# Forum Learning Russian Language Pronunciation, Speech & Accent  How do you pronounce вы?

## SoftPretzel

*How do you pronounce вы, as in "вы говорите пo-русски?"* 
When I listen to my Pimsleur audio lessons, вы sounds like 'voo' to me, but I would think that from it's spelling it would be pronounced 'vegh' or 'vi' or something to that effect; (the ы sound is hard for me to transliterate, but I've definitely learned that it is not an 'oo' sound, as seems to be the case in the Pimsleur audio pronunciation.)

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## Оля

No, it is not 'oo', of course. It's closer to 'ee' (Russian *и*), but it is not 'ee'. I'll try to display the difference to you with two examples:
1. If you say "It is bla bla bla, *is it*?", the joint of *s* and *i* sounds completely like Russian *зы* (and the *з* is hard).
2. If you say "Zealand", the 'zea' sounds completely like Russian *зи* (and the *з* is soft). 
I know, it's always hard to explain how Russian 'ы' sounds... Well, generally, it's like the 'i' in _this, it, fit_ and so on...

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## Rtyom

> I know, it's always hard to explain how Russian 'ы' sounds... Well, generally, it's like the 'i' in _this, it, fit_ and so on...

 And try to draw back your tongue pronouncing [i] here.

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## Selexin

I've alwais wondered how could a nation, which have in it's language sound like "Ы", consider itself cultural!

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## Rtyom

Explain yourself, please!

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## noheat

SoftPretzel  -  
What Rtyom says is a good start. Try pronouncing "ee" (as in "eel"). Notice where the tip of your tongue is, towards the front. Now try the same sound but pull the tip of your tongue back and to the bottom of your mouth.  
Also check out videos from Uncledavey, he goes over pronounciation of the alphabet and has a great image of your mouth, and where your tongue is for each vowel. I found it very helpful.   http://www.youtube.com/user/usenetposts

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## SoftPretzel

noheat, thank you very much for that advice. The tongue thing seems to work well to emulate the sound I've noticed in my audio lessons, although it seems a bit unnatural to me.

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## chaika

It's  close to the English vowel in will, bill, sill, sit, sh*t, lit, knit. In my dialect, anyway (AmE).

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## SoftPretzel

wow, so much great advice from everyone! these are great forums  ::

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## Selexin

Russian "ы" sounds like mumblings of a primitive (primeval) man. 
Strange though it may seem, one indian told me that (jokingly).

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## Оля

> 1. If you say "It is bla bla bla, *is it*?", the joint of *s* and *i* sounds completely like Russian *зы* (and the *з* is hard).
> 2. If you say "Zealand", the 'zea' sounds completely like Russian *зи* (and the *з* is soft).

 I wonder if this explanation makes any sense to a native English speaker? Just of curiosity...

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## gRomoZeka

I can't agree with your first statement. It's close, but nowhere near "completely like ..".   ::

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## Оля

> I can't agree with your first statement. It's close, but nowhere near "completely like ..".

 I mean if you pronounce "is" and "it" without a pause, together, as a solid word.

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## chaika

to answer your question, Olya, yes it makes perfect sense, and the vowel in "is it" sounds exactly like the vowel in the words I quoted above.  The first syll. of Zebra and Zeke sound the same as Zealand.

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## gRomoZeka

> Originally Posted by gRomoZeka  I can't agree with your first statement. It's close, but nowhere near "completely like ..".     I mean if you pronounce "is" and "it" without a pause, together, as a solid word.

 Я поняла, но произнеси "is it", а потом сразу "ыт". Да и просто произнеси "изыт" как это бы сказал человек, который не знает английского. Разница очевидная! В "it" будет более деликатный звук (что-то вроде прибалтийского акцента получается), а русское "ы" более грубое и ниже в горле.  Мне так кажется... 
А что, все остальные действительно думают, что "i" в "is it" звучит _совершенно_ по-русски?   ::

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## Dreams

[quote=Оля] 

> 1. If you say "It is bla bla bla, *is it*?", the joint of *s* and *i* sounds completely like Russian *зы* (and the *з* is hard).
> 2. If you say "Zealand", the 'zea' sounds completely like Russian *зи* (and the *з* is soft).

 I wonder if this explanation makes any sense to a native English speaker? Just of curiosity...[/quote :: 34liyig] 
It does.   ::  That was actually more helpful than the pronounciation guide in my book.

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## Оля

> Я поняла, но произнеси "is it", а потом сразу "ыт". Да и просто произнеси "изыт" как это бы сказал человек, который не знает английского. Разница очевидная!

 Видимо, я не так произношу либо английское *is it*, либо русское *ы*.  ::  Для меня _изыт_ звучит так же (ну или почти так же), как _is it_. Я вообще всегда удивляюсь, когда иностранцам советуют засовывать язык куда-то подальше в горло, а иногда еще и корчить страшные гримасы, чтобы произнести "ы". Я, например, при произнесении этого звука язык глубоко в горло не засовываю, и вообще произношу его без всякого напряжения горла (ну то есть, напряжение есть, но такое же, как и при произнесении других звуков).

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## gRomoZeka

> Я вообще всегда удивляюсь, когда иностранцам советуют засовывать язык куда-то подальше в горло, а иногда еще и корчить страшные гримасы, чтобы произнести "ы".

 Я тоже не понимаю  всех этих хитромудрых советов, особенно с иллюстрациями из анатомии. )))
Помню, давали тут совет произносить "и", держа карандаш в зубах. Я на себе поэкспериментировала, и выяснила, что "и" прекрасно произносится и с карандашом, но вот если при этом стараться *не шевелить языком*, то выходит неплохое "ы"!

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## Yazeed

"Ы" is like a mix of "u" and "i".  I like call the "bi" letter because it looks like english "bi," and it goes both ways! 
Anyway, here's a LONG example of how "ы" is pronounced, the sound here is extended so you can hear how it sounds like in the first part of this song.  _"за два часа до темнотыыыыыы
когда закончится играааа.
Я перешёл с тобой на "тыыыыыыы"
а ты осталась до утраааа"_ (с)

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## chaika

The differences are slight, but Russian ы and English i are not the same sound. In English the tongue is more towards the front of the mouth, and slightly raised compared to the Russian. IMHO. (я не фонетист).

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## mcgovlau

> Russian "ы" sounds like mumblings of a primitive (primeval) man. 
> Strange though it may seem, one indian told me that (jokingly).

   ::   
I feel the sound really is all in the back of the throat with the back of your tongue.  I had the hardest time for a while pronouncing ы but it's all a matter of listening to native speakers and imitating the sound.  It may feel awkward and unnatural at first, but as you continue to imitate the sound it will come naturally so you won't have to try as hard.

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## bolsoj

If you've learnt Latin, then it's the "oe"sound.

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## bolsoj

Slightly similar to the English "ecrU".

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## Оля

> If you've learnt Latin, then it's the "oe"sound.

 Which Russian sound do you mean? If "ы", it is not like "oe". As far as I know, Latin "oe" is like German "ö". It is not like Russian "ы" AT ALL.

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