Ever thought about learning Russian? Maybe you’re ready to finally figure out what да and нет really mean (hint: it’s not da and nyet ). Russian Language Academy BORN is here to make your language dreams come true—starting January 13, 2025, with our Russian for Beginners course!✨

Expect a fun, challenging adventure into Cyrillic letters, tongue-twisters, and words you’ll love to show off at parties. Our skilled (and endlessly patient) teachers have your back every step of the way. Use our special winter deal to book Standard Russian course to make your wallet happy! We encourage students to learn Cyrillic alphabet before joining Russian for beginners course to ensure more smooth and rapid progress. Don’t have time to learn Cyrillic? No worries, we will take care of this during your first study day.

Funny Facts About the Cyrillic Alphabet for Russian for Beginners students:

1. It’s not as scary as it looks!
   Sure, some letters look like they came from an alien language (Я, Ж, Щ—we’re looking at you), but once you get to know them, they’re surprisingly friendly. Think of Я as a backward “R” on vacation.
2. One letter, multiple jobs.
   The letter Ё (pronounced “yo”) is like the party animal of the alphabet. It shows up to make things sound cooler but doesn’t mind being replaced by its sober cousin Е in formal texts. Poor Ё—it’s underappreciated but totally essential in words like “ёжик” (hedgehog).
3. The alphabet takes recycling seriously.
   Some letters look suspiciously like English ones but behave completely differently. For example, В looks like a “B,” but it’s pronounced as “V.” And P? Surprise—it’s actually “R.” Cyrillic is basically the alphabet’s way of saying, “Reuse, repurpose, recycle!”
4. It has a letter just for the buzzing sound.
   Say hello to Ж! It looks like a snowflake on caffeine and sounds like a bee having a good day. Perfect for words like “жук” (bug) or “жизнь” (life).
5. The Ы
   The sound Ы is so unique, it doesn’t exist in English. Trying to pronounce it for the first time is like gargling while thinking about life’s biggest questions. But hey, practice makes perfect!
6. Cyrillic letters love to show off their style.
   Cursive Cyrillic is where things get wild. A printed Т looks like “T,” but in cursive, it’s basically an “m” doing a handstand. Good luck reading a handwritten note from your Russian pen pal!
7. It’s older than most countries.
   Invented in the 9th century, Cyrillic has been around longer than most modern nations. It’s like the wise grandparent of alphabets, but cooler because it’s still in active use.
8. It’s the key to secret codes.
   Learning Cyrillic lets you decode signs, labels, and memes that use the “Russian-looking English text” joke. Suddenly, you’ll realize those “cool designs” actually spell out random Russian words. Plot twist!

If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out to us at russian@born.edu.lv —we’d be happy to help!