Russian Cursive Е е (Ye): How to Write It
By Daily Cyrillic · Updated
Cursive е is a small loop, identical to a handwritten Latin e. Capital Е looks like a backward 3 or a script Latin E. Sounds like "ye" in "yes" at the start of a word or after a vowel, and softens the consonant before it otherwise.
Reading time: about 2 min.
- Sound
- /je/, written ye
- Letter name
- е
- Often confused with
- ё, э
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Sound
Sounds like "ye" in "yes" at the start of a word or after a vowel, and softens the consonant before it otherwise.
How to write cursive е, step by step
- Start at about half the x-height and move up and to the right.
- Curve over the top and down the left side in a narrow loop.
- Round the bottom and finish with a stroke rising to the right.
The capital Е
Capital Е is two stacked arcs open to the right, like a reversed 3, often with a small loop where the arcs meet. It is the same shape as a script Latin E.
How it connects to other letters
е joins on both sides without lifting. Because its exit stroke rises, the next letter starts from mid-height.
Letters it is confused with
е / ё: ё is the same loop with two dots. Many adults skip the dots, so context often decides between е and ё.
е / э: э is open on the left and has a small tick in the middle; е is a closed loop.
Example words in cursive
Read the cursive word first, then check the print form and meaning.
| Cursive | Transliteration | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| лето | лето | léto | summer |
| небо | небо | nébo | sky |
| место | место | mésto | place |
| есть | есть | yest' | to eat |
Common mistakes
- Making the loop so flat that it disappears and the letter reads as а or и.
- Writing the capital as a printed Е with three bars, which looks stiff in handwriting.
Turn this guide into words you can use
Build a free Russian set for this topic, with examples and ElevenLabs AI audio.