10 Russian Tongue Twisters to Improve Your Pronunciation

Learning Russian can be challenging — especially when it comes to pronunciation. With its rolled R’s, soft consonants, and complex clusters of sounds, it’s no wonder many learners stumble through their first few conversations.

But there’s a fun and surprisingly effective way to train your mouth and sharpen your skills: Russian tongue twisters, or скороговорки [skorogovórki].

In this post, you’ll learn 10 tongue twisters and their meanings!

How to Practice

Before we dive in, here are a few practice tips:

1. Start slow – Focus on correct pronunciation before speed.

2. Break it down – Practice one word or phrase at a time.

3. Record yourself – Use your phone to track your progress.

4. Repeat until you feel confident – Keep going until the words feel natural.

5. Have fun with it – Don’t stress about perfection!

10 Tongue Twisters

1. Шла Саша по шоссе и сосала сушку.

[Shla Sasha po shossé i sosála súshku]

Sasha was walking along the highway and sucking on a sushka (dry bagel).

Focus sounds: Ш (sh) and С (s)

2. Карл у Клары украл кораллы, а Клара у Карла украла кларнет.

[Karl u Kláry ukrál korálly, a Klára u Kárla ukrálá klarnét]

Karl stole the corals from Klara, and Klara stole the clarinet from Karl.

Focus sounds: К (k), Р (rolled r) and Л (l)

3. Во дворе трава, на траве дрова, не руби дрова на траве двора.

[Vo dvoré travá, na travé drová, ne rubí drová na travé dvorá]

In the yard there is grass; on the grass, there is firewood. Don’t chop firewood on the grass in the yard.

Focus sounds: В (v), Д (d) and Р (rolled r)

4. От топота копыт пыль по полю летит.

[Ot tópota kopýt pyl’ po pólyu letít]

From the clatter of hooves, dust flies across the field.

Focus sounds: П (p) and Т (t)

5. Ехал Грека через реку, видит Грека — в реке рак.

[Yékhal Gréka cherez réku, vídit Gréka — v reké rak]

Greka was riding across a river, Greka sees a crayfish is in the river.

Focus sounds: Р (rolled r) and К (k)

6. Корабли лавировали, лавировали, да не вылавировали.

[Korablí laviróvali, laviróvali, da ne vylaviróvali]

The ships maneuvered and maneuvered but didn’t manage to maneuver their way out.

Focus sounds: Л (l), В (v) and Р (rolled r)

7. Стоит поп на копне, колпак на попе, копна под попом, поп под колпаком.

[Stoit pop na kopné, kolpák na popé, kopná pod popóm, pop pod kolpakóm]

A priest stands on a haystack, a hat is on the priest, the haystack is under the priest, the priest is under the hat.

Focus sounds: П (p) and К (k)

8. Черепаха, не скучая, час сидит за чашкой чая.

[Cherepákha, ne skucháya, chas sidít za cháshkoy cháya]

The turtle, not bored, sits for an hour with a cup of tea.

Focus sounds: Ч (ch)

9. Жужжит жужелица, жужжит, да не кружится.

[Zhuzhzhít zhuzhélitsa, zhuzhzhít, da ne kruzhítsya]

The ground beetle buzzes, buzzes, but doesn’t spin.

Focus sounds: Ж (zh)

10.Съел молодец тридцать три пирога с пирогом, да все с творогом.

[S’yel molodéts trídtsat’ trí pirogá s pirogóm, da vsyo s tvorogóm]

A fellow ate thirty-three pies with another pie — all with cottage cheese.

Focus sounds: С (s), П (p), ТР (tr), and ТВ (tv)

Now it’s your turn — grab your favorite скороговорки, enjoy the challenge, and share how you did! Got any other tongue twisters up your sleeve? We’d love to hear them!