Alphabets guide

Ever wondered what д or δ mean? Now you know. This guide gives the common sounds of Greek and Cyrillic letters. Note that IPA symbols like d don't always match the equivalent English letter.

Cyrillic

Аа A

starve a

Бб B

build b

Вв V

vanquish v some Ukrainian: at end of a word will w

Гг G/H

glow ɡ Ukrainian: breathy hand ɦ

Дд D

drink d

Ее Ye

set ʲe Russian: at start of a word and after a vowel yes je

Жж Zh

treasure ʐ Ukrainian and Serbo-Croatian: ʒ

Зз Z

zone z

Ии I

she i Ukrainian: sill ɪ

Йй Y

yes j<span>

Кк K

kelp k

Лл L

left l

Мм M

mend m

Нн N

nest n

Оо O

roughly American go or British caught o

Пп P

port p

Рр R

roughly result r

Сс S

sink s

Тт T

tan t

Уу U

moo u

Фф F

first f

Хх H/Kh

loch x

Цц Ts

pizza ts

Чч Ch

switch

Шш Sh

roughly shave ʃ Russian: roughly shave /ʂ/

Щщ Shch

long shave ɕ(ː) Ukranian: shtsh ʃt͡ʃ
Bulgarian: sht ʃt

Ъъ hard sign

modifies certain letters by adding a y j sound before them Bulgarian: roughly but /ɤ̞/

Ыы Ï

roughly sit i

Ьь soft sign

softens (palatalises ʲ) previous consonant

Ээ E

editor e

Юю Yu

youth ju

Яя Ya

yarn ja

Ґґ G

Ukrainian: glow g

Ђђ Dj

Serbo-Croatian: roughly juice

Ёё Yo

roughly yoke jo

Єє Ukrainian Ye

Ukrainian: yes je

Іі I

Ukrainian: she i

Її Yi

Ukrainian: yeast ji

Јj Yi

Serbo-Croatian: yes j

Ѕѕ Dz

Macedonian: pods dz

Љљ Ly

Serbo-Croatian: roughly million ʎ

Њњ Ny

Serbo-Croatian: canyon /ɲ/

Ћћ Tsh

Serbo-Croatian: chop t͡ɕ

Џџ Dzh

Serbo-Croatian: roughly jump d͡ʒ

Modern Greek

Αα A (alpha)

starve ä

Ββ V (beta)

vanquish v

Γγ G (gamma)

roughly glow ɣ

Δδ Dh (delta)

then ð

Εε E (epsilon)

emblem e

Ζζ Z (zeta)

zone z

Ηη I (eta)

she i

Θθ Th (theta)

thin θ

Ιι I (iota)

she i

Κκ K (kappa)

kelp k

Λλ L (lambda)

left l

Μμ M (mu)

mend m

Νν N (nu)

nasty n

Οο O (omicron)

roughly American go o
or British caught o

Ππ P (pi)

port p

Ρρ R (rho)

roughly turn r

Σσς S (sigma)

ς is used at the end of a word sink s

Ττ T (tau)

tan t

Υυ Y (upsilon)

she i

Φφ F (phi)

first f

Χχ Ch (chi)

roughly loch x

Ψψ Ps (psi)

lapse ps

Ωω O (omega)

roughly American go or British caught o