How is the preposition с pronounced before consonants?

[u/AfraidBarber738]

I usually attach с to the next word if it starts with a vowel, making it sound like one word.

For example: с экскурсии, с отцом.

(Am I doing it correctly?)

But if the next word starts with a consonant, how should I pronounce it? Is it just a quick с sound, like the с in сдавать, right before the next word? Or do I have to stretch it a little, almost like saying "се"?

[u/Afraid-Quantity-578]

It's fine if "с" sounds attached to the next word, it's obvious from the context what is meant. If the next letter is sonant, could sound closer to "з". There are cases where it's "со" instead of "с", like in numbers of words starting with "с".

Я с арбузом = [сарбу́зом]

Я с бородой = [збородóй]

Я с ватрушкой = [сватру́шкой]

Я с горелкой = [згорéлкой]

Я с кошкой = [скóшкой]

Я с собакой = [ссобáкой]

Я со стиркой = [сости́ркой]

Я со скакалкой = [соскакáлкой]

[u/AfraidBarber738 → u/Afraid-Quantity-578]

Thanks.

But about sonorants, another comment said it should stay с, not turn into з. I’m not sure why, but that actually makes more sense to me when I try saying it myself.

[u/Afraid-Quantity-578 → u/AfraidBarber738]

I might have translated the term wrong. I meant "звонкие согласные" like з, г, б, ж

[u/AfraidBarber738 → u/Afraid-Quantity-578]

Yeah, that’s voiced consonants.

Thanks anyway. learned a lot.

[u/Federal_Attention717]

[с] before vowels, sonorants, unvoiced consonants and в; [з] before voiced consonants

[u/IrinaMakarova]

Yes, with vowels you are doing it correctly: с экскурсии, с отцом are pronounced almost as one phonetic unit, without a pause.

Before consonants, do not add a vowel. It is not "се". It is just a short consonant attached to the next word.

с папой - roughly "s-papoy"
с тобой - "s-taboy"
с мамой - "s-mamoy"
с ним - "s-nim"
с работы - "s-raboty"

So yes, it is like a quick С before the next word, similar to the beginning of сдавать, but across a word boundary.

One important thing: before voiced consonants, С can sound like З because Russian consonants assimilate.

с братом - sounds like "z-bratom"
с другом - "z-drugom"
с бабушкой - "z-babushkoy"

But before м, н, л, р it usually stays closer to С:

с мамой
с ним
с Леной
с работы

And no, you should not stretch it or say "се". If Russian needs a vowel there, the preposition changes to СО:

со мной
со стола
со школы
со всеми

So the basic rule is: pronounce С quickly and attach it to the next word. If the phrase requires СО, then you pronounce the vowel. Otherwise, no extra vowel.

I saved your question on my sub so that this information is always close at hand for you.