Russian Language Blog

Doesn’t look like much, does it? Yet this fairly unassuming doorway, with a four-letter acronym ЗАГС, leads to a life of (hopefully) married bliss. This particular door is for the ЗАГС is in my hometown of Volgograd. I walked by it countless times as a child and was inside the office only twice, at a friend’s wedding and at my grandparents’ fiftieth anniversary.

I am going shopping for a set of two фаянсовые чашки (earthenware tea cups) today. It is a gift for a friend who is celebrating девятая годовщина свадьбы (ninth wedding anniversary). In Russia, the ninth is known as фаянсовая свадьба (earthenware wedding). So let’s talk weddings today.

Have you ever had a chance to be a guest at a Russian wedding? If not, you can still observe some of the traditions while vacationing in Russia and touring the sights. So what exactly is свадьба по-русски (Russian-style wedding).

To begin with, it’s a really big deal. Most weddings are celebrated с размахом (in a big way). This doesn’t necessarily mean шикарная церемония (lavish ceremony). The emphasis is on число гостей (the number of guests) as well as on celebrating от души (from the heart).

Let’s start by learning Russian words for the most important participants in a wedding ceremony:

Жених – a groom

Невеста – a bride

Свидетельница – a maid of honor (lit: a witness since she will be witnessing the registration of the marriage record)

Свидетель, also known as шафер or дружка – a best man (lit: a witness, for the same reason)

Nowadays many Russian couples венчаются в церкви (have a church wedding ceremony). Венчание literally means crowning. During the ceremony свидетели (see above свидетель and свидетельница) hold венки (wedding crowns or wreaths) over the couple’s heads.

The official paperwork is not handled by the church, but instead the happy couple goes to расписаться (register the union, lit: sign) to a local отдел записей гражданского состояния (registry office), ЗАГС for short.

But before that happens, a groom must go through an ordeal known as выкуп невесты (paying ransom for the bride). It is a game in which the groom and his friends are met at the entrance into bride’s house or apartment building by bride’s friends and guests.

To advance, a groom must pass through a series of tests, such as come up with as many ласковые имена (tender names) for his суженая (bride, lit: the intended one) as there are steps to the door. He might be challenged to remember meaningful dates and numbers – date of первое свидание (first date), date when he сделал предложение (proposed), the bride’s clothing sizes, etc. Or he might have to dance or sing or pass other tests. If he doesn’t pass a test, he can buy his way to the bride’s door by giving away candy, chocolates, Champaign, vodka, or money.

Once the groom gets to the bride, they make their way outside to свадебный кортеж (a wedding train or cavalcade). It is easy to tell the bride-and-groom’s car in the procession.

Not only will it be the front car, but also the fanciest looking one and the most decorated. Some of the most popular decorations include large golden обручальные кольца (wedding bands), цветы (flowers), ленты (ribbons), куклы-невесты (dolls dressed up in wedding dresses), воздушные шары (balloons), and колокольчики (bells).

At this point, the bride and groom are driven to ЗАГС (registry office) where they will go through a short церемония бракосочетания (marriage ceremony):

The bride and the groom enter под звуки свадебной музыки (accompanied by the wedding music). Traditionally, it’s Свадебный марш Мендельсона (Mendelson’s Wedding March). Регистратор (registering official) greets everyone and addresses the couple with a pretty standard spiel.

She  reminds everyone that this is самое прекрасное и незабываемое событие в жизни (the most beautiful and unforgettable event in life). She mentions the importance of family and великий долг друг перед другом и перед будущим детей (great obligation to each other and to the future of children).

Then брачащиеся or брачующиеся (entering into the marriage; an official and infrequently used word) confirm that their decision to create a family is искреннее (sincere), взаимное (mutual) and свободное (here: of free will). Once the bride and the groom both answer да, they sign the registry.

And that’s when the words объявляю вас мужем и женой (I declare you a husband and a wife) are finally said and the newlyweds целуются (kiss each other). The official then says a few напутственные слова (parting words), congratulates the couple and the guests and everyone gets to raise the first Champaign toast to the new family.

Now that the official part is over with, the semi-official поездка по городу (city tour) begins followed by a reception. More on that later. Now I have to go buy my чайный сервиз (tea set or tea service) or I risk turning up at the friend’s party с пустыми руками (empty-handed).

What are your plans for tomorrow, Saturday the 14^th of January? Better cancel them and instead celebrate старый Новый год (the old New Year).

Today, January the 13^th is yet another the New Year’s Eve. Yes, it’s another chance to finish last year’s unfinished business, to set goals and make promises, and to start afresh. Yes, lucky Russians get to celebrate the New Year not once, but twice.

