How to pronounce Russian
Say it like RUHSH-un. Russian has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RUHSH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Russian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RUHSH
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Russian pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RUHSHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Russian
American and British speakers say Russian in essentially the same way: /ˈrʌʃən/ in the US and /ˈrʌʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: RUHSH-un.
What does Russian mean?
- of or pertaining to or characteristic of Russia or its people or culture or language“Russian dancing”
- a native or inhabitant of Russia
- the Slavic language that is the official language of Russia
Words that rhyme with Russian
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Russian.
Questions about saying Russian
How do you pronounce Russian?
Say RUHSH-un. The American pronunciation is /ˈrʌʃən/. In British English it is /ˈrʌʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Russian?
Russian has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RUHSH). Broken into parts: RUHSH · un.
Do Americans and Brits say Russian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈrʌʃən/ and the British form is /ˈrʌʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.