Cyrillic
Cyrillic for beginners: a friendly guide
The Russian alphabet has only 33 letters — smaller than it looks on the first day. The real challenge is false friends: letters that resemble Latin but sound different (for example, Р is an R sound, Н is N).
Learn sounds, not letter names, first
Focus on how each letter sounds inside simple words (да, нет, кофе, метро). Hearing plus reading together beats copying the alphabet from a chart once.
Your first week plan
- Days 1–2: Six to eight letters at a time; drill short words.
- Days 3–4: Read aloud fake and real word lists; note softening signs (ь, ъ).
- Days 5–7: Read menus, Instagram captions, or song titles — slow is fine.
When to ask a teacher
If stress placement and vowel reduction confuse you, a short diagnostic lesson saves weeks of guessing. Neven lessons explain pronunciation rules in English so you know why words shift sound.