# Forum Learning Russian Language Pronunciation, Speech & Accent  Russian version of USA

## Sleepy

How would the Russian abbreviation of USA be pronounced? 
Ess - Shah - Ah?

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## Евгения Белякова

Se sha

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## fantom605

Remember, S is "C" in Russian, there is not a letter "S" 
  США 
  So, it looks like the "Sha" and "Ah" sounds are pronounced together, though? 
 -Fantom

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## Rtyom

Yes, like ''seh-shah-ah", and very quickly.

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## N

СыШиА

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## Suzu

Se-Sha is correct but definately not "СыШиА"

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## Rtyom

People say it differently. The only thing they agreen on is that it's not 'es' but 'se'

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## fantom605



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## Alexei

СэШэА

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## Rtyom

[quote=fantom605]

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## Platinum

I always thought this was stupid.  I think that everybody in the world should call a country by the name it's citizens call it.  For example, Germans call their country Deutchland, so why in the HECK do we say Germany?  
Germany = Deutchland
Spain = Espan~a
Mexico = Me-hi-ko 
You get the idea.  After all, if your name is Peter and you move to Spain, you expect to be called Peter, not Pedro. 
Only my opinion.

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## pranki

> I always thought this was stupid.  I think that everybody in the world should call a country by the name it's citizens call it.  For example, Germans call their country Deutchland, so why in the HECK do we say Germany?  
> Germany = Deutchland
> Spain = Espan~a
> Mexico = Me-hi-ko 
> You get the idea.  After all, if your name is Peter and you move to Spain, you expect to be called Peter, not Pedro. 
> Only my opinion.

 He-he-he... So you must say "Ross-ee-ja" except for Russia  ::  Are you ready?  ::

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## Friendy

http://www.freewebs.com/friendy3/Sounds/usa.mp3  ::

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## Rtyom

> I always thought this was stupid.  I think that everybody in the world should call a country by the name it's citizens call it.  For example, Germans call their country Deutchland, so why in the HECK do we say Germany?  
> Germany = Deutchland
> Spain = Espan~a
> Mexico = Me-hi-ko 
> You get the idea.  After all, if your name is Peter and you move to Spain, you expect to be called Peter, not Pedro. 
> Only my opinion.

 Oh, man! If only it would have been soooooooooooo simple!.. Names develop through centuries and a good deal of inner and outer factors influence on them. Our forefathers would have needed to rearrange onomasticons every generation to sound it proper! Or even more often.

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## Triton

[quote=Rtyom][quote=fantom605]

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## TATY

[quote=Triton][quote=Rtyom][quote=fantom605]

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## TATY

> Remember, S is "C" in Russian, there is not a letter "S" 
>   США 
>   So, it looks like the "Sha" and "Ah" sounds are pronounced together, though? 
>  -Fantom

 Yes, but the name of the Russian letter C is actually *Эс*. In США it is an exception being pronounced Сэ

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## Анатолий

> I always thought this was stupid.  I think that everybody in the world should call a country by the name it's citizens call it.  For example, Germans call their country Deutchland, so why in the HECK do we say Germany?  
> Germany = Deutchland
> Spain = Espan~a
> Mexico = Me-hi-ko 
> You get the idea.  After all, if your name is Peter and you move to Spain, you expect to be called Peter, not Pedro. 
> Only my opinion.

 Good idea. It's Moskv*a*, Ross*i*ya, not Moscow, Russia.   ::  
No more Warsaw, Prague, Vienna, Munich, Tirana, Bucharest, Rome, Athens, Copenhagen and Lisbon
but: Warszawa, Praha, Wien, M

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## QWERTYZ

пинд...ээээ...штаты   ::   в смысле 
примерно СШЕА

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## Rtyom

I try to speak correctly. if you asked me, I would say ФБР и ФРГ correctly. All the time.

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## Rtyom

...Yes, and how would you all say КГБ?  ::

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## Анатолий

> I try to speak correctly. if you asked me, I would say ФБР и ФРГ correctly. All the time.

 If you're Russian, you probably heard both acronyms said with "фэ" more often than correctly, even if you personally say it differently. Russians are not so fussed about correctly pronouncing each letter of abbreviations as in the alphabet. Even many TV speakers will say it this way. Not sure, if it the case when broken Russian penetrated the media or just carelessness. Could be considered as newly created words too, that sound better than the actual acronyms: Сэшеа, Фэбээр, Фээргэ. Just flooding, you know, not a very linguistic approach.    ::   
Anyway, США is never pronounced as in the alphabet - эс-ша-а.

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## Johan

I'm only a beginner to Russian but I like to listen to Russian radio and webcasts.  I have only heard США pronounced as СэШа-а. In fact, it sounds just like СэШа.  I'm no authority on Russian but from what I've heard this is how I've learnt or thought США is said.

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## Анатолий

> I'm only a beginner to Russian but I like to listen to Russian radio and webcasts.  I have only heard США pronounced as СэШа-а. In fact, it sounds just like СэШа.  I'm no authority on Russian but from what I've heard this is how I've learnt or thought США is said.

 Your transliteration of what is said is close enough.

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## fantom605

> ...Yes, and how would you all say КГБ?

  "Комитет Государственной Безопасности", of course!  :: 
 -Fantom

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## Sleepy

Wow, I didn't actually expect this thread to go on for so long.  Thanks everybody for replying and clearing that up, also, thanks for taking the time to do the recording, Friendy.   
It seems as if my main misconception was the "Ess" vs. "Se" thing.  
I recently talked to someone from Russia (not on this forum), and she said that Russians mostly say Amerika rather than using the abbreviation.

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## Анатолий

> Originally Posted by Rtyom  ...Yes, and how would you all say КГБ?     "Комитет Государственной Безопасности", of course! 
>  -Fantom

 Ка-гэ-бэ, as expected.

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## Анатолий

> Wow, I didn't actually expect this thread to go on for so long.  Thanks everybody for replying and clearing that up, also, thanks for taking the time to do the recording, Friendy.   
> It seems as if my main misconception was the "Ess" vs. "Se" thing.  
> I recently talked to someone from Russia (not on this forum), and she said that Russians mostly say Amerika rather than using the abbreviation.

 США (сэ-ше-а), Америка, (Соединённые) Штаты are all possible options.

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## Platinum

Just say "America".  You'll get along just fine.

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## Rtyom

> Originally Posted by fantom605        Originally Posted by Rtyom  ...Yes, and how would you all say КГБ?     "Комитет Государственной Безопасности", of course! 
>  -Fantom   Ка-гэ-бэ, as expected.

 People keep saying it КэГэБэ.

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## VendingMachine

If you just say Америка most people will ask you to clarify which of the three Americas you're referring to. As to the pronunciation of США, in yeltsinspeak it's _ШАААААА_  :: .

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## Cesar

[quote=Rtyom][quote=fantom605]

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