Accent guide
Reduce a Russian accent in English
The sounds below are the ones Russian speakers most often work on for a more neutral American accent. Hear each one, then practice words that use it.
Sounds to focus on
Voiceless 'th'. Tongue tip lightly between teeth, no voice. Don't substitute /t/ or /s/.
Voiced 'th'. Tongue tip lightly between teeth, vocal cords on.
Upper teeth on lower lip with voicing. Don't substitute /w/.
Round and protrude lips, glide to the next vowel.
Smile slightly, tongue low and front. Don't let it drift toward 'eh'.
Short and lax. Keep the tongue lower and more relaxed than 'iy' (sheep).
Tense, smiling. Pull tongue high and front. Longer than 'ih'.
Relaxed central vowel (sometimes a schwa /ə/ when unstressed). Don't pronounce the full vowel in unstressed syllables.
Tongue tip at gum ridge. At the end of a syllable ('feel'), the tongue body also pulls back — the dark L.
Back of the tongue blocks the airflow, voicing through the nose. Don't add a final /g/.
Just a puff of air from the throat. Don't add friction.
Words to practice
Common questions
- Which English sounds are hardest for Russian speakers?
- Russian speakers most often work on these American English sounds: /θ/, /ð/, /v/, /w/, /æ/, /ɪ/.
- How can I reduce my Russian accent in English?
- Focus on the specific sounds your first language doesn't use the same way. Hear each sound on this page, then record yourself for an instant score — and create a free account to track which sounds still need work.
Sound more native, faster.
Create a free account to track your Russian-accent progress, drill your weakest sounds, and practice full sentences with instant scoring.