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Gadling teaches you to read the Cyrillic alphabet in 5 minutes
It used to be that when I saw Russian words like this-- компьютер, студент, пасспорт -- my eyes skipped over them like yours probably just did. But the Cyrillic alphabet, which is used in Slavic languages like Russian as well as non-Slavic languages like Kazakh and Mongolian, is easy to learn.
Given the number of English cognates in Russian (the language we'll focus on here), learning the Cyrillic alphabet allows you to read and understand dozens of words in Russian, including the three above (computer, student, and passport, respectively).
Here's a short five-minute lesson on how to read Russian's Cyrillic alphabet...
1. Some letters are virtually the same as in English. The Cyrillic letters A, K, M, O, and T are close relatives of their English counterparts. The Cyrillic letter Б (which looks like a lowercase "b") also makes a "b" sound. The letter "C" always makes the "s" sound, like in the English word "cite."
2. Others are closely related to Greek. Frat guys and sorority girls already know the letters Г (gamma), P (rho), П (pi), and Ф (phi), which are the English equivalents of "G", "R", "P", and "F", respectively.
Easy so far, right? Check out a few examples:
a. кафе = ?
b. бар = ?
c. опера = ?
d. робот = ?
Look below the fold for the answers...
Answers:
a. кафе́ = cafе́
b. бар = bar
c. о́пера = opera
d. ро́бот = robot
See? Easy. On to the next lesson...
3. Some letters are imposters. They look familiar but don't sound like their English counterparts. The Russian letter "H" makes the "N" sound, "y" makes the English "oo" sound, and "B" sounds like the English "V." This letter, И, which looks like a backwards "N", makes the "short i" sound, as in the English word "pin." The Russian letter "Я" sounds nothing like it's mirror image in English. Instead, it makes a "ya" sound, as in "yacht."
Wth me so far? Here are a few more Russian words you already know.
a. Интерне́т = internet
b. CпyTHИK = Sputnik
c. POCCИЯ = Russia
d. PECTOPAH = restauran(t)
4. The rest of the letters, well, they're just jerks. You've never seen 'em, and you just have to memorize how they sound. Here's a quick run-down.
Ц = "ts" as in "pizza"
Ш = "sh" as in "shoe"
Л = "l" as in "lamb"
ж = "zh" as in "measure"
Д = "d" as in "door"
З = "z" as in "zebra"
Ю = "oo" or "yu"
Ч = "ch" Since the letter looks like a "4" and makes the "ch" sound, think of the word "fortune." Four-chun. Get it?
There are a few more subtleties and even a couple more letters in the alphabet, but we've only got five minutes here, and I think you've got the gist of it.
Time for your final exam. Candy will be e-mailed to the top scorers.
a. You're in St. Petersburg and you see a restaurant with this written on it: MAKДOHAЛД'C. Where are you?
b. You're in a Moscow bar and would like to drink something authentically Russian. Someone suggests Bо́ДKA. What are you having?
c. You're applying for your Russian visa and a form asks whether you've ever criticized the Russian президе́нт. What's it asking?
Hope you've enjoyed the lesson... Leave your "final exam" answers in the comments...
For a helpful, longer-than-five-minute primer on the Russian alphabet, go here (pdf).
Gallery: 10 tourist destinations with a funny name
Filed under: Learning, Russian Federation
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Melinda Mar 30th 2009 10:26AM
1. Makdonald's = McDonald's
2. Vodka
3. Prezident = Have you ever criticized the Russian President
Rachel Mar 30th 2009 10:58AM
This was a lot of fun!! I didnt think it was going to be that easy! I want to try more!!
1. McDonald's
2. Vodka
3. President
Stijn Mar 30th 2009 11:47AM
Wow. Sure doesn't look that easy!
1) McDonald's (I'd rather be at CTAP6AKC)
2)Vodka (Wodka in Dutch. Rather TEKИЛA)
3)President (What is the e-sound? As in piece or e-mail)
Peace, Stijn
mikey Mar 30th 2009 12:01PM
I'll abstain from the quiz, since I was a Russian major! But, as a Russian major, I've been asked so many times about how hard it must have been to learn the alphabet and how hard the language must be because it has a different alphabet. My response: The alphabet is the least of it; I think we spent a half hour learning it in class, then maybe another class learning how to write it in cursive. And that was it. The alphabet is really quite easy (as you allude to here).
To make the alphabet even easier, you should take off the accent marks that are on the various words you have in this post -- they're only there as guides for learners to know which syllable gets the accent. Russian doesn't use accent marks.
And, I always thought the д looked like the Greek "delta (d)" and л looked like the Greek "lambda (l)", so that could help people out, too. And з looks like the uppercase cursive Z in English.
