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Unit 20 · Stress changes the vowel you hear · Meet

Stress changes the vowel you hear

Locate stress and keep reduced vowel spellings.

About this unit

Vowels sound full only in the strong syllable. In weak syllables they change, but the spelling stays the same.

LetterIn the strong syllableIn a weak syllable
оo: домa-like: гора́
еe: мехi-like: берёт

The letters do not tell you where the stress falls: learn it with each word’s recording.

Read the examples

Tap a card and listen. Try saying it too.

Words to read

milk

молоко́

milkmalakó
water

вода́

watervadá

за́мок

castlezámak

замо́к

lockzamók

сестра́

sistersʲistrá
Reading tips

Stress can distinguish words: за́мок is a castle, замо́к a lock. Unstressed о becomes a-like; unstressed е and я are often i-like. The exact reduction depends on position. Learn stress with the word, never guess it from the letters alone.

Reading practice

Hear the strong syllable

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

Clip 1

Hear the strong syllable

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

Clip 1

Hear the strong syllable

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

Clip 1

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.

замо́к

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Spelling to sound

Read the word. Choose its sound.

молоко́

Read and decide

Does reduced о change its written letter?

вода́

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

milk

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

water

Recall the spelling

Listen and build the word without its picture.

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

Recall the spelling

Listen and build the word without its picture.

Finish practice to save this unit.

You can read and write this

Locate stress and keep reduced vowel spellings.

Next unit
milk

молоко́

milk
water

вода́

water

за́мок

castle

замо́к

lock

сестра́

sister
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.