Russian Grammar.Russian is worth speaking.
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1.12. The Russian Stress Mark - A & O
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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
- With few exceptions, all Russian words have one stressed vowel (or syllable), pronounced with greater force. Stressed vowels are marked with an accent: а́, э́, о́, у́, ы́, я́, е́, ю́, и́. The letter ё is always stressed and marked with two dots instead of an accent.
In everyday writing, stress marks and the dots over ё are rarely used. They may appear in dictionaries, language-learning materials, or ambiguous contexts to clarify meaning. Single-syllable words are almost always stressed and do not require stress marks.
Stress can shift between syllables during verb conjugation, noun declension, or plural formation. Compound nouns and adjectives may have two stressed syllables, with one more pronounced.
Some words, such as single-syllable prepositions, may be unstressed. Additionally, stress can be suppressed in common phrases.
Stressed vowels are pronounced consistently, but unstressed vowels often vary. For example:
а and о sound similar when unstressed.
е and я also have similar unstressed pronunciations. The variation is less noticeable with у, ю, ы, и, and э.
Letters by Type
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Hard Vowels
Velars
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Soft Vowels
Sibilants
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Consonants
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1.12.1. Introduction
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1.12.2. Stressed and Unstressed A and O
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1.12.3. Stressed and Unstressed Е and Я
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1.12.4. Stress with У, Ю, Ы, И, Ё, Э
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1.12.1.1. Introduction to the Russian Stress Mark
1.12.1.2. Russian Words with More than One Stress
Certain words have two stressed syllables, although one will stand out in force.
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бoа́* (bull)
йoгу́рт* (yogurt) oа́зиc* (oasis) ра́диo* (radio) ра́диoпье́cа (radio play) |
трёхгла́вный (three-headed)
трёхэта́жный (three-story) трёхто́мный (three-volume) четырёхдне́вный (four-day) четырёхэта́жный (four-story) |
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*These words of foreign origin have only a single stress. However, the unmarked o is pronounced as if stressed
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1.12.2.1. The Russian Stressed and Unstressed A
When the vowel а is stressed, it is pronounced similarly to the a in father. When а is unstressed and appears in the initial syllable or the syllable before the stress, it is pronounced like a softer version of stressed а. In other unstressed syllables, especially those following the stress, а sounds like the a in above.
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Single Syllable Stressed A
ад (hell) акт (act) бар (bar) май (May) сад (garden) |
Two Syllables - Stressed-Unstressed A
ба́нда (gang) ва́за (vase) ла́ва (lava) пла́та (pay) сва́дьба (wedding) |
Two Syllables - Unstressed-Stressed A
бага́ж (baggage) каба́н (wild boar) сала́т (salad) таба́к (tobacco) фаса́д (façade) |
Multiple Syllables A
ага́ва (agave) анана́с (pineapple) гага́ра (loon) каланча́ (watchtower) Сатана́ (Satan) |
1.12.2.2. The Russian Stressed and Unstressed O
Like unstressed а, an unstressed о in the initial syllable or the syllable before the stress sounds similar to stressed а, but softer. In other unstressed syllables, especially those following the stress, о is pronounced like the a in above.
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Single Syllable Stressed
волк (wolf) зло (evil) мой (my; mine) нос (nose) рот (mouth) |
Two Syllables - Stressed-Unstressed O
го́лос (voice) до́лго (long) со́рок (forty) то́чно (exactly) фо́сфор (phosphorus) |
Two Syllables - Unstressed-Stressed O
комо́к (lump) контро́ль (control) мото́р (motor) прото́н (proton) топо́р (ax) |
Multiple Syllables O
долото́ (chisel) зо́лото (gold) золото́й (gold; golden) молоко́ (milk) хорошо́ (well) |
1.12.2.3. The Russian Unstressed A and O Compared
The letters а and о sound very similar when unstressed. In the initial syllable or the syllable before the stress, they resemble stressed а but with less intensity. In other unstressed syllables, they are pronounced like the a in above.
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азо́т (nitrogen)
ао́та (aorta) апо́стол (apostle) ваго́н (wagon) вода́ (water) голова́ (head) колбаса́ (sausage) кома́нда (command) |
ко́мната (room)
на́ново (anew) пода́рак (gift) подосно́ва (underlying cause) ро́за (rose) табаково́да (the tobacco grower’s) тома́т (tomato) хао́с (chaos) |
1.12.3.1. The Russian Stressed and Unstressed E
Stressed e is pronounced as ye, as in yet. When unstressed, the letter е is pronounced similar to the first e in beneath.
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Single Syllable Stressed E
герб (coat of arms) здесь (here) лев (lion) перс (Persian) снег (snow) |
Two Syllables - Stressed-Unstressed E
бе́рег (coast) не́мец (German) пе́рец (pepper) се́вер (north) че́рез (across) |
Two Syllables - Unstressed-Stressed E
желе́ (jelly) мете́ль (snowstorm) реве́нь (rhubarb) себе́ (to one’s self) тепе́рь (now) |
Multiple Syllables E
бе́женец (refugee) верне́е (or rather) зелене́ть (to turn green) ледене́ц (piece of hard candy) |
1.12.3.2. The Russian Stressed and Unstressed Я
When stressed, я is pronounced as ya in yacht. When unstressed, я is pronounced similarly to unstressed е, resembling the first e in beneath.
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Single Syllable Stressed Я
зябь (autumn plowing) мять (to knead) пять (five) ряд (row) як (yak) |
Two or More Syllables Я
дя́дя (uncle) статья́ (article) судья́ (judge) я́года (berry) в ряду́ (among) ста́ться (to happen) ста́я (flock) яйцо́ (egg) янва́рь (January) января́ (of January) |
1.12.2.3. The Russian Unstressed E and Я Compared
The letters е and я sound very similar when unstressed.
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вре́мя (time)
де́сять (ten) дя́тел (woodpecker) земля́ (earth) меня́ (me) ме́сяц (month) неде́ля (week) |
одея́ло (blanket)
себя́ (one’s self) сего́дня (today) теря́ть (to lose) теря́ться (to be lost) шестьдеся́т (sixty) xxx |
1.12.4.1. The Russian Stress with У, Ю, Ы, И, Ё, Э
The vowels у, ю, ы and и are pronounced essentially the same whether stressed or unstressed. The difference between the stressed and unstressed versions of у, ю, ы and и is audible but doesn’t have so much to do with pronunciation as it does strength.
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люблю́ (I love)
рюкза́к (knapsack) рю́мка (small liquor glass) бурунду́к (chipmunk) супру́г (spouse) учу́ (I teach) |
вы́мыть (to wash)
ры́бный (fish [attrib.]) сы́тый (full) и́диш (Yiddish) извини́те (excuse me) ни́зкий (low) |
Dictionaries give words. Grammar books give rules. Language360 adds context. |