Russian Sounds Video Library
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In this set of 52 videos I focus on demystifying the pronunciation of individual Russian sounds. Drawing on 30+ years of expertise as a teacher, author, and as a second-language learner myself, I help students master one sound at a time with detailed explanations and focused coaching.
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There are some videos from Kira's video library that I watched 5 times, but it wasn't until the 6th time that I grasped a different concept. There are so many things to think of in this journey, that we naturally overlook some details. For this reason, even if you're watching the same video all over again, as long as you are paying attention, you'll benefit from it each time.
Student, Master Class, Course Evaluation
Both the video library as a whole and individual videos can be used as stand-alone resources by teachers and students at any level. If students wish, they can also get supplemental audio exercises that go with the video series by becoming a Patron at www.patreon.com/learnrussianwithkira.
Features
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Immediate access to all 52 videos
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Video library as a whole and individual videos can be used as stand-alone resources
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See the Episode List below for topics covered
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Get streaming access for one year (single payment of $9.99)
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Get streaming access for the lifetime of the library (single payment of $19.99)
Episodes in Alphabetical Order
а
б
в
г
д
е
ё
ж
з
и
й
– Week 37
– Week 41
– Week 45
– Week 27
– Week 5, 6, 18
– Week 15, 16
– Week 44
– Week 17
– Week 49
– Week 4, 33
– Week 13, 14, 32
к
л
м
н
о
п
р
с
т
у
ф
– Week 29
– Week 9, 10, 24, 26, 34
– Week 35, 36
– Week 38, 39
– Week 2
– Week 42, 43
– Week 11, 12, 28, 30
– Week 50, 51
– Week 7, 8, 20, 22
– Week 1
– Week 46, 47
х
ц
ч
ш
щ
ъ
ы
ь
э
ю
я
– Week 31
– Week 21
– Week 23
– Week 19
– Week 25
– Week 13
– Week 3
– Week 13
– Week 40
– Week 48
– Week 52
Episodes by Week
Week 1 – Vowel «у»
Week 2 – Stressed «o»
Week 3 – Vowel «ы»
Week 4 – Vowel «и»
Week 5 – Hard «д»
Week 6 – Soft «д»
Week 7 – Hard «т»
Week 8 – Soft «т»
Week 9 – Hard «л»
Week 10 – Soft «л»
Week 11 – Hard «р»
Week 12 – Soft «р»
Week 13 – Strong «й» Sound
Week 14 – Weak «й» Sound
Week 15 – Stressed «е»
Week 16 – Super-Special «е»
Week 17 – Always-Hard «ж»
Week 18 – Hard vs Soft «д»
Week 19 – Always-Hard «ш»
Week 20 – Hard vs Soft «т»
Week 21 – Always-Hard «ц»
Week 22 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «т»
Week 23 – Always-Soft «ч»
Week 24 – Hard vs Soft «л»
Week 25 – Always-Soft «щ»
Week 26 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «л»
Week 27 – Hard vs Soft «г»
Week 28 – Hard vs Soft «р»
Week 29 – Hard vs Soft «к»
Week 30 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «р»
Week 31 – Hard vs Soft «х»
Week 32 – Strong vs Weak «й» Sound
Week 33 – One-Syllable Motion: («ик», «ил», «ит»)
Week 34 – Extra Practice with Soft «л»
Week 35 – Hard vs Soft «м»
Week 36 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «м»
Week 37 – Vowel «а»
Week 38 – Hard vs Soft «н»
Week 39 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «н»
Week 40 – Vowel «э»
Week 41 – Hard vs Soft «б»
Week 42 – Hard vs Soft «п»
Week 43 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «п»
Week 44 – Vowel «ё»
Week 45 – Hard vs Soft «в»
Week 46 – Hard vs Soft «ф»
Week 47 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «ф»
Week 48 – Vowel «ю»
Week 49 – Hard vs Soft «з»
Week 50 – Hard vs Soft «с»
Week 51 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «с»
Week 52 – Vowel «я»
Russian Default Mouth Position
The Russian default mouth position is fundamental to authentic-sounding Russian pronunciation!
Here are the three keys to achieving it:
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JAW. The jaw does not open very far, much less than in US English!
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TONGUE. The tongue is forward, mushed up against the back of the bottom teeth with the tip at the gum line.
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LIPS. The lips are rounded and protruded so they’re sticking out in front of you.
