Russian A1, Unit 1: Е Н С Р В

Е Н С Р В

Russian A1 · Unit 1

GoalRead and write the letters Е, Н, С, Р, В and recognise four letters that look like English letters but sound different.

New words

он (on) · heона́ (oná) · sheнет (net) · noнос (nos) · noseсок (sok) · juiceмо́ре (móre) · seaметро́ (metró) · metro

Explanation

Be careful: four of the new letters are false friends. Н looks like an English H, but it says n. С looks like a C, but it says s. Р looks like a P, but it is a rolled r: the tip of the tongue taps or trills just behind the upper teeth. English has no such r. В looks like a B, but it says v. Е says ye, as in “yes”. After a consonant it makes that consonant soft, so нет sounds close to “nyet”. In the transcription of this course Е after a consonant is written e: нет is net.

Ее

нетno

yeye as in “yes”; it also softens the consonant before it

Нн

носnose

enn as in “no” (looks like English H)

Сс

сокjuice

ess as in “sun” (looks like English C)

Рр

мо́реsea

era rolled r (looks like English P)

Вв

вотhere is

vev as in “van” (looks like English B)

Worked examples

Letter	Looks like	Really says
Н	English H	n as in “no”
С	English C	s as in “sun”
Р	English P	rolled r
В	English B	v as in “van”

The four false friends side by side. Learn them first: they cause most mistakes.

Two small words for “he” and “she”. Press Listen and repeat.

Three more words: juice, sea and metro. Each has one loud vowel.

Class activity

False friends game. Write the four false friends Н, С, Р, В on four cards. On the back of each card write the English letter it looks like. Shuffle them and say the Russian sound for each card. Then read the seven words of this lesson aloud, with the stress.

Practice

Press Listen. Write the word you hear.

The letter Р looks like English P. What sound does it make?

Рр

Which word is this: нос, сок or рот?

Write in Russian letters: “he” and “she”.

What sound does the Russian letter В make?

The first letters

Е Н С Р В