Pronounciation

[Olgasha]

Try to pronounce this name as -  KZENYA. Thank God, I haven't got any problems to pronounce russian names, it's just almost the same  in polish. ;-)

[Georgiy]

Take the last sound of the word "box" (i.e. the /x/ part) then add the 'eniya' part.

[Olga Maria]

It's hard to pronounce 'x' on the beginning of a word (but not that one on the case of the word xylophone).

[Tina Laroche]

It's hard to pronounce 'x' on the beginning of a word (but not that one on the case of the word xylophone).

I still think it depends of your native tongue - I have no problems with it. : )

[Ally Kumari]

Or you can try pronouncing XE in the same way as you do in "AleXEi".

As a Czech, I also don´t have troubles with it.

[Tony de Gandarillas]

Hello,

I was wondering if someone would be kind enough to assist me with the correct pronunciation of the name of the Russian Noble House of Chavchavdze?  I thank you in advance for your time

[Tony de Gandarillas]

Also, what is the proper pronunciation of the last name of the Prima Ballerina Assoluta, Mathilde Kschessinska?  Thank you

[perfecciona]

How do you say Sigmaringen?   As in Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, I know how to say Hohenzollern as it was explained in earlier posts but I cannot say Sigmaringen correctly or rather I know I am not saying it correctly.

[Svetabel]

How do you say Sigmaringen?   As in Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, I know how to say Hohenzollern as it was explained in earlier posts but I cannot say Sigmaringen correctly or rather I know I am not saying it correctly.

In Russian Sigmaringen sounds like you rerad it, only the first sound is Z.

[perfecciona]

How do you say Sigmaringen?   As in Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, I know how to say Hohenzollern as it was explained in earlier posts but I cannot say Sigmaringen correctly or rather I know I am not saying it correctly.

In Russian Sigmaringen sounds like you rerad it, only the first sound is Z.

Thank you, I wasn't saying too badly then.

[toscany]

Also, what is the proper pronunciation of the last name of the Prima Ballerina Assoluta, Mathilde Kschessinska?  Thank you

It was mentioned up above this post, to try and pronounce,  Ks-chess-in-ska...She was actually of Polish origin.

HB

[MademoiselleAndrea]

I have been pronouncing OTMA with a short O and a short A, but recently my Grandma pronounced it "oht-ma" and i'm wondering, since Olga is not pronounced with a short O, is OTMA pronounced "oht-ma"? or, going with the first letter sounds of OTMA's names, "oht-maa"? the last one sounds horrid, but is that how it is supposed to be prounoced? Or do you just say "O-T-M-A", not saying it as a word, but spelling it out?

Also, not conected with the Romanovs as far as I know, but Russian: how do you pronounce "Marya", the Russian form of Mary?

[Ally Kumari]

Olga IS pronounced with short O. So simple short OTMA is right.

And Maria is pronounced Mariya.

[MademoiselleAndrea]

I don't see how Olga could be pronounced any other way than "Ohlgah"

And I did not mean Maria like Maria Nicholeivna, but "Marya", as in the character in Gloria Whelan's "Impossible Journey", which is the sequel to "Angel on the Square", a pretty much historically accurate novel about the daughter of one of Alexandra's ladies-in-waiting who makes friends with OTMA.

[Ally Kumari]

The best advice I can give you is: go and watch Romanovy - ventsenosnaya Semya. There you can hear all the names the way they are pronounced.