Russia was 300-odd years late switching to Gregorian calendar. Страна перешла на новый стиль лишь в 1918 году (the country moved to the new style calendar only in 1918). Before then it was using two calendars. For all matters external, such as diplomatic relations and international trade, григорианский календарь (Gregorian calendar) had to be used since that’s what the rest of Europe was using. Internally, however, юлианский календарь (Julian calendar) was used.

It sure was odd and inconvenient, but not without some excitement, I imagine. Crossing the Russian border was a real time-travel experience. The 9-hour time difference between New York and Moscow nowadays is nothing compared to a 14-day difference less than a hundred years ago.

Interestingly, the Russian Orthodox Church still uses Julian calendar. Which is why Russian Christmas is celebrated on January 7^th aka December 25^th по старому стилю (according to the old style calendar).

The old New Year is celebrated, but in a muted way. It is not an official holiday and, unless it falls on выходной (weekend), it remains рабочий день (a work day). It is not a holiday for raucous parties, fireworks or Presidential addresses to the masses. Instead, it is celebrated with the family and close friends.

For TV stations this is another chance to air старые добрые фильмы (good old movies), such as Карнавальная ночь (Carnival Night, with English subtitles), Чародеи (Wizards, no English subtitles), Ирония судьбы (Irony of Fate) and Старый Новый год (Old New Year, no English subtitles).

In fact, if you are comfortable watching Irony of Fate without English subtitles and you like this movie, you will really like the Old New Year one. Filmed in 1980, it has wonderful actors playing out a story that, as strange as it might sound, is immediately recognizable to Russian viewers (much like the Irony of Fate):

Two families that, it seems, can’t be more different from each other, have something unexpected in common. Their meeting and bonding is both accidental and inevitable as they celebrate the old New Year each in their own way.

The movie has too many крылатые фразы (catch phrases) to list them all, but some of the more memorable ones include:

Веди себя прилично. Ты не в школе. (Behave properly. You are not at school)

Проблема – ТВ и дети. Да, проблема – телевизоров всё больше, а детей всё меньше. (A problem of children and TV. Yes, it’s a problem – there are ever more TVs and ever fewer children.)

Одного «хорошо» на всех не хватит. (A single “ok” is not enough for everyone)

Он завсегда с народом (he is always with the people).

Хватит агитировать. Мы линию тоже чувствуем, по обстоятельствам. (Enough campaigning. We too understand the directive, according to circumstances.)

Если ребёнок плохо учится, то пусть хоть одевается хорошо. (If a child’s grades are bad, then let him at least dress well).

The most memorable philosophical ramblings of progressively drunker neighbor: Мне особо ничего не надо, окромя что есть. А у меня всё есть, что надо. (I don’t need anything other than what I have. And I have everything that I need.)

If you prefer a lighter entertainment, then I recommend watching one of the old новогодний голубой огонёк (New Year “blue light”), a traditional New Year pop-star studded program. The “blue light” refers to the flicker of blue TV screens. Watch it if you want to see all the biggest stars of Russian pop singing oldies, but goodies (sometimes with updated lyrics).

So watch up over some more Olivier salad and clink glasses full of Champaign over a yet another toast to the new beginnings. Счастливого старого Нового Года! (Happy Old New Year!)

If you celebrate Christmas and New Year, then you have already украсили ёлку (decorated the Christmas tree). Still, there’s always room for just one more ornament, isn’t there? That’s why today я научу вас (I will teach you) how to make a very simple украшение (an ornament) that even children can make за несколько минут (in just a few minutes).

Actually, I’m going to show it with a video. Yep, this is something new I’m trying for the blog. This way you get to hear the Russian words as well as read them.

Now, since this is my first ever video, not just for this blog, but like for everything, it is not very fancy. «Эмми» за него я не получу (I will not be getting an Emmy for it). But as simple as it is, it was quite a challenge снимать (here: to shoot).

First, it was hard придумать (to think of) something for a video. Thankfully, one of the blog readers, Rob, gave me an idea when he sent me сценарий (a script) for an origami how-to video (awesome script and I do hope Rob makes a video with it).

Then I had to go through close to дюжина дублей (a dozen takes) before getting it almost right. On the first try, my видеокамера (video camera) fell down in the middle of all the folding and creasing action. In several takes I held the materials either слишком высоко (too high) or not in the center of the screen. In one of the takes I started заикаться (to stutter). And in one otherwise perfect take I completely blanked out on how to say “to eyeball it” in Russian.

Now, you notice that I said everything in the video is “almost right”. Yes, there’s one little thing in it… Try to spot it (hint: it has to do with how counting in Russian).

Oh, and the ornament you will be making or at least watching me make is called фонарик (a lantern) in Russian. So сделайте мне одолжение (do me a favor), watch this video and tell me what can I do better next time. And if you make фонарик (a lantern) or even a whole гирлянда (a string) of them, I’d love to see the pictures!

Finally, to all the readers who are getting ready to celebrate Рождество (Christmas) this Sunday – Merry Christmas!