Russian script reference

a

ka

ma

o

ta

va. В is v, not Latin B.

na. Н is n, not Latin H.

ra. Р is r, not Latin P.

sa. С is s, not Latin c/k.

u. У is u, not Latin y.

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

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

ba

ga

da

la

pa

za

zha

sha

i. И normally follows a soft consonant.

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

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

cha. Ч is normally soft.

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

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

fa

e. Э does not add an initial y sound.

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

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

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

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

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