The jaw, tongue and lips move away from this position as you speak for some sounds, but starting from and returning to this position helps you create the basic shape of the mouth that makes your speech sound Russian. (For detailed info, click here.) Work REALLY carefully to acquire this habit, and everything you say will instantly sound 1000% more Russian. : )
Episode Notes
Week 1 – Vowel «у»
Keys
1) Tongue back
2) Pencil
3) Shorter than English
Words
у – at, near
ум – mind
шум – noise, sound, murmur
Ну… – Well…
тут – here
ему́ – to him/it (dative)
э́ту – this (fem. accusative)
кни́гу – book (accusative)
танцу́ю – I’m dancing or I dance
хулига́н – hooligan
Week 2 – Stressed «o»
Keys
1) Lips out
2) Diphthong opens
Words
вот – there (pointing)
год – year
до́лго – long (time)
зо́лото – gold
молоко́ – milk
яйцо́ – egg
то́лько – only
но – but
телефо́н – telephone
проро́к – prophet
Week 3 – Vowel «ы»
Keys
1) Walk it there from «у»
2) Use your ear
Words
ты – you (informal/singular)
мы – we
вы – you (formal/plural)
часы́ – clock
бы – particle related to theorizing, wishing, and imagining
ры́ба – fish
орлы́ – eagles
уны́лый – gloomy
пыль – dust
фы́ркать – scoff, snort
Week 4 – Vowel «и»
Keys
1) Спинка
2) Lips out
3) Shorter than English
Words
и – and
и́ва – willow
и́ли – or
иль – or (abbreviated)
и́мя – name
и́стина – truth
идти́ – to go (1 way on foot)
ина́че – otherwise
икра́ – caviar
ико́на – icon
Week 5 – Hard «д»
Keys
1) Part behind the tip
2) No aspiration
3) Full voicing
Words
дай – give (command)
дал – he gave
дар – gift
дуб – oak
дым – smoke
до́лго – long
до́рого – expensive
дорого́й – dear
неда́вно – recently
недо́рого – inexpensive
Week 6 – Soft «д»
Keys
1) Спинка
2) Part behind the tip
3) More air
Words
ди́во – miracle
дива́н – sofa
дела́ – things, pl.
де́ва – Virgo
где – where
день – day
де́ти – children
де́ньги – money
дя́дя – uncle
дю́жина – dozen
Week 7 – Hard «т»
Keys
1) Part behind the tip
2) No aspiration
3) Release (I did not include this in the video but it’s important!)
Words
там – there
так – so
то – that (neuter)
э́то – this (neuter)
тако́й – such (masc.)
така́я – such (fem.)
тако́е – such (neut.)
тест – test
толь – only (shortened form)
то́лько – only
Week 8 – Soft «т»
Keys
1) Спинка
2) Part behind the tip
3) More air
Words
ти́хий – quiet (masc)
ти́хие – quiet (pl)
тигр – tiger
идти́ – to go on foot
уйти́ – to leave on foot
отойти́ – to go away from
вы́йти – to exit
и́стина – truth
инти́мный – intimate
интере́сный – interesting
Week 9 – Hard «л»
Keys
1) Relax it "all"!
Words
а́лый – bright red
лы́жа – ski
Алта́й – the Altai
ла́ска – caress
шёлк – silk
ло́зунг – slogan
ГУЛА́Г – gulag
глу́бже – deeper
эл – the letter л
луна́ – moon
Week 10 – Soft «л»
Keys
1) "Back in bowl"
2) Y-lilt
Words
лимо́н – lemon
лифт – elevator
ля́гу – I will lie down
ля́гут – they will lie down
лес – forest
ле́то – summer
лёг – he lay down
лётчик – pilot
люк – hatch
лю́ди – people
Week 11 – Hard «р»
Keys
1) "Butter"
2) Add an «а»
Words
а-ра, а-ро, а-ру, а-рэ, а-ры
пора́ – it’s time
по-ру́сски – in Russian
дорого́й – (masc. adj.) dear
дорога́я – (fem. adj.) dear
дыра́ – hole
здра́вствуйте – hello
Росси́я – Russia
рад – glad
ра́да – glad
ру́сский – Russian
Week 12 – Soft «р»
Keys
1) Спинка
2) "Beady"
3) Add an «и»
Words
и-ря, и-рё, и-рю, и-ре, и-ри
и́рисе – iris (prep, dat case)
И́ре – Ira (prep, dat case)
Ири́на – Irina
Ири́не – Irina (prep, dat case)
и река́ – and the river
и ре́чка – and the small river
и ряд – and the row
и рюкза́к – and the backpack
речь – speech
ряби́на – mountain ash/rowan tree
Week 13 – Strong «й» Sound
Keys
1) Stronger than “yes”
Words
юг – south
ёж – hedgehog
я́года – berry
ель – spruce
яи́чница (Москва is ш, St. P is ч) – omelet
чья – whose (fem.)
