The Cyrillic Letter Е (е)

The Cyrillic letter Е (е) in the Russian language is a "softening vowel". It is pronounced as a 'ye', 'e' or 'i' sound depending on position and stress in a word.

When Е sounds like 'ye'

The 'ye' sound is most noticeable at the beginning of a word, after a vowel, or after the soft sign (ь). In these instances, the sound is palatalized, similar to combining the English letters 'y' and 'e'.

• At the beginning of a word: In the word есть (yest'), which means "to eat" or "is," Е sounds like the 'ye' in "yes".
• After a vowel: In the word поесть (poyest'), which means "to eat a little," the Е follows the vowel 'о' and is pronounced with the 'ye' sound.
• After a soft sign (ь): The soft sign does not have a sound, but it indicates the following vowel should be "iotated," or pronounced with a 'y' sound. In the word пьеса (p'yesa), meaning "play" or "drama," Е is preceded by a soft sign.

When Е sounds like 'e'

Following a consonant, the letter Е primarily softens or palatalizes the preceding consonant. In this case, the vowel sound is closer to the 'e' in "met".

• After a consonant: In the word мел (myel), meaning "chalk," Е softens the preceding 'м' sound and is pronounced like a soft 'e'.
• In loanwords: In numerous words borrowed from other languages, Е is pronounced as a simple 'e' sound, even after a consonant that can be soft. For example, the English loanword теннис (tennis) is pronounced with an 'e' sound.

When Е sounds like 'eh'

After Sibilant Consonants the letter Е (pronounced like "eh" in "bet")

• When е follows a sibilant consonant (ж, ц, ш, щ, or ч), it is pronounced as its "hard counterpart," which means it takes an "eh" sound, similar to the "e" in the English word "bet". For example, шесть (six), центр (center), жест(gesture)

The effect of stress

Russian vowels are reduced when unstressed, including Е.

• Stressed Е: When Е is stressed, it produces the clearer 'ye' sound. For example, in мелочь (myeloch), meaning "a small thing," the 'e' is stressed and has a distinct 'ye' quality.
• Unstressed Е: When Е is unstressed, it is reduced and may sound closer to an 'i' or a schwa sound. In зелёный (zelyoniy), meaning "green," the first 'e' is unstressed and sounds more like an 'i'.

You may find it difficult to pronounce words with the letters е, ё, ю, я. When the constonant becomes soft and the vowel changes the sound to э, о, у, а, not everyone can reproduce this effect, and it comes out as "лублу" instead of "люблю." To learn how to pronounce these sounds, it’s good to start by practicing soft vs. hard consonants.

мол — мил, кот — кит, луг — люк, дань – день, нос – нёс, рысь – рис.

Use this website for additional pronunciation practice: Russian For Everyone - Unit 6

After you get better at softening consonants, it will become easier to pronounce the letters е, ё, ю, я.