Русский · language learning guides

Russian pronunciation guides

Explore what to listen for when speaking Russian, then use the sentence library to practise aloud.

What to listen for in Russian

Make Russian reading active by turning written sentences into measured speaking practice. Hear the native sentence, read it aloud, and inspect the result before repeating.

Hard and soft consonants

Russian contrasts many consonants by palatalisation. Listen for the movement toward a y-like tongue position rather than adding a separate full syllable.

Unstressed vowels

Vowels often change quality away from word stress. The written vowel remains useful, but the native audio is the better guide to its spoken form.

Voicing and clusters

Neighbouring consonants can influence voicing, and several may occur together. Practise the group slowly without placing an extra vowel between consonants.