Russian Cursive Р р (Er): How to Write It
By Daily Cyrillic · Updated
Cursive р is a long downstroke that dips below the line, with a small rounded bowl joined at the top right. It looks almost exactly like a handwritten Latin p. A rolled or tapped r made with the tip of the tongue, as in Spanish or Italian.
Reading time: about 2 min.
- Sound
- /r/, written r
- Letter name
- эр
- Often confused with
- Latin p, ф
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Sound
A rolled or tapped r made with the tip of the tongue, as in Spanish or Italian.
How to write cursive р, step by step
- Start with a short upward lead-in stroke from the baseline to the midline.
- Draw a straight, slightly slanted stroke down well below the baseline.
- Go back up the same stroke to the midline without lifting the pen.
- Curve a small oval bowl to the right and close it near the baseline, ready to join the next letter.
The capital Р
Capital Р is a tall slanted stem with a large bowl at the top, like a script P. Many writers start it with a small hook at the top of the stem.
How it connects to other letters
The bowl closes on the right and flows straight into the next letter, so р connects on both sides without a pen lift.
Letters it is confused with
р / Latin p: The shape is the same as English p, but the sound is r. Read рот as "rot", not "pot".
р / ф: ф also has a descender, but it carries a bowl on both sides of the stem and rises above the midline; р has one bowl on the right only.
Example words in cursive
Read the cursive word first, then check the print form and meaning.
| Cursive | Transliteration | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| рыба | рыба | rýba | fish |
| рот | рот | rot | mouth |
| река | река | reká | river |
| утро | утро | útro | morning |
Common mistakes
- Reading it as an English p sound out of habit.
- Stopping the stem at the baseline, which makes it look like a cursive о or а.
Turn this guide into words you can use
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