ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Cyrillic digraphs

Hi there little one! Today, we are going to learn about something called Cyrillic digraphs. Do you know what the Cyrillic alphabet is? It is a type of writing that is used in countries like Russia, Ukraine and Bulgaria, among others. It looks different from the letters we use in English.

A digraph, on the other hand, is when two letters are used together to represent a single sound. For example, in English, “sh” is a digraph and it makes the sound “shhh.”

In Cyrillic, there are also some digraphs, which means two letters are combined to make a sound. Here are some examples:

- “Ж” - is a letter that represents the sound “zh” and it is made up of two letters, “З” and “Ш.”
- “Щ” - is also a letter and it represents the sound “shch” and it is made up of two letters, “Ш” and a modified “Ч.”
- “Й” - is another letter that represents the sound “y” or “ee” and it is made up of two letters, “И” and “Й.”

So, when reading and writing in Cyrillic, you may come across some letters that are actually digraphs. It can be a little tricky, but with practice, you’ll soon become a pro!
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