Quote Originally Posted by rebmaboss View Post
That makes sense. So, with palatalization, "ся" is pronounced "ca", and те is pronounced "te", right? Not "cya" and "tye"?
Noooo! "Ся" and "ca" are pronounced differently. You may say, that "ca" + palatalization = "cя", and vice versa, "ся" without palatalization = "са".

It's important to understand, that there's no such thing as soft vowels, but there are soft and hard consonants, and that most Russian consonants can be either hard or soft, depending on the following vowel. It' crucial for correct pronunciation.

Check these two topics. There are explanations on a similar issue and helpful videos.
What is and what is not important in Russian pronunciation
Confused over "e" in these words