“Russian cursive makes me cry”

The famous expression I’ve heard so many times from people learning Russian and especially learning Russian handwriting. After all “cursive” seems to derive from “to curse”, so it’s no wonder that so many people studying Russian are complaining about its cursive.

Russian cursive is very beautiful when written in a proper way and, actually, it is a form of self-expression because Russians learn calligraphy from elementary/primary school.

Psychologists claim that handwriting can be a psychological portrait of a person. Moreover, personal handwriting style starts to form at about the age of 9 or 10, therefore it is a good indicator of self-identity.

For instance, talented people with a powerful identity have a sprawling and wide calligraphy, whilst reserved and non-confident personalities tend to write with small and irregular letters.

An example of a Russian пропись

Learning a language in a classroom can give you a false sense of confidence sometimes. Instructors often speak at a slower pace and enunciate, but when you talk to people in a less formal setting, all bets are off.

I remember my first day of Russian class. I was a complete beginner and when the teachers started speaking at what was a normal speed, I wanted to cry. I had no clue what was going on and understand less than 20% of what I was hearing.

Five years later, I feel much more secure in my comprehension abilities. Keep reading to find out how to improve your listening skills!

1) Practice Active Listening

Listen to spoken Russian by using audio recordings (like mp3s) or videos. Listen one time through and write down what you think you heard. Then replay the audio and listen again.

If you can find transcripts to accompany the audio, you can check what you think you heard with what’s written. If you don’t have a transcript, try asking an instructor or native speaker to check your answers.

Tools

Listening comprehension doesn't have to be boring anymore.  In 2017, we're no longer limited to silly textbook dialogues.  There are tons of options for audio resources with native speakers.

FSI Course

Youtube has millions of videos on every subject you can imagine, so finding some Youtube channels to practice Russian shouldn’t be hard.  You can use songs, movies, news clips, and funny viral videos to hone your listening skills.​

 RussianPod101 is an amazing site offering Russian lessons in the form of podcasts. They offer transcripts of each episode and let you play back individual words and phrases at a slower speed, making Russianpod101 a valuable resource for developing your listening skills.

The Foreign Service Institute has released over 48 free language guides for novices, including one for Russian. The guides have a pronunciation component in each lesson so you can break down phrases by syllable. You can find them online and in your local library.

​If you're working with an instructor or know any native speakers, ask them to read the FSI dialogues at two speeds, slow and normal.  This way, it'll be easier for you to imitate their accents and cadences.

2) Practice Pronunciation

​Practicing pronunciation is an important but undervalued skill in language learning.  You might never sound "fluent", but you should push yourself.  If you neglect pronunciation, native speakers will have a hard time understanding you and you'll just get discouraged.

Improving your accent will affect your confidence and your ability to be understood by others. Plus, learning the correct pronunciation will make the language sound less foreign when you hear it.

One way to improve your pronunciation is to focus on the sounds that are different from English.  Part of what makes some people sound like "gringos" or unauthentic is that they use English sounds in foreign words.  

​Make sure you know how each consonant and vowel is supposed to sound.  For example: It's crucial to know when to pronounce the letter г like a G and when to pronounce it like a V.  

There are subtle differences between how vowels are pronounced in Russian and English. Try to hear the distinctions and replicate them. Watch videos like this one that break down the sounds:

Also, practice sounds like ы and the rolled r which aren’t present in English, but are used in other languages like Spanish and Italian.  Here's a good explanation:

Identify your problem letters (these are probably the ones that are unique to Russian) and practice them individually. Then, pick another audio clip (like a song, speech, or dialogue) that you can replay.

Listen to a few seconds at a time and try to imitate the speaker.  The key is to break the clips down into bite-size chunks, so it's more manageable.  This way, you're less likely to get discouraged.  

​Another way to help you get used to how unique Russian sounds, is to listen to an audio clip with your headphones in and record yourself trying to repeat what the speaker is saying.

Then, you can play back the recording of your voice and compare the sounds you made to those of the clip.  This will help you identify your areas of weakness.  This exercise definitely feels weird, but it helps.

3) Make it a Habit

Combine listening exercises and pronunciation drills for your own personal “Russian boot camp”.  For example: spend a few minutes practicing your problem sounds, a few listening, and a few imitating native speakers.

​If you're very busy or if you get distracted easily, you might want to start with just 5-7 minutes for each component.​  Language learning shouldn't feel like a chore, so try to keep the drills relatively short so as not to burn yourself out.

