Pronunciation guide

How to read and say Belarusian

Letters, sounds and stress from Wikivoyage's Belarusian phrasebook. Then hear the phrases and practice them, free.

Belarusian alphabet:

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

Below - the characters of the Belarusian Cyrillic alphabet and - in brackets - their transliteration in Latin characters according to the official standard.

Belarusian spelling is generally more phonetic than that of Russian. Unlike Russian, Belarusian does not have vowel reduction, so all vowels are pronounced the same regardless of stress.

Vowels

Аа (Aa): like the 'a' in 'alone'
Яя (Jaja; ia after consonants): like "ya" in "yard" or the "ia" in "mia"
Ее (Jeje; ie after consonants): like "ye" in "yet" or the "ie" in "miedo"
Ёё (Jojo; io after consonants): like "yo" in "yonder" or the "io" in "frio"
Ээ (Ee): like "e" in "met"
Йй (Jj): like "y" in "play" or "boy". It's a semivowel, and it is always combined with a full vowel.
Іі (Ii): like "ee" in "see"
Ыы (Yy): like the 'y' in 'possibly'
Оо (Oo): like "o" in "open"
Уу (Uu): like "oo" in "boot"
Юю (Juju; iu after consonants): like the word "you"

Consonants

Бб (Bb): like "b" in "bit"
Вв (Vv): like "v" in "vine"
Гг (Hh): same as "gh" in Arabic, similar to the German "ch" sound but voiced.
Дд (Dd): like "d" in "do"
Жж (Žž): like "s" in "pleasure" or "measure"; always hard
Зз (Zz): like "z" in "zoo"
Кк (Kk): like "k" in "kitten"
Лл (Ll): like "l" in "lady"
Мм (Mm): like "m" in "my"
Нн (Nn): like "n" in "not" or like the "ny" in "canyon"
Пп (Pp): like "p" in "pot"
Рр (Rr): trilled "r" (similar to a Spanish "r")
Сс (Ss): like "s" in "sun"
Тт (Tt): like "t" in "tip"
Ўў (Ǔǔ): like final "w" in "window"
Фф (Ff): like "f" in "face"
Хх (Chch): like "ch" in Scottish "loch"
Цц (Cc): like "ts" in "cats"
Чч (Čč): like the 'ch' in "chest"
Шш (Šš): like "sh" in "shut"
Ьь (No Latin equivalent): soft sign

Consonant combinations

ДЖдж (Dždž): like "j" in "journey"
ДЗЬдзь (Dźdź): approx. like "ds" in "raids"
ЗЬзь (Źź): soft palatalized sound in between "z" and "zh".
ЛЬль (Ĺĺ): soft "l" like "l" in "lemon"
НЬнь (Ńń): like "n" in "near"
СЬсь (Śś): soft palatalized sound in-between "s" and "sh".
ЦЬць (Ćć): soft palatalized sound in-between "ts" and "ch".

Diphthongs

ай: like 'eye'
яй: like saying 'ya' in "yard" and 'eye'
ой: like 'oy' in "boy"
ей: like 'ye' in "yet" and 'ay' in "play"
эй: like 'ey' in "prey"
ый: like 'i' in "Chris" and 'y' in "yes" similar to saying "possibly yes"
уй: like 'oo' in "good" and 'y' in "yet"
юй: like 'you' and 'y' in "play"
аў: like 'ou' in "out"
яў: like saying 'ya' in "yard" and 'ou' in "out"]
оў: like the 'ow' in "grow"
еў: like 'ye' in "yet" and 'wo' in "won't"
эў: like 'e' in 'end' and 'wo' in "won't"