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Unit 12 · и, й and ы · Meet

и, й and ы

Hear the и/ы contrast and distinguish и from й.

About this unit

Three related letters: и is ee, й is a short y, and ы is a vowel English does not have.

  • Ии
    ee, as in “see”
    мир · world / peace
    i

    И normally follows a soft consonant.

  • Йй
    y, as in “yes”
    йод · iodine
    i

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

  • Ыыcheese
    i with the tongue pulled back
    сыр · cheese
    i

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

Мы́ло (soap) and ми́ло (nicely) differ only in ы and и: ы follows a hard м, и a soft one.

More words to read

rice

рис

riceris

мы́ло

soapmýla

ми́ло

nicely / sweetlymíla
Reading tips

The little arch changes и into й. In йод, final д is heard as т: the word keeps д in spelling. Мы́ло and ми́ло make the hard/soft vowel contrast audible; ми́ло gets a meaning card, not an invented picture.

Reading practice

Listen before looking

Do these two syllables or words sound the same or different?

Clip 1
Clip 2

Hear the strong syllable

Listen, then choose the stressed syllable, counting from the start.

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.

йод

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Spelling to sound

Read the word. Choose its sound.

ми́ло

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

cheese

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

rice

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

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 the и/ы contrast and distinguish и from й.

Next unit

мир

world / peace

йод

iodine
cheese

сыр

cheese
rice

рис

rice

мы́ло

soap

ми́ло

nicely / sweetly
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.