4.1 Breaking the alphabet down
You’ll learn the alphabet bit by bit. Each week, we’ll cover some different sounds, but if you can’t wait to explore it, here it is in full.
| Printed letter | Name | Transcription | Pronounced as |
|---|---|---|---|
| А, а | a | a | a: in balm |
| Б, б | be | b | b in boy |
| В, в | ve | v before vowels; w before consonants and in the end of words |
v in vase w in will |
| Г, г | he | h |
There is no exact equivalent in English. It is a bit like [h] in house. |
| Ґ, ґ | ge | g This sound is very rare in Ukrainian. |
g in gas |
| Д, д | de | d | d in dog |
| Е, е | e | e | e in best |
| Є, є | ye | ye | ye in yes |
| Ж, ж | zhe | zh | zh in pleasure |
| З, з | ze | z | z in zest |
| И, и | y | y | y in sit |
| І, і | i | i | i in wheat, seen |
| Ї, ї | yi | yi | yi in yeast |
| Й, й | yo | y before vowel; Short i before consonants and in the end of words |
y in York; Short i in my, I. |
| К, к | ka | k | k in sky |
| Л, л | el | l | l in lesson |
| М, м | em | m | m in May |
| Н, н | en | n | n in note |
| О, о | o | o | o: in hot |
| П, п | pe | p | p in sport |
| Р, р | er | r | r (rolled) |
| С, с | es | s | s in class |
| Т, т | te | t | t in top |
| У, у | u | u | u: in book |
| Ф, ф | ef | f | f in festival |
| Х, х | kha | kh | kh as in Scottish loch |
| Ц, ц | tse | ts | ts in cats |
| Ч, ч | che | ch | ch in chair |
| Ш, ш | sha | sh | sh in shout |
| Щ, щ | shcha | shch | shch in parish church |
| ь | miakyi znak – soft sign |
– | soft sign ‘softens’ previous consonant |
| Ю, ю | yu | yu or u | yu in Ukraine, u Luke |
| Я, я | ya | ya or a | ya yak |