Russian Cursive С с (Es): How to Write It
By Daily Cyrillic · Updated
Cursive с is a small open curve, identical to a handwritten Latin c. It sits between the baseline and the midline. Always a voiceless s as in "sun", never the z sound English sometimes gives s.
Reading time: about 1 min.
- Sound
- /s/, written s
- Letter name
- эс
- Often confused with
- е, Latin c
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Sound
Always a voiceless s as in "sun", never the z sound English sometimes gives s.
How to write cursive с, step by step
- Start just below the midline on the right with a tiny hook or dot of ink.
- Curve up and to the left over the top.
- Sweep down the left side to the baseline.
- Finish with a short upward exit stroke to the right to meet the next letter.
The capital С
Capital С is simply a larger open curve, often started with a small loop or hook at the top.
How it connects to other letters
с joins easily on the right; the previous letter's exit stroke runs up to the top of the curve, so writers add a small connecting loop there.
Letters it is confused with
с / е: е is the same curve with a closed loop inside; с stays open. A loose loop in fast handwriting can turn е into something that looks like с.
с / Latin c: Same shape as Latin c, but it is always pronounced s, never k: сок is "sok".
Example words in cursive
Read the cursive word first, then check the print form and meaning.
| Cursive | Transliteration | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| стакан | стакан | stakán | glass (for drinking) |
| сестра | сестра | sestrá | sister |
| собака | собака | sobáka | dog |
| лес | лес | les | forest |
Common mistakes
- Pronouncing it as k, as in English "cat".
- Closing the curve so it reads as о.
Turn this guide into words you can use
Build a free Russian set for this topic, with examples and ElevenLabs AI audio.