If you’re searching for the Russian language alphabet, the direct answer is: it has 33 letters. This alphabet, known as the Cyrillic alphabet, is used to write Russian and several other Slavic and Eurasian languages. It includes 21 consonants, 10 vowels, and 2 modifier signs. Mastering it is the first step toward reading, writing, and speaking Russian fluently.
👉 Want to see and hear each Russian letter interactively? Try free Russian Alphabet Tool. It combines native audio, 3D lip-sync animation, and stroke order demos so you can master both pronunciation and handwriting.
Table of Contents
Open Table of Contents
Overview of the Russian Alphabet
The modern Russian language alphabet is written in Cyrillic and consists of 33 letters:
А а, Б б, В в, Г г, Д д, Е е, Ё ё, Ж ж, З з, И и, Й й, К к, Л л, М м, Н н, О о, П п, Р р, С с, Т т, У у, Ф ф, Х х, Ц ц, Ч ч, Ш ш, Щ щ, Ъ ъ, Ы ы, Ь ь, Э э, Ю ю, Я я
- 21 consonants
- 10 vowels
- 2 signs (ъ “hard sign” and ь “soft sign”)
💡 Many letters resemble Latin characters but sound different. For example:
- В looks like English B but sounds like V.
- Н looks like H but sounds like N.
- Р looks like P but sounds like rolled R.
Special Sounds in Russian
Some Russian letters don’t exist in English:
- Ж (zh) — like s in measure.
- Ы (y) — a unique central vowel, between “i” and “u.”
- Щ (shch) — a long “sh,” softer than Ш (sh).
- Ч (ch) — like ch in check.
- Х (kh) — like ch in German Bach or Scottish loch.
💡 These tricky letters are easier if you can see the lip movement. Use Russian Alphabet Tool to watch 3D mouth-shape animations.
The Role of Ь and Ъ
- Soft sign (ь): indicates palatalization (softening) of the preceding consonant. Example: мать (mother).
- Hard sign (ъ): separates a prefix from a root before iotated vowels. Example: объект (object).
Neither sign has a sound on its own, but they completely change pronunciation.
Pronunciation Examples
| Letter | Pronunciation | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ч ч | ch in check | чай (chai) | tea |
| Ш ш | sh in shut | школа (shkola) | school |
| Щ щ | shch, long sh | щи (shchi) | cabbage soup |
| Ж ж | zh in measure | жена (zhena) | wife |
| Ы ы | unique vowel | сын (syn) | son |
History of the Russian Alphabet
- 9th century: The Cyrillic script was created by disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius to write Old Church Slavonic.
- 10th century: Adapted for Old East Slavic (precursor of Russian).
- 18th century: Peter the Great reformed the script, modernizing letter shapes.
- 1917–1918 reform: Simplified orthography, removed obsolete letters like ѣ, і, ѳ, ѵ.
Handwriting vs. Printed Letters
Russian cursive looks very different from printed text:
- Some letters (like т, м, л) can be confusing for beginners.
- Practicing cursive is essential since most Russians handwrite notes this way.
👉 You can also use Alphabet Tool to compare typed vs. handwritten forms.
Typing the Russian Alphabet
- Windows/Mac: Add a Russian keyboard layout.
- Phonetic layouts: Type based on Latin equivalents (A → А, S → С, etc.).
- On mobile: Enable “Russian” keyboard in settings.
Quick Comparison Table
| Russian | Transliteration | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| А а | a | father |
| Б б | b | boy |
| В в | v | voice |
| Г г | g | go |
| Д д | d | day |
| Е е | ye | yes |
| Ё ё | yo | yogurt |
| Ж ж | zh | pleasure |
| З з | z | zoo |
| И и | i | machine |
| Й й | y | boy |
| К к | k | kite |
| Л л | l | love |
| М м | m | man |
| Н н | n | net |
| О о | o | not |
| П п | p | pen |
| Р р | r (rolled) | run |
| С с | s | sun |
| Т т | t | top |
| У у | u | boot |
| Ф ф | f | fun |
| Х х | kh | loch |
| Ц ц | ts | cats |
| Ч ч | ch | chat |
| Ш ш | sh | shop |
| Щ щ | shch | fresh cheese |
| Ъ ъ | hard sign | — |
| Ы ы | y | — |
| Ь ь | soft sign | — |
| Э э | e | end |
| Ю ю | yu | universe |
| Я я | ya | yard |
FAQs About the Russian Language Alphabet
Q: How many letters are in the Russian alphabet?
A: 33 letters — 21 consonants, 10 vowels, and 2 signs.
Q: Is the Russian alphabet the same as Cyrillic?
A: The Russian alphabet is a specific version of the Cyrillic script, adapted for Russian.
Q: Which letters are hardest for English speakers?
A: Ж (zh), Щ (shch), Ы (y), and cursive forms of letters like т and м.
Q: When was the last reform of the Russian alphabet?
A: 1917–1918, when several letters were eliminated.
Key Takeaways
- The Russian language alphabet has 33 letters.
- It’s written in Cyrillic script, used since the 9th century.
- Two modifier signs (ь, ъ) change pronunciation but have no sound.
- Some letters look like English but sound completely different.
- Cursive and typing practice are crucial for fluency.
Final Thoughts
The Russian language alphabet is more than a writing system — it reflects Russia’s history, culture, and identity. Learning its 33 letters opens the door to literature, music, and authentic communication.
👉 To move from reading theory to practical mastery, try free Russian Alphabet Practice Tool.
It’s interactive, requires no signup, and lets you listen, see 3D lip-sync animations, and trace the letters by stroke order.
Mastering the alphabet is the first real milestone on your journey to learning Russian.