# How to pronounce " e "



## Nigel2010

In what situation e is prounanced e like in German Essen
and in what situation it is prounanced like german "je"

Thanks


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## Awwal12

After soft (palatal and palatalized) consonants "е" is pronounced approximately as German "e" in the word "m*e*hlen" (but not so long, of course, since in Russian vowels have no division to short and long ones). Phonetically, it is [e], orthographically - "е".

In words that begin on "э", this sound is pronounced as [ɛ] (like in "*e*ssen").

After consonants that aren't palatalized or palatal (i.e. hard ones), "э" is pronounced quite close to [ɛ] as well. Orthographically, it is "э".

Notes:
- the letter "е" in beginning of words, or after the soft or hard signs (ь/ъ) is pronounced as [je] according to the Russian orthography;
- the unstressed /э/ phoneme (orthographically "е" or "э") is NEVER pronounced as [e] or [ɛ]; you get _ and [ə] respectively instead ([ə] sounds approximately like "e" in verbal affixes "-en" in the German language)._


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## alexzzzz

> In what situation e is prounanced e like in German Essen


If it is "ё", written without two dots above, I guess.

мёд (honey) -> мед
овёс (oat) -> овес
полёт (fly) -> полет
всё (everything) -> все (everything/everyone)



> and in what situation it is prounanced like german "je"


1) if it starts a word:
*е*сли (if)
*е*ретик (heretic)

2) if it is preceded by vowel:
пере*е*дать (to overeat)
по*е*здка (trip)

2) if it is preceded by soft or hard signes:
усть*е* (outfall)
объ*е*динение (union)


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## Awwal12

> If it is "ё", written without two dots above, I guess.


Sorry, but where did you found [o] or even [ɵ] in the word "essen"???


> 2) if it is preceded by vowel:
> переедать (to overeat)
> поездка (trip)


Yes, i totally forgot about that


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## Awwal12

2*Nigel2010*
If you're asking about the "е" letter only, it may sound different ways:
- as [je] when stressed in beginning of words, after vowels or soft/hard signs (ь/ъ); (ель, переехать, подъехать, Пьер)
- as [ji] when unstressed in beginning of words, after vowels or soft/hard signs (ь/ъ); (еловый, переедание, подъезжать, Марье)
- as [e] (like in "m*e*hlen", but short) being stressed after all consonants letters except those which are always hard (ш, ц, ж); (тень, пень)
- as [ɛ] (approximately like in "*e*ssen") being stressed after consonant letters which are always hard (ш, ц, ж); (Женя, шерсть)
- as _ being unstressed after all consonant letters except those which are always hard (ш, ц, ж); (пекарня, нести)
- as [ə] (like in "-en") being unstressed after consonant letters which are always hard (ш, ц, ж). (жеманный, цена)

P.S.: Also "ё" letter is often written as "е"; don't mix them nevertheless!_


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## Ptak

Well, in "переедать" and "еретик" it is not pronounced like "je" because it's unstressed. It's pronounced like "ji" there. [pirijid*A*t'], [jiriti*I*k].


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## Awwal12

> Well, in "переедать" and "еретик" it is not pronounced like "je" because it's unstressed. It's pronounced like "ji" there. [pirijidAt'], [jiritiIk]


Sorry, that's one additional variant in unstressed position.  Thanks.


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## Awwal12

> Essen ['ɛs(ə)n] an industrial city in the Ruhr valley, in NW Germany; pop. 589,900 (est. 2002)


Um... well, and where is [o] or [ɵ]?  Just don't mix [ɵ] and [ə], please, these are totally different sounds.
P.S.: [ə] (unlabialized, as well as in German) exists in Russian as unstressed allophone of /ы/, /э/ and /а/ phonemes.
пошлый [p'oʂləj]
Степанов [stʲɪp'anəf]
etc.


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## alexzzzz

I have mixed up ɛ and ɜ.


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## Nigel2010

I had posted a question yesterday and left.
Great thanks to all.
I believe it is a pitty that the dictionaries don't write the prounanciation.
Many people who got nothing to do with the languages in their profession would like to learn a foreign language so that would help a lot.


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## Awwal12

> I believe it is a pitty that the dictionaries don't write the prounanciation.


Well, that's because Russian orthography and phonology are extremely regular (unlike in English, for instance). When you know their rules, you can read and pronounce correctly any word without transcription.  Only position of stresses is important.


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## Nigel2010

Awwal
When we are at our computers, one more question if you don't mind.
Is there situation when you pronounce e ( je )
after the letter и
like
иe ( ije ) or shoult it be ( ie ) this is the German prounancation


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## Awwal12

That would be [ije] (при*е*хать) or [iji] (приезж*а*ть - though in such positions [j] may be poorly articulated), just like it was explained in the post #5. Those rules are almost universal.


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## Ptak

Nigel2010 said:


> or shoult it be ( ie ) this is the German prounancation


Never.


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## Nigel2010

Thanks once again.


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## Awwal12

You're welcome.  Also don't forget, please, that "е" after a consonant means that the consonant is soft (except notorious "ж", "ш" and "ц" which are always hard).


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## Angelo di fuoco

Awwal12 said:


> German "e" in the word "m*e*hlen"


Нет в немецком такого слова, хотя есть слово "Mehl".


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## Awwal12

Виноват. Надо освежать память периодически. )


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