Group 1: Same look and sound as in English

There are six Russian letters that match their English counterparts by both pronunciation and form -- A, E, K, M, O and T.
sounds lie !a! in after, as. "n pronouncing this sound, the mouth is open a bit #ider as compared to English

sounds either lie !ye! in yes or lie !e! as in ebony . "t is pronounced #ith preceding y in the beginning of a #ord or after a
$o#el.
sounds lie !! in ite, maing, lie. Try to a$oid the puff of air after the sound typical for the English language.
sounds lie !m! in mobile, dome.

sounds lie !o! in more %#ithout the &r& sound'. Try protruding and rounding your lips a bit more than you do in English.
"n unstressed positions, this letter sounds lie !u! in under, but more lax.
sounds lie !t! in tas, tardy. The tip of the tongue touches the lo#er teeth, as opposed the upper gum ridge in English.
Group 2: Sound-alikes but different look
There are sixteen Russian letters that do not exist in English but ha$e familiar pronunciation. The include (, ), *, +, ,, -, ., /, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
sounds lie !b! in buy, blue. Try to a$oid a puff of air after the sound typical in the English language.
sounds lie !g! in get, guard.
sounds lie d in double, did. "n pronouncing this letter, the tip of the tongue touches the lo#er teeth.
sounds lie !yo! in 8or or lie !o! in copy, ob$ious depending on the position in a #ord.
sounds lie !s! in usual, pleasure.
sounds lie !p! in compassion. Try to a$oid a puff of un$oiced air after the sound as typical for the English language.
sounds lie !f! in fasten, fact.
sounds lie !ee! in free, meet.
sounds lie !y! in oyster, soy.
R n sounds lie !l! in loc, chill.
U u sounds lie !ts! in that&s.
L m sounds lie !sh! in ship, crush but #ith the tongue farther bac in the mouth
m
sounds lie !shsh! in rush-ship. 9hen pronouncing it, try to place your tongue higher and more for#ard in the mouth than in
English.
D a sounds lie !e! in ebony, edit. 9hen pronouncing this sound, try opening the mouth a bit #ider than you do in English.
K m sounds lie the #ord !you! but faster. "n some cases it sounds lie !oo! in oodles
R n sounds lie !yu! in yummy. "n some cases it sounds lie !a! in after, as.
Group 3: Look-alikes but different sound
The follo#ing eight Russian letters loo lie their English counterparts %or e$en digits' but ha$e different pronunciation--:, ;, <, =, >, ?, @, A.
B n sounds lie !$! in $oice, $isit
3 s
sounds lie !B! in Bodiac. This letter might loo lie the number three %C' but it only con$eys a sound and has nothing to do #ith
digits.
H u
sounds lie !n! in noon, nose. Die #ith the Russian letter T, the tip of the tongue touches the lo#er teeth #hen pronouncing this
letter.
P p sounds lie !r! in !rest! but rolled.
C c sounds lie !s! in sun, sale. Enlie in English, the tip of the tongue touches the lo#er teeth.
Y y sounds lie !oo! in oodles. This sound is pronounced shorter than in English, #ith lips more rounded and protruded.
H u sounds lie !ch! in church, chee. Fo not confuse this letter #ith the number four %G'.
X x sounds lie !ch! in loch #hen pronounced in Hcottish manner. "t remotely reminds !h! in hoopla.
Group 4: New look and sound or no sound!
The last group includes letters that do not exist in English and either represent unfamiliar sounds or ha$e no sound $alue %I, J, K'.
L m
Lo English eMui$alent. To produce !I! sound, notice the positions of the tongue #hen pronouncing English sounds i as in it and u
as in sugar. Then place your tongue in bet#een and emit a $oiced sound.
-- L
This letter is called the !soft sign! and has no sound "alue. "t is used to modify the pronunciation of the preceding consonant by
maing it soft %palataliBed'. A consonant becomes soft #hen it is pronounced #ith the middle of the tongue raised to#ards the roof
of the mouth.
-- t
The !hard sign! has no sound "alue. "t occurs only bet#een a consonant and a $o#el as in the #ord !NOPQR! %entry'. "t is used to
sho# that the consonant should not be palataliBed and that the conseMuent $o#el is preceded by the the !y! sound as in yes.