You can use your judgment to decide how much you want to practice each day.  This will take a bit of self-discipline, but it'll also give you freedom over your personal language learning process.

Brief but sustained practice is better than sporadic, long sessions. Remember: a little bit goes a long way.  

​In Closing

Developing a good accent can boost your confidence and impress other people, but you have to work at it.

Look at our list of helpful YouTube channels for inspiration and imitate the native-speakers you hear.

Keep it short but fun by working on your listening comprehension and pronunciation every day in short bursts.

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions.

Practicing pronunciation can be tedious, but it’s important. If you put in a little work every day, your Russian accent and listening skills will definitely improve!

Immersion is the best way to learn Russian 

Russian is hard...​

There is nothing wrong with either group. I can’t even count all the times I’ve said I wanted to learn a language and then put it off. People have different goals, capabilities, and limitations in all aspects of life and language learning is no different.

This article is geared toward those who are serious about learning the language and want to know where and how to start. If that’s you, keep reading!

1. Get Familiar With Hard and Soft Consonants

One of the concepts that forms the basis of Russian spelling and pronunciation is that of hard and soft consonant pairs. We're not really conscious of this distinction in English, but it’s of vital importance in Russian.

In order to tell if a consonant is hard or soft, you need to look at the vowel that follows. Russian has 10 vowel sounds that split up evenly into two categories.

The letter ь softens the consonant before it.

If a consonant comes before a hard vowel, it’s a hard consonant. The same applies for a consonant that precedes a soft vowel: it’s a soft consonant.

Pronunciation​

Knowing the difference in pronunciation is the key to not saying Мат/mat/profanity when you mean Мать/mat’/Mother.

Look at the following pairs:

Tip: when a soft vowel follows a consonant, a “yuh” sound often appears.

When a soft sign comes at the end of a word (we see this with a lot of verbs), your tongue moves to the back of your teeth as opposed to the roof of your mouth.

Practice: Say the word “Duh” (as in “Duh, that’s so obvious!”). Now say the word “mute”.  (Pay close attention to your tongue’s position.)

Spelling​

Hard and soft consonants dictate how words and endings are spelled. Take a look at the following spelling rules:

1. After the letters Г, К, Х, Ж, Ш, Щ, Ч always write the letter И not Ы

Example 1: Книги never книгы (books)

Example 2: Подарки never подаркы (gifts)

​2. After the letters Ц and Щ always write the letters А and У, not я and ю

​Example 1: Час never Чяс (hour)

Example 2: Ищу never ищю  (I'm seeking)​

3. The letter Ц can be followed by an И only in the root of a word.  It must be followed by an Ы at the end of a word.

Example 1: Цирк never цырк (circus)

Example 2: Огурцы never огурци (cucumbers)

I wouldn't worry so much about memorizing the rules.  It'll just be helpful to have them in the back of your mind so when you start reading and analyzing texts, you'll have an idea of how the rules are applied.  

It may feel awkward to stand in front of a mirror and move your mouth in weird ways, but it'll pay off.  Try to copy native speakers so you don't sound like a Russian "gringo".  

2) Learn Key Verb Forms

Always learn the я, ты, and они forms for every new verb you come across. There’s no way of predicting verb conjugations just using the infinitive stem, but knowing the first and second person singular, and third person plural forms will help you figure out the rest.

Knowing these three forms is especially important for when you start learning the present and perfective future tense. This knowledge will also come into play later when you encounter imperative/command forms and participles.

3) Get techy!

Language learners in the 21st century have an unprecedented advantage. Technological advances regularly make our lives easier and more convenient.

You can improve your language schools while playing on your phone. Apps like Duolingo and Memrise use games and competition to stimulate your brain and make the material more fun.

Sometimes you can’t find a native speaker to talk with. Or maybe you need a break from flashcards. Try watching tv or a movie in Russian. Services like Netflix and even YouTube make finding videos in your target language a piece of cake.

You can even use apps like Tune-In and PocketCast to listen to Russian radio broadcasts and podcasts. The possibilities are endless!

4) Put in the Work

Russian grammar is very complicated, especially for native English speakers. You’re not going to memorize all six cases and countless conjugation patterns without repetition. Recognize that it’s going to take time and commit to it.

As I mentioned earlier, spaced-repetition systems are extremely helpful when it comes to committing things to memory. Here’s another resource on the concept.

