RUSSIAN LANGUAGE
ВОЙДИТЕ, ЧТОБЫ НАЧАТЬ ОБУЧЕНИЕ С АУДИО-ЗАПИСЬЮ

Russian for English speakers ABC 03

THE RUSSIAN ALPHABET (continue, page XI)

Russian
Русский

Pronunciation
Произношение
English
Английский
AK-NOTE

АКВАРИУМ, аквариум

ackvareeoom aquarium  
АЛЛЕГРО, аллегро allĕgro allegro  
ЖАНДАРМ, жандарм (d)jandărm (1)

constable (French: gendarme)

 
ЖАРГОН, жаргон (d)jărgohn (1) jargon  
ГАРАЖ, гараж gara(d)j (1)

garage

 
ФРАЗА, фраза fraza (phrase) sentence  
ФАКИР, факир fackeer fakir

Nearly all Russian words with Ф are borrowed.

ФОРТУНА, фортуна fòrtoona

fortune

 
КОФЕ, кофе cohfay coffee  
ПАРИЖ, Париж paree(d)j Paris  

АКТЁР, актёр (2)

akt'iorr actor  
АМФИТЕАТР, амфитеатр amfitay-atrr amphitheatre  

(1) Ж is always sounded as a French j (e.g. joli) or English s in : pleasure.

In Russian, -ar + consonant is not sounded ah (as in English guard, jargon (especially when stressed), but as an ordinary a (in lamp, for instance).

AK-NOTE: Result of all this -> ЖАНДАРМ

(2) Ё is sounded io, as a single sound (cf yoke).

THE RUSSIAN ALPHABET (continue, page XII)


Russian
Русский

Pronunciation
Произношение
English
Английский
AK-NOTE

ЧЕРКЕС, черкес (1)

tchairkĕss

Tcherkess Circassian

That's a nationality.
(1) Remember NOT to aspirate with Ч.

ЧЕК, чек tchĕck

check, bill (French: cheque)

 
ФУРГОН, фургон foorgohn luggage-van (French: fourgon)  

ЧЕКА, чека

tchecka Tcheka

That's a grenade's safety pin

АБСОЛЮТ, абсолют (2) absolute

absolute

(2) Ю is long German ü in this word

ШАРЛАТАН, шарлатан (3)

shiarLatan

charlatan, quack

Remember - L means "cLear"

ШАССИ, шасси shassee

chassis, carriage

 

ЧАЙ, чай (4)

tchie (as in pie)

tea  
ШОФЁР, шофёр shòffiorr

chauffeur, driver

Ё is always stressed

ГЕНЕРАЛ, генерал ghenneraL general

That's an army rank

ТЕЛЕФОН, телефон

telefohn

telephone  
МЕДИЦИНА, медицина (5) meddeetseena medicine

(5) no aspiration with Ц

ЦИРК, цирк tseerk circus

French: cirque

РОЗА, роза roza rose

That's a flower


(1) Ч = ch or tch.
(2) Ю is long u (as in mute).
(3) Ш corresponds to our sh (as in short).
(4) The й (и with an accent) is used only after a vowel.
It is also called : short i. We shall note it by i.
(5) Ц represents tss (not dz).