TonePerfect for Russian
Russian pronunciation guides
The Russian sounds learners get stuck on, each explained the way a teacher would: what your mouth is doing wrong, and what to do instead.
Hard vs soft consonants in Russian: what they are and how to say them
Soft consonants are the sound English speakers miss most in Russian. What palatalization is, how to make it with your tongue, and words to drill it in.
How to pronounce ั in Russian (the vowel English does not have)
ั has no English equivalent, so learners say "ee" and change the word. Where the tongue goes, how to find the sound from scratch, and words to drill.
How to roll the Russian ั (and the soft ัั nobody warns you about)
The Russian ั is a tongue-tip trill, never an English r. How to start the vibration, how to build it into words, and how to handle the soft ัั.
ั vs ั in Russian: two different sounds, not one with an accent
ั is a dark, hard sh made with the tongue pulled back. ั is a long, soft hiss made far forward. How to make each one and hear the difference.
Best apps for Russian pronunciation in 2026
An honest comparison of the tools that actually help with Russian pronunciation โ Duolingo, Pimsleur, Babbel, italki, Speechling, Forvo and TonePerfect.