s in “measure”
    жена́ · woman / wife
  • Шшhat
    sh, as in “shop”
    ша́пка · hat

Put a hand on your throat: it buzzes for ж in жена́, not for ш in ша́пка.

More words to read

зора́

dawnzorá
Reading tips

З gives z; ж gives the voiced middle sound of measure; ш is voiceless sh. Звезда́ and зора́ use only known letters.

Reading practice

Listen before looking

Are these two clips the same or different?

Clip 1
Clip 2

Listen before looking

Are these two clips the same or different?

Clip 1
Clip 2

Find the strong syllable

Listen and choose the stressed syllable, counting from the beginning.

Clip 1

Letters in words

Match each sign to the same sign in its example.

Find the sound

Match the sounds to the signs. Tap a sign to check.

Read with support

Match the words to their pictures.

Read without a sound cue

Match the words to their pictures.

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Spelling to sound

Read the word. Choose its sound.

звезда́

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Spelling to sound

Read the word. Choose its sound.

ша́пка

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

star

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

woman / wife

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

hat

Recall the spelling

Listen and build the word without its picture.

Recall the spelling

Listen and build the word without its picture.

Recall the spelling

Listen and build the word without its picture.

Finish practice to save this unit.

You can read and write this

Hear voice in z and zh and compare zh with sh.

Next unit
star

звезда́

star
woman / wife

жена́

woman / wife
hat

ша́пка

hat

зора́

dawn
Use a Bulgarian keyboard

Bulgarian has a standard BDS layout and widely used phonetic layouts. Either is optional: the guided course has on-screen tiles. Keep ъ and ь separate. Teaching acute accents may be omitted in input; the grave in ѝ belongs to the word and is not a removable stress hint.

All letters

А а
i

a

К кIn ка
i

ka

М мIn ма
i

ma

О о
i

o

Т тIn та
i

ta

В вIn ва
i

va. В is v, not Latin B.

Н нIn на
i

na. Н is n, not Latin H.

Р рIn ра
i

ra. Р is r, not Latin P.

С сIn са
i

sa. С is s, not a Latin c reading.

У у
i

u. У is u, not Latin y.

Х хIn ха
i

kha. Х is a friction sound, as in German Bach.

Е е
i

e. Bulgarian е is e, without a general word-initial ye rule.

Б бIn ба
i

ba

Г гIn га
i

ga

Д дIn да
i

da

Л лIn ла
i

la

П пIn па
i

pa

З зIn за
i

za

Ж жIn жа
i

zha

Ш шIn ша
i

sha

И и
i

i

Й й
i

y. Й is a consonant, not an extra vowel syllable.

Ф фIn фа
i

fa

Ю юyu; softens the consonant
i

yu. Initially ю is yu; after a consonant it indicates softness plus u.

Я яya; softens the consonant
i

ya. Initially я is ya; after a consonant it indicates softness plus a.

Ъ ъrelaxed vowel, like u in “but”
i

ǎ / ɤ. A real vowel, often stressed. Never treat it as a Russian hard sign.

Ч чIn ча
i

cha

Ц цIn ца
i

tsa

Щ щIn ща
i

shta. Щ is sh + t in Bulgarian, not the Russian щ sound.

Ь ьno sound; softens before оIn ер малък
i

soft sign (name). Ь has no sound of its own and occurs before о in this pattern.