Free Russian pronunciation checker
Free Russian Pronunciation Test: check every word you say
Read five short Russian sentences aloud, with transliteration under each one, or type any word you want to check. You get a score for every word, an overall score with accuracy, fluency and completeness, and a list of words to practise first.
Read this aloud:
Мы купили сыр и рыбу на рынке.
Pronunciation: My kupili syr i rybu na rynke.
Listen for: The ы sound (мы, сыр, рыбу)
Tap to record
Your recording is sent securely for scoring and is not stored by Flalingo.
Scores come from a standard native-speaker model for this language, so regional accents may score a little lower.
How to check your Russian pronunciation
Each sentence in this Russian pronunciation test is built around a sound learners find hard: ы, vowel reduction, the rolled R, soft and hard consonants, and ж, ш and щ. Read it aloud and a speech model trained on native Russian speakers compares every word you say with the text.
You get an overall score from 0 to 100, plus accuracy, fluency and completeness. Every word gets its own score, so you can see which ones sound off and start there. You can also type your own Russian text, up to 160 characters, and check it the same way.
How the test works
Read five sentences aloud
Each sentence is short and built around sounds that learners of this language find hard. You can also type your own text, up to 160 characters, or tap one of the hard words to try.
AI scores every word
A speech-assessment model trained on native speakers compares what you say with the text. It scores accuracy, fluency and completeness from 0 to 100, and gives every word its own score.
Get your report
Each word is coloured by how close it was, and you see a short list of words to practise first. Record a sentence again to check your progress, then share your score with a friend.
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.
The ы sound
Ы /ɨ/ is made with the tongue pulled back and the lips spread, somewhere between the i in 'bit' and an unrounded 'oo'. Compare был byl (was) and бил bil (hit), мыло mylo (soap) and мило milo (sweet). A trick: say 'oo', then spread your lips into a smile without moving your tongue.
The rolled R and ж, ш, щ
Russian р is rolled with the tip of the tongue (рыба, три), and soft рь is rolled with the middle of the tongue raised (река). Ж and ш are always hard, with the tongue pulled back and a low, hollow sound (жить, шить). Щ is a long, soft 'sh', like the middle of 'fresh sheep' said fast (щи, ещё).
What your pronunciation score means
| Score | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Excellent | Your words are clear and close to a native speaker. Try longer or harder sentences to keep improving. |
| 75–89 | Good | Easy to understand. A few words still stand out, so practise them one at a time. |
| 60–74 | Fair | Mostly understandable, but people may ask you to repeat some words. Start with the words in your practice list. |
| 0–59 | Needs work | Some words may be misunderstood. Slow down, practise the flagged words on their own, then say them in short phrases. |
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this Russian pronunciation checker?
It uses a speech-assessment model trained on native Russian speakers. The model lines up your recording with the text, scores every word for accuracy and rates your fluency and completeness. It is a good guide to which words sound off, but it is not a teacher, so look for words that get flagged again and again rather than worrying about one low score.
Which Russian accent is the test based on?
Scores are based on standard Russian, the pronunciation you hear on national TV and in textbooks. Regional accents are understood everywhere, but some vowels may score a little lower if they differ from the standard.
How can I improve my Russian pronunciation?
Learn the stress of every new word, because it decides how the vowels sound. Then practise soft and hard pairs, ы and the rolled R. Read aloud every day, copy native audio and retake the test to see which words improve.
Is the Russian pronunciation test free?
Yes. The test and the word checker are free and you don't need an account. To keep it free for everyone, there is a small daily limit on checks.
How do I pronounce the Russian ы?
Say 'ee', then pull your tongue back as far as you can while keeping your lips spread. Another way: say 'oo' and spread your lips into a smile without moving your tongue. Practise with pairs such as был and бил, or мыло and мило.
Why do Russian words sound different from how they are spelled?
Russian spelling shows the basic form of each word, not every sound change. Unstressed vowels are reduced, so о often sounds like a, and voiced consonants at the end of a word lose their voice, so хлеб sounds like 'khlep'. Once you know where the stress falls, these changes become predictable.