чьё – whose (neut.)
чьи – whose (pl.)
Нью-Йо́рк – New York
в воскресе́нье – on Sunday
Week 14 – Weak «й» Sound
Keys
1) Pie-in-the-sky diphthong
Words
дуй – blow (command)
голубо́й – light blue
чай – tea
трамва́й – trolley
чей – whose (masc.)
скоре́й – sooner
бе́лый – white
сме́лый – brave
си́ний – dark blue
весе́нний – springtime (adj.)
Week 15 – Stressed «е»
Keys
1) Diphthong
2) Open to "eh"
Words
ем – I eat
е́хала – she went (in one direction!)
где – where
ле́том – in the summer
в январе́ – in January
в феврале́ – in February
в сентябре́ – in September
в октябре́ – in October
в ноябре́ – in November
в декабре́ – in December
Week 16 – Super-Special «е»
Keys
1) "Eggs"
2) "Eyggz"
Words
вес – weight
весь – entire
где – where
здесь – here
смеx – laughter
смесь – mixture
две – two (fem.)
дверь – door
курье́р – courier
тепе́рь – now (in contrast with an earlier time)
Week 17 – Always-Hard «ж»
Keys
1) Low bowl
2) Tip curl
Words
жук – beetle
жёны – wives
же – the letter ж
жанр – genre
жаль – that’s too bad
к сожале́нию – unfortunately
жил – he lived
жила́ – she lived
скажи́ – tell me (familiar)
скажи́те – tell me (formal)
Week 18 – Hard vs Soft «д»
Keys
1) Part behind the tip
2) It's all in the air
3) Спинка for soft «д»
Words
дал – gave
дя́дя – uncle
до́лго – long
дёшево – cheaply
ду́мать – to think
дю́жина – dozen
дым – smoke
дива́н – sofa
дэ – the letter д
неде́ля – week
Week 19 – Always-Hard «ш»
Keys
1) Dark wind
2) Low bowl
3) Tip curl
Words
шум – sound
шу́ба – fur coat
ша́пка – hat
шарф – scarf
шко́ла – school
шкаф – cupboard
шокола́д – chocolate
шепта́ть – to whisper
широ́кий – broad
маши́на – car
Week 20 – Hard vs Soft «т»
Keys
1) Part behind the tip
2) It's all in the air
3) Спинка for soft «т»
Words
там – there
тя́га – traction
темп – pace
те́ма – theme
том – volume of a book/magazine
тёмный – dark
тут – here, at this point
тюк – bale
ты – you
тип – type
Week 21 – Always-Hard «ц»
Keys
1) Part behind the tip
2) One quick release
Words
цуна́ми – tsunami
цо́кать – to pronounce the letter ч as ц in some dialects of Russian
ца́пля – egret
це – the letter ц
огурцы́ – cucumbers
огуре́ц – cucumber
матра́ц – mattress
па́лец – finger/toe
не́мец – German
уме́лец – jack of all trades
Week 22 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «т»
Keys
1) Part behind the tip
2) It's all in the air
3) Спинка for soft «т»
Words
брат – brother
брать – to take
мат – vulgar language
мать – mother
тот – that
коло́ть – to prick
нут – chickpea
-нуть – verbal suffix
э́тот – this
ду́мать – to think
Week 23 – Always-Soft «ч»
Keys
1) Спинка (high tongue, relax the edges, lead from the center)
Words
чита́ть – to read
челове́к – person
чемода́н – suitcase
москви́ч – Muscovite
чай – tea
чи́сто – purely
чей – whose (masc.)
чья – whose (fem.)
чьё – whose (neut.)
чьи – whose (pl.)
