Cyrillic False Friends: Reading Russian Letters
by Katya07
Learn to spot the Cyrillic letters that look exactly like English letters but make a completely different sound, such as В (pronounced "v") and Р (pronounced "r"). Built for complete beginners who want to start reading Russian signs and words before learning any vocabulary.
Russian is written in the Cyrillic alphabet, and some of its letters are shaped exactly like English letters while standing for a totally different sound. English speakers call these "false friends" — looking familiar does not mean sounding familiar. A classic example: В is shaped like English B, but it is pronounced like English V, as in the word ВЫ ("vy"), meaning "you" (formal). Keep that pattern in mind through the rest of this room.
The Cyrillic letter В looks exactly like the English letter B. What sound does it actually make?
multiple choice
Ready to test yourself?
Sign up free to answer, score points, and build your streak.