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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
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
María Mar 31st 2009 1:25PM
McDonalds
Vodka
President
Peter Mar 31st 2009 4:32PM
The letter И doesn't make the short i sound. It makes the long e sound. And the comment about accents is true: Russian doesn't use them. But as non-native speaker who can be considered fluent in Russian now (after living there for 4 years), I can attest that stress is one of the more difficult aspects of the language. I'm still not very good at guessing the stress of unfamiliar words. So be thankful for accent marks whenever you get them.
Андрей Mar 31st 2009 4:34PM
You missed a letters: Ё Щ Й Ъ Э Ь
ourpassportstamps.com Apr 2nd 2009 12:14AM
Perfect timing for your post....
We leave in 2 weeks and will be in Bulgaria for a week as part of our longer adventure
Thanks!
Georgi Apr 3rd 2009 9:19AM
Another hint - the letter 'й'. This is long 'i', English transcription would be {i:}.
Example - word 'solder' in Bulgarian is 'войник'. Pronunciation is {voi:nik}. Of course, the rule will not be rule without exceptions - й Together with о - 'йо' should be pronounced like {yo} - more in the next lesson :)
klandthebear Apr 3rd 2009 12:37PM
1 is a trick question, it's St. Petersburg.
Alex Apr 5th 2009 12:14AM
1: Makdonald's
2: Vodka
3: Prezident
Sylvia Jun 9th 2009 11:28PM
Is it just me or some of the alphabets are not showing? I'm seeing ?????? (question marks) here.. But other alphabets show up just fine.
Carl Sep 21st 2009 6:33PM
Very good article and responses. On vodka: it is Polish, not Russian. Russians adopted it.
Slava!, Carl
swordfish1174 Sep 21st 2009 8:29PM
A. McDonald's
B. Vodka
C. President
http://www.rainbowofluv.com
Jill Sep 22nd 2009 12:18PM
Interesting.
http://www.electroniccigarettesinc.com
Matt Sep 23rd 2009 12:25AM
Wódka is authentically Russian? My Polish friends may beg to differ =p (and from my 2 years in Poland, I would agree with them).
website Sep 24th 2009 11:27AM
Yes, there are a lot of cognates shared between English and Russian, but none are actually mentioned in the article, and even if they were, they would not help you figure out how to read Cyrillic since they would be regular Russian and English words with little or no obvious commonalities between them. I think the author is mistaking them with loan-words.
Olesya Petrova Nov 11th 2009 3:45PM
You've got a mistake: пасспорт ... must be паспорт :) just with one "с"
Anne Jan 23rd 2011 9:19AM
I plan ont ravelling to Russia, so this was a great starting point.
A.) McDonald's
B.) Vodka
C.) President
The Cyrillic alphabet makes so much sense now!
Петър Feb 1st 2011 12:12PM
АЙ ЛАЙК ИТ :))
PassionForRussian Feb 8th 2011 9:58AM
Wait - have you forgotten the letter щ? I was looking for it because I am always interested to see how people explain it. The "shch" in "fresh cheese" is a common one that I don't completely agree with.
Anyway, thanks for doing this! I think people shy away from learning Russian because of the alphabet, and you've shown that it doesn't have to be that hard. :)
Mолодец!
Roman Aug 16th 2011 4:08PM
Люди, вы совсем забыли про транслит? С его помощью я думаю Вам легче будет. В России транслитом пользуются не часто: адрес интернет сайта, смс, иногда на почте пишут адрес транслитом. =) Удачи в освоении
Гугл Latinica
Lyudi, vy sovsem zabyli pro translit? S yego pomoshchʹyu ya dumayu Vam legche budet. V Rossii translitom polʹzuyut·sya ne chasto: adres internet saĭta, sms, inogda na pochte pishut adres translitom. =) Udachi v osvoenii
Google Translate
People, you have completely forgotten about the transliteration (Latinica)? With it, I think you will be easier. In Russia, transliterated often are not: the Internet address of the site, sms, sometimes at the post office address is written in transliteration. =) Good luck in mastering
Eric Sep 30th 2011 5:31AM
Do you know of good websites that teaches Ukrainian the same way?
Mike Jan 18th 2012 7:00PM
mcdonalds, vodka, president