The pronunciation of the Russian vowels а, о, я, е, and э are reduced when they are used in an unstressed syllable. This means that they are pronounced more neutrally, much like how you might pronounce the English word “an” more neutrally when you’re speaking quickly.
The charts below will give you some generalizations to determine how to pronounce different Russian vowels when they are reduced.
| а | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Stressed Syllable | (transcribed a) | август (transcribed AVgoost, meaning “August”)мак (transcribed mak, meaning “poppy”) | |
Unstressed | before the stressed syllable | like “u” in “undo” | гараж (transcribed gaRASH, meaning “garage”) |
like “i” in “chip” | часы (transcribed chiSY, meaning “watch/clock”) | ||
after the stressed syllable | like “a” in “pizza” | комната (transcribed KOMnata, meaning “room”) | |
| о | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Stressed Syllable | (transcribed o) | облако (transcribed OBlaka, meaning “cloud”)дом (transcribed dom, meaning “house”) | |
Unstressed | before the stressed syllable | like “u” in “undo” | опять (transcribed aPYAT, meaning “again”)молоток (transcribed malaTOK, meaning “hammer”) |
after the stressed syllable | like “a” in “pizza” | облако (transcribed OBlaka, meaning “cloud”) | |
| я | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Stressed Syllable | (transcribed ya) | яблоко (transcribed YABlaka, meaning “apple”)рядом (transcribed RYAdam, meaning “near”) | |
Unstressed | before the stressed syllable | (transcribed yi) | енот (transcribed yiNOT, meaning “racoon”)ремень (transcribed riMYEN, meaning “belt”) |
after the stressed syllable | like “ya” in “papaya” | армия (transcribed ARmiya, meaning “army”)дыня (transcribed DYnya, meaning “melon”) | |
| е | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Stressed Syllable | (transcribed ye) | если (transcribed YESli, meaning “if”)мел (transcribed myel, meaning “chalk”) | |
Unstressed | before the stressed syllable | (transcribed yi) | язык (transcribed yiZYK, meaning “language/tongue”)рядовой (transcribed ridaVOY, meaning “private (in the army)”) |
after the stressed syllable | like “i” in “animal” | море (transcribed MOri, meaning “sea”) | |
| э | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Stressed Syllable | (transcribed e) | эхо (transcribed Ekha, meaning “echo”)мэр (transcribed mer, meaning “mayor”) | |
Unstressed | before the stressed syllable | (transcribed i) | этаж (transcribed iTASH, meaning “floor (of a building)”) |
after the stressed syllable | (transcribed e) | алоэ (transcribed aLOe, meaning “aloe (vera)”) | |
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