Stressed and Unstressed A
When the vowel а is stressed, it is pronounced similar to a in father. When а is unstressed and occurs in the initial syllable or in the syllable before the stress, it sounds nearly like stressed а, but more subdued. In other unstressed syllables, particularly the syllables following the stress, а sounds like a in above.
Single Syllable Stressed A
ад
акт бар май сад |
hell
act bar May garden |
Two Syllables - Stressed-Unstressed A
ба́нда
ва́за ла́ва пла́та сва́дьба |
gang
vase lava pay wedding |
Two Syllables - Unstressed-Stressed A
бага́ж
каба́н сала́т таба́к фаса́д |
baggage
wild boar salad tobacco façade |
Multiple Syllables A
ага́ва
анана́с гага́ра каланча́ Сатана́ |
agave
pineapple loon watchtower Satan |