Pronouncing written -ого/-его
In adjective endings, written г is normally pronounced /v/: the spelling records morphology, not a letter-by-letter sound.
- Unstressed vowels also reduce in ordinary speech. The transcriptions below are broad guides; stress marks and careful audio remain the best learning supports.
- Pronunciation checkpoint: Do not generalise /g/ → /v/ to every word ending in -ого: this is the grammatical ending rule, not a licence to respell or alter unrelated roots.
| Written form | Broad sound cue | Keep distinct |
|---|---|---|
| но́вого | NO-va-va | write г, say /v/ |
| си́него | SEE-nye-va | soft н; /v/ in ending |
| ру́сского | ROOS-ka-va | cluster /sk/; /v/ in ending |
| хоро́шего | kha-RO-sha-va | ж-like written family; /v/ |
| большо́го | bal-SHO-va | ending stress changes vowel quality |
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3.05 · Pronouncing written -ого/-его · table 1
но́вого · NO-va-va · write г, say /v/си́него · SEE-nye-va · soft н; /v/ in endingMini-check
Which is correct writing: но́вово or но́вого? Where is stress in большо́го?
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- Say the Russian examples aloud, cover the model, and retrieve the pattern once before continuing.