Speak Russian clearly: free pronunciation test and tips
Find out how clear your Russian pronunciation is. Take the free Russian pronunciation test, get a score for every word you say, and learn the sounds Russian learners find hardest. For daily practice, Flai Speaking gives you an AI coach to talk to in Russian.
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The hardest Russian sounds for learners
Soft and hard consonants
Most Russian consonants come in hard and soft pairs. For a soft consonant, raise the middle of your tongue toward the roof of your mouth, as if a light y were built in. It changes meaning: брат brat (brother) and брать brat' (to take), лук luk (onion) and люк lyuk (hatch). Consonants are soft before е, ё, и, ю, я and ь.
Vowel reduction
Russian vowels change when they are not stressed. An unstressed о sounds like a, so молоко is said 'malako' and хорошо 'kharasho'. Unstressed е and я after a soft consonant sound close to и: сестра sounds like 'sistra'.
Word stress
Stress can fall on any syllable and is not marked in normal writing. It can change meaning: замок with stress on the first syllable is a castle, and on the second it is a lock. Learn the stress with every new word, because it also decides how the other vowels sound.
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