Stress plays an important role in the Russian language. In order to speak Russian correctly it is necessary to know the place of the stress in the word.
In every Russian word one vowel is pronounced longer, stronger and more distinctly than other vowels (= is stressed).
The unstressed vowels in a word are not pronounced as distinctly as the stressed one and such alteration of a vowel in an unstressed position is called reduction. As a result, some unstressed vowels are pronounced in a considerably different manner.

Note!

In an unstressed position there are no alterations in reading of letters и, ы, у, ю, they are just pronounced slightly shorter. Letter ё is always in a stressed position.

Watch the video and repeat out loud.

Exercise 1.

Listen to the word and tick or tap the stressed vowel.