Voiced and Voiceless Consonants. Devoicing of Final Consonants. Consonant Clusters

Russian For Everyone Learn Russian Language Online

Self study guide for elementary level learners of Russian
and for intermediate level students who wish to review basic grammar and vocabulary

Introductory Lesson 9

Voiced and Voiceless Consonants. Devoicing of Final Consonants. Consonant Clusters

Introduction. Russian letters and sound system
Russian alphabet Sounds, handwriting, keyboard
Introductory Lesson 1 Reading syllables. Translating This is..., Here is...
Introductory Lesson 2 Reading syllables. Conjunctions и and а
Introductory Lesson 3 Learn Russian hushing and velar sounds. Stress and vowel reduction (а, о)
Quiz 1 Check what you have learned from Lessons 1-3 with this 10 minute quiz.
Introductory Lesson 4 Letters ц,й,ы,и
Introductory Lesson 5 Learn Russian 7-letter spelling rule
Introductory Lesson 6 Learn Russian Hard and Soft сonsonants. Vowel reduction (я, е)
Quiz 2 Check what you have learned from Lessons 4-6 with this 15 minute quiz.
Introductory Lesson 7 Letters ь and ъ. Pronunciation of я, ё, ю, е. Letters к, г, х
Introductory Lesson 8 Unpaired hard and soft consonants. The soft consonant й
Quiz 3 Check what you have learned from Lessons 7-8 with this 15 minute quiz.
Introductory Lesson 9 Voiced and Voiceless Consonants. Devoicing of Final Consonants. Consonant Clusters
Introductory Lesson 10 Pronunciation of г, ч, тся and ться
Phrasebook Topic 1 Learn how to greet people and say goodbye in Russian
Phrasebook Topic 2 Introducing Yourself in Russian
Quiz 4 Check what you have learned from Lessons 7-8 with this 10 minute quiz.

Фонетика Lesson 9 - Урок 9

9.1.

Voiced and Voiceless Consonants

In Russian as well as in English, some consonant sounds are produced with the vibration of the vocal cords. Touch your neck in the area of the throat while making a sound 'z-z-z-z-z-z-z...' and you'll feel your vocal cords vibrating. If you do the same thing while producing a sound 's-s-s-s-s-s-s...', you'll feel that your vocal cords are not vibrating.

We say that the 'z' sound is a voiced consonant, while it's counterpart 's' sound is a voiceless consonant. There are 11 pairs of voiced and voiceless consonant sounds in Russian.
Compare the sets of consonant sounds. Read them aloud. Refer to the Alphabet page if you forgot how to pronounce some letters. Remember the difference between hard and soft sounds.

Voiced

б'

в'

г'

д'

з'

Voiceless

п'

ф'

к'

т'

с'

Click each pair of words to listen, then read the words aloud. Note the difference between voiced and voiceless consonant in each pair and the similarity in articulation of each pair while you pronouncing the words.

		Voiced	Voiceless
бабочка - папочка	butterfly - daddy	б	п
бить - пить	to beat - to drink	б'	п'
ваза - фаза	vase - phase	в	ф
вены - фены	veins - (hair-)driers	в'	ф'
гости - кости	guests - bones	г	к
маги - маки	wizards - poppies	г'	к'
дочка - точка	daughter - dot	д	т
дело - тело	deed, work - body	д'	т'
коза - коса	she-goat - plait	з	с
магазин - апельсин	store - orange	з'	с'
жить - шить	to live - to sew	ж	ш

Except for voicing, each pair of these consonant sounds has essentially identical articulation.

9.2.

Devoicing of Final Consonants

Devoicing of a consonant means pronouncing a voiced consonant like it's voiceless counterpart (i.e. spell б but say [п], spell в but say [ф], spell д but say [т], etc.).

Memorize:

Voiced consonants are pronounced like their voiceless counterparts at the end of words.

Click the words to listen, then read them aloud.

зуб	[зуп]	tooth	final б > [п]
город	[горт]	city	final г > [к]
багаж	[багаш]	luggage	final ж > [ш]

This rule is applicable only to the consonants which have voiceless counterparts: б, в, г, д, з, ж.

9.3.

The Consonant Cluster Rule

When a cluster of consonants occurs (mostly two consonants), the final element in the cluster determines if the whole cluster is voiced or voiceless.

Memorize:

Before a voiceless consonant a voiced consonant is pronounced as its voiceless counterpart.

Click the words to listen, then read them aloud.

субтитры	[супт'итры]	subtitles	б > [п] before voiceless т
завтра	[зафтр]	tomorrow	в > [ф] before voiceless т
водка	[вотк]	vodka	д > [т] before voiceless к
ложка	[лошк]	spoon	ж > [ш] before voiceless к

Before a voiced consonant a voiceless consonant is pronounced as its voiced counterpart.

Click the words to listen, then read them aloud.

вокзал	[вагзал]	station	к > [г] before voiced з
футбол	[фудбол]	soccer	т > [д] before voiced б
вас зовут	[ваз завут]	they call you	с > [з] before voiced з

9.4.

Exceptions to the Consonant Cluster Rule

1. The unpaired voiced consonants л, м, н, р do not condition voicing of a preceding consonant.

Click the words to listen, then read them aloud. Compare.

плен	[пл'ен]	captivity	п = [п] before л
смех	[см'ех]	laugh	с = [с] before м
кнопка	[кнопк]	button	к = [к] before н
три	[тр'и]	three	т = [т] before р

2. The voiced pair [в]-[в'] which devoices to [ф]-[ф'] at the end of words and before voiceless consonants does not itself condition voicing of a preceding consonant.

Click the words to listen, then read them aloud. Compare.

автобус	[афтобус]	bus	в > [ф] before voiceless т
в Канаде	[ф канад']	in Canada	в > [ф] before voiceless к but
свобода	[свабод]	freedom	с = [с] before в
квартира	[кварт'ир]	apartment	к = [к] before в

Exercises Упражнения

Listening and reading practice (words with voiced and voiceless consonants).
Listening and reading practice (devoicing of final consonants).
Listening and reading practice (devoicing of final consonants).
Listening and reading practice (words with a consonant cluster).
Listening and reading practice (words with a consonant cluster: exceptions to the rule).

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