If possible, find a native speaker (a friend, language partner, or tutor) with whom to practice. This will make the process more engaging and interesting than if you just try doing rote memorization by yourself.

Try not to beat yourself up if everything doesn't come easily.  Take breaks as needed, but don't give up.  Anything worthwhile is worth some effort.​ 

In Short

If you’re serious about learning a new language, especially one like Russian, you need to be willing to put in some work. Start with the basics, like phonetics. A strong foundation will help you avoid later stumbling blocks.

Lay the groundwork for mastering grammar by learning those three key forms: я, ты, and они. Do the priming work at the beginning to make things easier for yourself as you keep going.

It’ll be frustrating at times, but there are ways to make it enjoyable. Grab a friend, listen to some music, watch a movie, make a few flashcards. Whatever it takes, just keep at it.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section!  I'm sure that with a little prep work, you’ll be speaking Russian in no time!

Language learning in the 21st century is a gift and a curse. On the one hand, the internet can connect you to native speakers and show you new and innovative ways to learn your target language.

On the other hand, there are so many resources popping up every day that it’s hard to know which ones are worth it.

Here’s a roundup of some of the best online resources for learning Russian so you can cut through the noise and get to work!

1) RussianPod101

2) Easy Russian

3) Real Russian Club

4) Russian Grammar

5) Christina Kochneva

6) RU Land Club

7) Mosfilm

8) Weekly Russian

9) Antonia Romaker

10) RT

11) R is for Russian

12) Foreign Language Dialogues

Foreign Language Dialogues has over 150 audio dialogues on topics such as renting a car, cognates, and tattoos. The videos are short, often less than a minute long and are entirely in Russian. You can work on translating them yourself for practice.

In Short

Language learning is easier and more accessible now thanks to technology. Hopefully this list added some tools to your arsenal and good luck incorporating video into your Russian learning!

Perhaps you love art and want to visit the Hermitage Museum, 

Or visit Petergof and see how the Russian upper class lived a few centuries ago,

Maybe you just wish to experience something different...

Well whatever your reason might be it is a​ necessity to learn these Essential Russian Travel Phrases

But why is it so important to learn them? Can't you just go and speak Enlgish there?

Well you can, but not really​

You see, Russia has a completely different culture and mentality. And actually most Russians don't speak English. But why is that? After all most Europeans do. 

The reason is largely because there isn't a big emphasis on learning English in Russia like there is in most European countries.

You should also learn these phrases because they will improve your overall knowledge in Russian and the natives would really appreciate you trying and talking with them in their native language

So lets start!

Поезд едет (yedit) - самолёт летит (letit). Remember this! You can't say that "поезд летит" or "самолёт едет" If this confuses you, then instead of едет and летит use направляется!

Memorize and rehearse these words and phrases oftenly

Your best friend at a restaurant is the word пожалуйста (pozhaluysta) and your wallet (кошелёк - koshelyok)

After filling your self up with some borscht and potatoes it's time to go shopping

Those were the Essential Russian Travel Phrases! Memorize and rehearse them and you will be ready to visit Russia. We think a big part of learning a new language is also understanding it's culture, and what better way to do it than travel to the place of origin and see things for yourself?

If you have any questions or feedback feel free to leave it in the comments below!

But in the end it means you can communicate with more people, indulge in to a new culture and just have fun! So let's begin our journey by studying the Basic Russian Phrases.

The first step when communicating with someone in a new language is to understand (понять) what they are saying.

Instead of "тебя" (tebya) you can use "вас" (vas) if you'd like to be formal

If you want to say that it's ten o'clock in the morning you add "утра" (utra) in the end, but if you wish to say that it's ten o'clock in the night you add "ночи" (nochi) in the end

Bonus tip : If you'd like to show off your Russian skills you can tell time by dividing the word "сейчас" (seychas) into "сей час" (sey chas), which translates to "the current hour is ..."

For example: Сей час 21.30 or Сей час восемь вечера (sey chas vosem' vechera)

(Just make sure that you make a pause between "sey" and "chas", that will really make you sound classy, educated and native)

Photo taken from pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/57702438946038165/

And those were the Basic Russian Phrases. Now you are prepared to meet native Russian speakers. Remember these phrases, because they will come in handy and are essential in any conversation. If you have any questions or feedback feel free to leave it in the comments below!