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The rest of the alphabet

Unit 2 · Part A · Russian A1 (Beginners)
4

Ц Ф Ь Ъ

Russian A1 · Unit 2
GoalRead and write the last four letters, including the two signs, and read words with them.
New words
цирк (tsirk) · circusцвет (tsvet) · colourпти́ца (ptítsa) · birdоте́ц (otéts) · fatherфильм (filʹm) · filmмать (matʹ) · motherдень (denʹ) · dayподъе́зд (podʺyézd) · entrance (of a building)
Explanation

Ц says ts, as in “cats”, and is always hard. Ф says f, as in “fan”. The last two letters have no sound of their own. The soft sign Ь makes the consonant before it soft: in мать and день the last consonant is said with the tongue lifted towards the palate. The hard sign Ъ is rare. It stands inside a word after a prefix, as in подъе́зд, and keeps the consonant and the next vowel apart: pod-yezd. Neither sign can start a word. Now you know all 33 letters!

Цц
циркcircus
tsets, as in “cats”
Фф
фильмfilm
eff as in “fan”
Ьь
матьmother
soft signno sound; it softens the consonant before it
Ъъ
подъе́здentrance
hard signno sound; it separates a prefix from the next vowel
Worked examples
Words with Ц and Ф. Press Listen.
Words that end in a soft sign. The ь has no sound, but the consonant before it is soft.
подpod+ъʺ+е́здyézd
The hard sign in a word: a prefix, the hard sign, then the rest.
Class activity

Sign hunt. Look for ь in a Russian text: it is very common at the end of words. Copy five words with ь and read them aloud. Then find a word with ъ, for example подъе́зд, and say it slowly: pod-yezd.

Practice
1
Press Listen. Does the word end with the soft sign?
2
Which letter says ts, as in “cats”, Ц or Ч?
Цц
Чч
3
Write the Russian word for this picture. It has four letters.
4
Write the Russian word for this picture. It ends with ь.
5
Which sign is rare and stands inside a word, Ъ or Ь?