10 Introduction to the Russian language
When there is a combination of two or more consonants in Rus-
sian, they are either all pronounced as if voiced or all pronounced as
if voiceless. The character of the last consonant in the combination
determines how the others are pronounced. If the last consonant is
voiced, the others will be voiced: фyтбо�л (pronunciation фyдбо�л). If it
is voiceless, the others will be voiceless: во�дка ‘vodka’ (pronunciation
во�тка). This occurs, not just within a word, but also where two words
are pronounced without a pause between them: в кино� ‘to the cinema’
(pronunciation ф кино�). The exception to this rule is the combination
св where it is the first of the two letters which determines pronunciation,
for example сви�тер ‘sweater’ (pronunciation сфи�тер).