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Unit 7 · в, н, р and с · Meet

в, н, р and с

Give familiar-looking letters their Russian values.

About this unit

These four letters look like Latin letters but stand for different sounds. Trust the Russian value, not the Latin one.

  • Вв
    v, as in “van”
    вор · thief
    i

    В is v, not Latin B.

  • Ннnose
    n, as in “no”
    нос · nose
    i

    Н is n, not Latin H.

  • Ррmouth
    r, tapped or rolled
    рот · mouth
    i

    Р is r, not Latin P.

  • Ссjuice
    s, as in “sun”
    сок · juice
    i

    С is s, not Latin c/k.

вv, as in “van”
нn, as in “no”

В is v, not b. Н is n, not h.

рr, tapped or rolled
сs, as in “sun”

Р is r, not p. С is s, not k.

Say the Russian sound each time: нос is nos.

More words to read

рак

crayfishrak
Reading tips

Compare the visible pairs В ≠ B, Н ≠ H, Р ≠ P and С ≠ Latin C. Say the Russian sound each time; the lookalike Latin reading is the trap.

Reading practice

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.

рак

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Spelling to sound

Read the word. Choose its sound.

рот

Read and decide

Which value belongs to Cyrillic Р?

Р

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

nose

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

mouth

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

juice

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

Give familiar-looking letters their Russian values.

Next unit

вор

thief
nose

нос

nose
mouth

рот

mouth

рак

crayfish
juice

сок

juice
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.