---
title: "Russian Cursive Ы ы (Yery): How to Write It"
description: "How to write Ы ы (Yery) in Russian cursive: stroke order, how it joins, how to tell it from ь + и, ь, and 4 example words with audio."
canonical: "https://dailycyrillic.com/learn/russian-cursive/yery"
lang: "en"
published: "2026-10-25T11:07:25.000Z"
modified: "2026-10-31T11:50:40.000Z"
author: "Daily Cyrillic"
---

# Russian Cursive Ы ы (Yery): How to Write It

By [Daily Cyrillic](/about) · Updated 31 Oct 2026

Cursive ы is a cursive ь (a stroke with a small bottom loop) followed by a separate straight downstroke. It is one letter, written as two parts. A hard i made with the tongue pulled back, a bit like the "i" in "bill" said deeper in the throat.

Reading time: about 1 min.

Sound

/ɨ/, written y

Letter name

ы

Often confused with

ь + и, ь

## Turn this guide into words you can use

Build a free Russian set for this topic, with examples and ElevenLabs AI audio.

Ыы

Ы ы · ы · /ɨ/

## Sound

A hard i made with the tongue pulled back, a bit like the "i" in "bill" said deeper in the throat.

## How to write cursive ы, step by step

1.  Draw a downstroke from the midline to the baseline.
2.  Make a small closed loop to the right at the bottom, like ь.
3.  Lift the pen or swing up to the midline just right of the loop.
4.  Draw a second straight downstroke and exit at the baseline.

## The capital Ы

Capital Ы is only seen in all-caps text, since no ordinary Russian word starts with ы; it is the same two-part shape enlarged.

## How it connects to other letters

It joins on the left like ь; the second stroke exits to the right as usual. Keep a visible gap between loop and stroke.

## Letters it is confused with

-   ы / ь + и: If the second stroke curves into a hump, it reads as ьи. Keep the second stroke straight and separate.
    
-   ы / ь: Without the second stroke it is ь, which is silent. мыло (soap) with ы, мель (shoal) with ь.
    

## Example words in cursive

Read the cursive word first, then check the print form and meaning.

Example words in cursive
| Cursive | Print | Transliteration | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| мыло | мыло | mýlo | soap |
| сыр | сыр | syr | cheese |
| язык | язык | yazýk | language, tongue |
| дым | дым | dym | smoke |

## Common mistakes

-   Writing the second stroke too far away, so it looks like a separate letter.
-   Pronouncing it as a plain i.

## Turn this guide into words you can use

Build a free Russian set for this topic, with examples and ElevenLabs AI audio.

[Full Russian cursive chart](/learn/russian-cursive)

## Keep practising

-   [
    
    Full Russian cursive chart
    
    All 33 letters in print and cursive, how to read handwriting, and a printable worksheet.
    
    ](/learn/russian-cursive)
-   [
    
    The Russian Alphabet
    
    Every printed letter with its name, sound and audio.
    
    ](/learn/russian-alphabet)
-   [
    
    Russian Alphabet Trainer
    
    Quiz yourself on letters and sounds, free and without sign-up.
    
    ](/tools/russian-alphabet-trainer)

Source: https://dailycyrillic.com/learn/russian-cursive/yery