Week 24 – Hard vs Soft «л»
Keys
1) Relax it "all" for hard «л»
2) "Back in bowl" for soft «л»
Words
ла́ска – caress
ля́гу – I will lie down
ло́зунг – slogan
лёг – he lay down
лук – onion
люк – hatch
ЛЭП – power lines (ли́ния электропереда́чи)
ле́то – summer
лы́жа – ski
лифт – elevator
Week 25 – Always-Soft «щ»
Keys
1) Light wind
2) Спинка
Words
плащ – raincoat
щи – cabbage soup
вообще́ – in general
о́бщая – common (adj)
в о́бщем – on the whole
ще́дрый – generous
щётка – brush
я́щик – drawer
защища́ться – to defend
защища́ющийся – defending
Week 26 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «л»
Keys
1) Relax it "all" for hard «л»
2) "Back in bowl" for soft «л»
Words
Ура́л – the Ural mountains
февра́ль – February
у́гол – corner
у́голь – coal
стул – chair
ию́ль – July
ел – he ate
апре́ль – April
был – he was
быль – true story, fact
Week 27 – Hard vs Soft «г»
Keys
1) It’s all in the air
Words
гу́бы – lips
геро́й – hero
год – year
гид – guide
газе́та – newspaper
гимна́стика – gymnastics
гэ – the letter г
Ге́на – famous Russian crocodile
гора́ – mountain
гита́ра – guitar
Week 28 – Hard vs Soft «р»
Keys
1) Low «ара»
2) Спинка «ири»
Words
рад – glad
ряд – row
рог – horn of an animal
отрёкся – he renounced
рук – arms (gen pl)
рюкза́к – backpack
ре – musical note D
рек – river (gen pl)
ры́ба – fish
Ри́га – Riga
Week 29 – Hard vs Soft «к»
Keys
1) It’s all in the air
Words
ку-ку́ – hey
кедр – cedar
ко́шка – cat
ки́са – kitty
ка – the letter к
кино́ – the movies
кома́р – mosquito
Кита́й – China
икра́ – caviar
кислоро́д – oxygen
Week 30 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «р»
Keys
1) Low «ара»
2) Спинка «ири»
Words
бар – bar
царь – tsar
пар – steam
слова́рь – dictionary
това́р – commodity
янва́рь – January
кома́р – mosquito
календа́рь – calendar
ер – former Russian vowel
дверь – door
курье́р – courier
тепе́рь – now
сентя́брь – September
октя́брь – October
ноя́брь – November
дека́брь – December
Week 31 – Hard vs Soft «х»
Keys
1) К/Г placement
2) Deep vs shallow
Words
хулига́н – hooligan
хи́мик – chemist
хор – chorus
хи́мия – chemistry
ха́ – the letter х
хиру́рг – surgeon
хомя́к – hamster
хи́трый – clever
ax – akh!
их – their (possessive)
Week 32 – Strong vs Weak «й» Sound
Keys
1) Stronger than "yes"
2) Pie-in-the-sky diphthong
Words
дуй – blow (command)
юг – south
голубо́й – light blue
ёж – hedgehog
чай – tea
я́года – berry
чей – whose (masc.)
ель – spruce
си́ний – dark blue
яи́чница (Москва is ш, St. P is ч) – omelet
Week 33 – One-Syllable Motion: («ик», «ил», «ит»)
Keys
1) Спинка falls
2) Dark release
Words
ча́йник – teapot
уче́бник – textbook
е́здил – he travelled
съе́здил – he made a round trip
купи́л – he bought
крокоди́л – crocodile
спит – he is sleeping
алфави́т – alphabet
ку́пит – he/she will buy
смо́трит – he/she is watching
Week 34 – Extra Practice with Soft «л»
Keys
1) Soft «л» in the middle = take your time
2) One-sided release
Words
боль – pain
бо́льше – more
да́льше – further
то́лько – only
понеде́льник – Monday
с удово́льствием – with pleasure
бо́льно – painful
больни́ца – hospital
писа́тель – writer
преподава́тель – university instructor
учи́тель – schoolteacher
носи́тель – native speaker (specify the language)
Week 35 – Hard vs Soft «м»
Keys
1) Low tongue vs спинка
Words
мука́ – flour
мю́сли – mueslix
мол – as if to say
мëд – honey
ма́ма – mama
мял – he crumpled it up
мер – mayor
мел – chalk
мы – we
ми́шка – teddy bear
Week 36 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «м»
Keys
1) Спинка
2) Аdd an «и» for soft «м»
Words
ум – mind
за́умь – linguistic experimental literature of Futurist poets based on sounds
дом – house
о́земь – against the ground
сеза́м – sesame (as in open sesame)
на́земь – shortened form of на зе́млю
ем – I am eating
семь – seven
им – them (dative pl.)
во́семь – eight
Week 37 – Vowel «а»
Keys
1) Think "ox"
2) Default mouth position
Words
ма́ма – mama
па́па – papa
да – yes
как – how
ба́ня – banya
ла́дно – ok
Га́ля – short form of Гали́на
жаль – too bad
час – hour
щас – contracted form of сейчас
Week 38 – Hard vs Soft «н»
Keys
1) Low tongue vs спинка
Words
ну – well
ню́хать – to sniff
но – but
о нём – about him
на – on
ня́ня – nanny
НЭП – New Economic Policy
нет – no
уны́лый – gloomy
ни́тка – thread
Week 39 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «н»
Keys
1) Спинка
2) Аdd an «и» for soft «н»
Words
колду́н – wizard
ию́нь – June
Дон – Don River
конь – steed
Рамада́н – Ramadan
дань – tribute
хрен – horseradish
тень – shadow
о́чень – very
ма́ленький – little
Week 40 – Vowel «э»
Keys
1) Think "echo"
2) Default mouth position
Words
эр – the letter р
эс – the letter с
э́то – this is
э́тот – this (masc. nom.)
