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Unit 23 · Capital partners in names · Meet

Capital partners in names

Match the few less obvious partners and read names.

About this unit

Capital letters keep the sound of their small letters. You meet them in names, headings and signs.

  • Most capitals are bigger copies of the small letters: К к, О о, С с.
  • Б and б differ most; do not confuse Б with В.
  • A name starts with a capital letter; signs may use capitals throughout.

Read the examples

Tap a card and listen. Try saying it too.

Words to read

Бори́с

BorisBarís

А́нна

AnnaÁnna

Ни́на

NinaNína
Reading tips

You have seen capitals on every letter card. Compare Б/б and the height changes А/а, Е/е, Р/р; they do not introduce new sounds. Names now use normal initial capitals. The course still marks stress here; ordinary Russian print omits those teaching accents.

CapitalSmall form
Бб
Аа
Ее
Рр
Нн
Дд

Reading practice

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Spelling to sound

Read the word. Choose its sound.

А́нна

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Read and decide

Which small letter belongs to Б?

Б

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

Finish practice to save this unit.

You can read and write this

Match the few less obvious partners and read names.

Next unit

Бори́с

Boris

А́нна

Anna

Ни́на

Nina
Use a Russian keyboard

The standard Russian layout is ЙЦУКЕН. All guided writing also works with on-screen tiles. Type ё with its own key when practising ё; outside that task е is a common printed replacement. Teaching stress accents are optional input, not extra letters.

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 Latin c/k.

У у
i

u. У is u, not Latin y.

Х хIn ха
i

kha. Х is a friction sound, like ch in German Bach.

Е еye; softens the consonant
i

ye / e. At word start е begins ye; after a consonant it normally gives e and softens that consonant.

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. И normally follows a soft consonant.

Й й
i

y. Й is the short consonant y of yes, not a vowel syllable.

Ы ы
i

y / ɨ. Ы is a full vowel after a hard consonant; compare и.

Ч чIn ча
i

cha. Ч is normally soft.

Щ щa long, soft shIn ща
i

shcha. Щ is a long soft sh sound; it is not modern Russian ш + ч.

Ц цIn ца
i

tsa. Ц is hard ts, including before written и.

Ф фIn фа
i

fa

Э э
i

e. Э does not add an initial y sound.

Ю юyu; softens the consonant
i

yu. Ю begins yu initially and gives u plus a soft consonant after one.

Я яya; softens the consonant
i

ya. Initial я is ya; after a consonant it gives a plus softness.

Ё ёyo; softens the consonant
i

yo. Ё gives yo initially, or o plus softness; it is normally stressed.

Ь ьno sound; softens a consonantIn мягкий знак
i

soft sign (name). Ь has no independent vowel or consonant sound; here it makes л soft.

Ъ ъno sound; hard break before yIn твёрдый знак
i

hard sign (name). Ъ separates a consonant from a following е/ё/ю/я and keeps its y onset.