The language itself (grammar, rules)? Very hard. Two verbal aspects on top of conjugations; three genders; six declensions; plurals that depend on whether a number ends in 1, 2 through 4, or 5 through 0; sentences with no verb...
Julian Mar 30th 2009 12:53PM
A. McDonald's
B. Vodka
C. President
Tynan Mar 30th 2009 1:05PM
Great article.. I've been meaning to learn Cyrillic.
Tynan
Luke Nye Mar 30th 2009 1:29PM
thanks for the post. I learned the Cyrillic alphabet when I was bored one day in Mongolia, looked at a russian phrasebook I had and in about a half an hour or so could read most of the signs while I was traveling, understanding them is something completely different. but, it is surprisingly easy to learn.
Max Mar 30th 2009 3:00PM
Some more tips to help you remember
The Л and Д are similar to the Greek Λ (lambda) and Δ (delta).
З looks like a handwritten script Z.
And if you know Hebrew, Ш is the same as the Hebrew שׂ (shin).
Greg Mar 30th 2009 3:03PM
I personally am Russian, so obviously I can't participate in the quiz. I absolutely agree with what mikey says,
"The language itself (grammar, rules)? Very hard. Two verbal aspects on top of conjugations; three genders; six declensions; plurals that depend on whether a number ends in 1, 2 through 4, or 5 through 0; sentences with no verb..."
It's insanity to teach Russian outside of cognates to someone who asks, because of that. I can't tell them one word because it rarely is only that one word. I can't tell them both male and female forms because those *also* change, and it's just too much time and effort.
Anon Mar 30th 2009 3:34PM
You missed a letter:
X has a sound similar to an "h" in English, as in "house."
Viktor Mar 30th 2009 4:34PM
C is a trick question: who *hasn't* criticized the Russian president?
Alex Mar 30th 2009 6:43PM
I too am a native Russian speaker and have to chime in- Russian is one of the hardest languages to learn in the world.
What makes it fun and practical to learn is the amount of information available in Russian (staggering), the robust maturity of the language (I can read texts from the 13th century in Russian, yet Shakespeare still eludes me, even though I am fully bi-lingual and was born in the USA)and the sheer expressive beauty of it (the complexity of grammar does allow for brevity of expression - what would need three words in English- say "Cute Tiny Hands" would need just one suffix denoting abovesaid cuteness and tininess.
"Ruka" means hand, "Ruchka" means cute tiny hand.
Just one very specialized suffix.
The prefixes are also magical in the complexity of meaning they allow, instead of just "to kill (убить)", you can
"to underkill (недобить)" "to overkill (забить)" "to gottiredstoppedkill(подзабить)" etc etc.
In short, if you care to be creative in your language acquisition skills and find fun in learning, Russian is a magical endeavor that will change your thinking and your life.
I would strongly suggest against learning in an academic environment unless you can pair it with immersion.
And last, Do not bring your samovar when you visit, as they say in Russia.
Meaning go to Russia, go there single, and date a Russian.
If you want to learn a language, sleep with a translator.
Artur Mar 31st 2009 1:41AM
Alex, well said!
A little explanation is in order: actually, they say "Don't go to Tula with your own samovar." The meaning is, Tula is Russia's main city where they manufacture samovars (traditional tea kettles), so it makes no sense to bring your own samovar to a place where there are plenty of them.
Anon #2 Mar 30th 2009 6:46PM
I agree with Anon, you need to add X to section 3...
Anon Mar 30th 2009 10:13PM
The most amusing letter is "Ы" - for some reason it was not mentioned here.
It is hard for Western folks to pronounce it. There is no exact English substitution for it, "Y" is usually used because there is no other alternative.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ы
Artur Mar 31st 2009 1:51AM
Aaron,
Why do you put emphasis on consonants, not vowels? Unless I'm mistaken and those are not consonants.
Like here:
о́пера
Интерне́т
Should be like this:
όпера
Интернėт
Gina Mar 31st 2009 1:34AM
interesting...hmmm. i'd like to learn it sometime.
globalgal Mar 31st 2009 7:40AM
Interesting that the letter for "sh" somewhat (not quite, but enough for me to remember) resembles the Chinese character for Shan - mountain. Also, in Arabic the sound "sh" is written similarly, but with three dots added to the top. Fascinating stuff!
Damiel Mar 31st 2009 9:58AM
When did "passport" become an english cognate? In my book it is italian, "passaporto", and means admission to harbour. And "student" I believe is latin....
After gadling's blunder with linking Latvian with Russian a few weeks back, you should maybe look into your language section...
:-)
María Mar 31st 2009 1:25PM
McDonalds
Vodka
President