Aa

"ah"  as in "say ahhh"  or "top"

Бб

"b" as in bitter

Example: банан (banan) | English: banana

Вв

"v" as in viper

Example: ваза (vaza) | English: vase

Гг

a hard "h" as in "how"

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Example: Гонолулу (Honolulu) | English: Honolulu

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Ґґ

"g" hard as in "girl"

Example: ґрати (graty) | English: lattice

Дд

"d" as in dog

Example: директор (dyrektor) | English: director

Ее

"eh" short e as in "hell"

Єє

Й + Е "ye" as in "yellow"

Example: Ємен (Yemen) | English: Yemen

Жж

"zh" a softened "j" as in French "je taime"

Example: жакет (zhaket) | English: jacket

Зз

"z" as in zebra

Example: зона (zona) | English: zone

Ии

short "i" as in "hit" (words never start from this letter)

Іі

long "e" as in "reed"

Її

Й + І "yee"

Example: їдиш(also ідиш) (yidysh) | English: Yiddish

Йй

short "y" as in "yodel"

Example: йога (yoha) | English: yoga

Кк

"k" as in "kite"

Example: канал (kanal) | English: channel

Лл

"l" as in "listen"

Example: лазер (lazer) | English: laser

Мм

"m" as in meteor

Example: музика (muzyka) | English: music

Нн

"n" as in neon

Example: номер (nomer) | English: number

short "a" as in "call"

Пп

"p" as in parsley

Example: Перу (Peru) | English: Peru

Рр

"r" but a bit harder that American r, not as rolled as Spanish r

Example: рок-н-рол (rok-n-rol) | English: rock and roll

Сс

"s" as in "snake"

Example: саксофон (saksofon) | English: saxophone

Тт

"t" as in tyrant

Example: (turyst) | English: tourist

Уу

"ooh" as in "cool" or "rule"

Фф

"f" as in flabbergasted

Example: футбол (futbol) | English: football

Хх

very soft "h" often transliterated "kh" or "ch" but sound like the second half of a "k" sound

Example: хор (khor) | English: choir

Цц

"ts" as in "lots" or "gets"

Example: центр (tsentr) | English: center

Чч

"ch" as in "church"

Example: чек (chek) | English: check

Шш

"sh" as in "ship"

Example: шок (shok) | English: shock

Щщ

"sh" + "ch"

Example: Щецин (schetsyn) | English: Szczecin (in Poland)

Й + У "you"

Example: Юкон (Yukon) | English: Yukon

Яя

Й + А "yah" as in "yarmulka"

Example: Ялта (Yalta) | English: Yalta (city in Ukraine)

ь

soft sign ь has no phonetic value, but indicates softening (palatalization) of the preceding consonant. In transcriptions, the soft sign will be indicated with an apostrophe '