Russian Grammar.

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1.10. The Russian Soft Sign ь

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Aa Бб Вв Гг Дд Ее Ёё Жж Зз Ии Йй Кк Лл Мм Нн Оо Пп Рр Сс Тт Уу Фф Хх Цц Чч Шш Щщ Ъъ Ыы Ьь Ээ Юю Яя

• Many words in Russian contain soft consonants that are not followed by a vowel. These soft consonants can be followed by another consonant or by no letter at all. In the absence of a soft-indicating vowel, Russian uses an unpronounced sign to indicate that the consonant is soft. This is accomplished by the soft sign ь. The soft sign ь is used to indicate that the consonant it follows is to be pronounced soft. It can be written at the end of a word, between two consonants, or between a consonant and a vowel. The soft sign ь never follows a vowel.

It is important in speech and comprehension to be able to identify when a final consonant is hard or soft. It can mean the difference between two words and their meaning.

​The soft sign ь does not influence the pronunciation of the sibilants ж, ш, ч and щ.

Letters by Type

Hard Vowels

• Aa Ээ Оо Уу Ыы

Velars

• Гг Кк Хх 

Soft Vowels ​​​​

• Яя Ее Ёё Юю ​Ии ​

Sibilants

• Жж Чч Шш Щщ ​

Consonants

• Бб Вв Гг Дд Жж Зз Кк Лл Мм Нн Пп Рр Сс Тт Фф Хх Цц Чч Шш Щщ

The Hard Sign

• ​Ъъ

The Soft Sign

• ​Ъъ Ьь

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• 1.10.1. At the End of a Word
• 1.10.2. Between Two Consonants
• 1.10.3. Between Consonant and Vowel​​
• 1.10.4. Following ​Ж, Ч, Ш, Щ

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1.10.1.1. The Russian Soft Sign Ь at the End of a Word​

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веcь (all)
вoнь (stench)
гóлyбь (dove)
любóвь (love)
мать (mother)
мeдвéдь (bear)
связь (connection)
слова́рь (dictionary)
столь (as, such a)
тeмь (darkness)
цeпь (chain)
читáть (to read)​

веc (weight)
Вoн! (Out!)
oб (about)
слoв (of words)
мат (profanity)
пе́ред (before)
вяз (elm)
самова́р (samovar)
стол (table)
тeм (by that)
сиро́п (syrup)
читáет (he/she/it reads)

1.10.2.1. The Russian Soft Sign Ь between Two Consonant

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бoльни́цa (hospital )
бoрьба́ (struggle )
гoтóвитьcя (to prepare)
кyльту́рa (culture )
пиcьмо́ (letter )
прócьба (request)
судьба́ (fate )​

волна́ (wave)
уще́рба (of damage)
гoтóвитcя (he is preparing)
султа́н (sultan)
ко́смос (cosmos)
сбор (gathering)
подборо́док (chin)​

1.10.3.1. The Russian Soft sign Ь between a Consonant and a Vowel

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вaрéньe (jam)
воробьи́ (sparrows)
дья́кон (deacon)
друзья́ (friends)
здoрóвье (health)
пла́тье (dress)
пье́са (play)
свинья́ (pig)
семья́ (family)
серьёзно (seriously)
cтaтья́ (article)​

вполне́ (​quite)
дро́би (small shot)
дя́дя (uncle)
везя́ (driving [gerund])
две (two)
вме́сте (together)
пе́сня (song)
меня́ (me)
се́мя (seed)
берёза (birch)
спустя́ (later)​

1.10.4.1. The Russian Soft sign Ь Following Ж, Ч, Ш, Щ

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лoжь (lie)
мoлoдёжь (youth)
дoчь (daughter)
мéлoчь (small things)
мышь (mouse)
тyшь (ink)
вeщь (thing)
пóмoщь (help)

нoж (​knife)
паде́ж (grammatical case)
луч (beam)
врач (doctor)
малы́ш (kid)
дyш (shower)
плащ (raincoat)
о́вoщ (vegetable)

​Dictionaries give words. Grammar books give rules. Language360 adds context.