Learning Russian Alphabet in 2 Hours
> DECODING_THE_EAST...
Russian looks like "backwards letters". It feels impossible. But it's actually just an alphabet, not like Chinese characters (logograms).
Goal: To be able to sound out Russian words, even if I don't know what they mean.
The False Friends
The hardest part isn't the new letters. It's the ones that look like English but aren't.
Р
Looks like 'P', but sounds like rolled 'R'. (Think: Ra!)
С
Looks like 'C', but always sounds like 'S'. (Think: Snake)
Н
Looks like 'H', but sounds like 'N'. (Think: Net)
The Aliens
Then there are the cool ones.
Ж
Sounds like 'Zh' (Measure). Looks like a bug (Zhuzh).
Я
Sounds like 'Ya'. "Ya!" (Backwards R).
The Test: Reading Street Signs
After 2 hours of flashcards, I opened Google Maps in Moscow.
PECTOPAH
My Brain: P-E-C-T-O-P-A-H? No.
Sounded Out: R-E-S-T-O-R-A-N
(RESTORAN = Restaurant!)
My Brain: P-E-C-T-O-P-A-H? No.
Sounded Out: R-E-S-T-O-R-A-N
(RESTORAN = Restaurant!)
МЕТРО
Sounded Out: M-E-T-R-O
(METRO = Subway!)
Sounded Out: M-E-T-R-O
(METRO = Subway!)
Conclusion
The Russian alphabet is not "hard". It takes about 2-3 hours of focus. The language itself? The grammar? That is a nightmare. But decoding the letters made the world feel 10% less foreign instantly.