э́тому – this (masc. dat.)
бэ – the letter б
вэ – the letter в
дэ – the letter д
же – the letter ж
кафе́ – café
Week 41 – Hard vs Soft «б»
Keys
1) Low tongue vs спинка
Words
бу́ква – letter (of the alphabet)
бюро́ – agency
бок – side
бёдра – hips
ба́бушка – grandmother
любя́ – loving [someone]
бэ – the letter б
бе́лый – white
бы – conditional particle
бил (he beat in the past)
Week 42 – Hard vs Soft «п»
Keys
1) Low tongue vs спинка
Words
пу́шка – cannon
пюре́ – purée
пол – floor
пёс – male dog
па́лка – stick
пять – five
пэ – the letter пэ
петь – to sing
попы́тка – attempt
пи́во – beer
Week 43 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «п»
Keys
1) Спинка
2) Add an «и» for soft «п»
Words
суп – soup
го́лубь – pigeon/dove
телеско́п – telescope
дробь – fraction
пика́п – pickup truck
зябь – land plowed in the fall for planting in the spring
рэп – rap music
цепь – chain
чтоб – short form of чтобы
зыбь – ripple
Week 44 – Vowel «ё»
Keys
1) Stronger than "yes"
2) Russian default mouth position
Words
ёж – hedgehog
ёжик – leetle hedgehog
всё – all
ещё – still
лёд – ice
алё – hello!
её – her
ёлочка – little Russian Christmas tree
смеётся – he/she is laughing
лёгкий – easy
Week 45 – Hard vs Soft «в»
Keys
1) Low tongue vs спинка
Words
вуз – institution of higher learning
ревю́ – musical revue
вол – ox
вёл – he led
ова́л – oval
вя́лый – withered
вэ – the letter в
век – century
вы – you (formal/plural)
вид – aspect
Week 46 – Hard vs Soft «ф»
Keys
1) Low tongue vs спинка
Words
футбо́л – soccer
фю́рер – (hard э) Führer
фо́кус – sleight of hand
Фёдр – Fyodor
факт – fact
фильм – film
кафе́ – café
фе́рма – farm
фы́ркать – to snort
фи́зика – physics
Week 47 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «ф»
Keys
1) Спинка
2) Аdd an «и» for soft «ф»
Words
сдув – having blown something off a surface
це́рковь – church
плов – pilaf
любо́вь – love
лев – lion
плавь – melt! (command)
взрыв – explosion
свекро́вь – wife’s mother-in-law
зали́в – gulf
о́бувь – footwear
Week 48 – Vowel «ю»
Keys
1) Diphthong
2) Pencil
Words
юг – south
ю́мор – humor
мою́ – my (fem. acc.)
твою́ – your (fem. acc.)
семью́ – family (acc.)
зе́млю – the earth (acc.)
дя́дю – uncle (acc.)
неде́лю – week (acc.)
Росси́ю – Russia (acc.)
люблю́ – I love
Week 49 – Hard vs Soft «з»
Keys
1) Low tongue vs спинка
Words
зу́бы – teeth
земля́ – earth
зо́нт – umbrella
озёр – lakes (gen. pl.)
зако́н – law
озя́бший – frozen
зэ – the letter з
зе́бра – zebra
ву́зы – institutions of higher learning
зима́ – winter
Week 50 – Hard vs Soft «с»
Keys
1) Low tongue vs спинка
Words
су́мка – purse
сюда́ – hither
сон – sleep
сёстры – sisters
сам – himself
-ся – the suffix -ся
сэ – the letter с (США)
се́но – hay
сыр – cheese
си́ла – strength
Week 51 – Word-Final Hard vs Soft «с»
Keys
1) Спинка
2) Аdd an «и» for soft «с»
Words
вкус – taste
гусь – goose
вопрос – question
лосо́сь – salmon
квас – kvass
ипоста́сь – hypostasis, from Greek
лес – forest
весь – whole
лис – male fox
по́дпись – signature
Week 52 – Vowel «я»
Keys
1) Diphthong
2) Open to "ox"
Words
я́ – I
я́блоко – apple
моя́ – my (fem.)
семья́ – family
друзья́ – friends
земля́ – the earth
дя́дя – uncle
неде́ля – week
Росси́я – Russia
язы́к – language (tongue)