Umenka/Cursive
Russian cursive.
Russian handwriting looks almost nothing like the printed letters, and it's what you'll actually see in notes, signs and messages. Here's every letter in cursive, how they connect, the traps, and sheets you can print and trace.
Every letter, print → cursive
The printed form on the left, the handwritten (cursive) form on the right. Tap a letter on the alphabet page for sound and examples.
- PrintАаCursiveАа
- PrintБбCursiveБб
- PrintВвCursiveВв
- PrintГгCursiveГг
- PrintДдCursiveДд
- PrintЕеCursiveЕе
- PrintЁёCursiveЁё
- PrintЖжCursiveЖж
- PrintЗзCursiveЗз
- PrintИиCursiveИи
- PrintЙйCursiveЙй
- PrintКкCursiveКк
- PrintЛлCursiveЛл
- PrintМмCursiveМм
- PrintНнCursiveНн
- PrintОоCursiveОо
- PrintПпCursiveПп
- PrintРрCursiveРр
- PrintСсCursiveСс
- PrintТтCursiveТт
- PrintУуCursiveУу
- PrintФфCursiveФф
- PrintХхCursiveХх
- PrintЦцCursiveЦц
- PrintЧчCursiveЧч
- PrintШшCursiveШш
- PrintЩщCursiveЩщ
- PrintЪъCursiveЪъ
- PrintЫыCursiveЫы
- PrintЬьCursiveЬь
- PrintЭэCursiveЭэ
- PrintЮюCursiveЮю
- PrintЯяCursiveЯя
How letters join
Cursive is written without lifting the pen, so letters flow into each other. A few words to see the joins in action:
- мамаmama: mom
Every letter begins with a small lead-in hook from the baseline, so the whole word is one unbroken line.
- лисаlisa: fox
Cursive л starts with an upward hook, not a sharp point. A classic beginner slip.
- школаshkola: school
ш is three identical humps. Count them deliberately, or the word blurs into a wave.
- ягодаyagoda: berry
я opens with the same lead-in hook as л and м; it is not the printed «я» shape at all.
- учительuchitel: teacher
The biggest surprise: cursive т is written like a Latin «m», and и like a «u».
- спасибоspasibo: thank you
A handy everyday word to drill the с–п–а joins until they flow.
The look-alikes that trip everyone up
These cursive forms are famously confusing, so watch for them.
- ДдДд
Lower-case cursive д looks like a Latin g.
- ИиИи
Cursive и looks like a Latin u, not the printed shape.
- ЙйЙй
Cursive й is the u-shape of и with a curved hat on top.
- ЛлЛл
Cursive л begins with a little hook before the main stroke.
- МмМм
Cursive м also starts with a hook; it is not the two peaks of the printed М.
- ПпПп
Lower-case cursive п looks like a Latin n.
- ТтТт
Lower-case cursive т looks like a Latin m.
- ШшШш
Cursive ш is three humps; a small line is often drawn under it so it is not read as и + extra strokes.
- ЩщЩщ
Like cursive ш, but with a tail that drops below the line.
Read it in cursive
Once the shapes click, read real handwriting. This pangram uses every letter of the alphabet:
Съешь же ещё этих мягких французских булок да выпей чаю.
“Eat some more of these soft French rolls and have some tea.” This is a pangram that uses every letter of the alphabet.
Open a story and switch it to the handwritten font:
A1/1Э́то Ма́шаThe absolute first reading: a third-person day in the life of Masha, her family and her cat. Present tense only, the ages and jobs of every person, and the «у … есть» construction for possession. A cluster of the most common A1 verbs (жить, рабо́тать, учи́ться, чита́ть, гуля́ть), with no past tense and no declined adjectives.
A1/1Я Анто́нA first-person self-introduction: Anton in Saint Petersburg, his parents, his dog, his day. Pairs with «Э́то Ма́ша» so learners meet the same everyday verbs in the 1st person (я живу́, я ви́жу). Present tense only, ages and jobs, «у меня́ есть» for possession.
Letters, words and phrases on ruled copybook lines: trace and print.