Archive for June, 2011
Tea in Russia is More Than Just Tea Posted by yelena on Jun 27, 2011
If you meet and befriend a Russian, at some point you will be invited over to his or her place. Such invitation won’t be anything formal. Your friend might say «будешь рядом, заходи в гости» [when you are in the area, do stop by] or «приходи, чайку попьём» [come over for some tea] or «будет…
The Rule of Three Posted by yelena on Jun 21, 2011
Have you ever heard of «тройное правило» [the Rule of Three]? Of course, you have! But if you are still not sure «о чём идёт речь» [what I’m talking about], here’s a quick link to a Wikipedia entry. Ok, so as you can see, the rule of three is «всеобъемлющее» [universal]. By the way, if…
Self-Employed Doesn’t Mean Self-Serving Posted by yelena on Jun 20, 2011
When I was «маленькая» [a child], «лето было моим любимым временем года» [summer was my favorite season]. I had 2 hugely important reasons to love summer – my birthday and «летние каникулы» [summer break from school]. As I started getting older, the excitement of celebrating yet another «день рождения» [birthday] wore off. But I did…
What’s a Russian Picnic Without Kebabs? Posted by yelena on Jun 16, 2011
What is one summer must-do thing that is «романтично» [romantic], hot, takes place «на природе» [out in nature, outdoors] and can’t be done «без мужчин» [without men]? It is, of course, «шашлыки» [shish-kebabs] – favorite past-time for the short Russian summer. If there were a single maxim about «шашлык», it would be «шашлык это не…
Summer Grammar – It Can Be Fun Posted by yelena on Jun 14, 2011
«Пирожки – это вкусно, дёшево и даже не вредно» [Pierogies are tasty, cheap, and aren’t bad for you]. Isn’t summer fun?! Or for our Southern Hemisphere readers – isn’t winter pleasant? So let me ask you this – «Как проходит лето (или зима)?» [How’s your summer/winter going so far?] I hope you get to spend…
Summer Time and the Reading is Russian Posted by yelena on Jun 10, 2011
Finally, «наступило лето» [summer is here]! There are lots of not so good things that are associated with summer – «ураганы» [hurricanes], «лесные пожары» [forest fires], «жара» [heat], «засуха» [drought] and such. But let’s look at the bright side! Summer, above all, is time for «каникулы» [summer break] and «отпуска» [vacations]. Many Russians will be…
Ай да Пушкин! Posted by yelena on Jun 6, 2011
Today is a special day. «Вы знаете, что случилось в этот день в далёком 1799-ом году?» [Do you know what happened on this day in the distant year of 1799?] If you Google this date in Russian – «6 июня 1799 года» – the top result is the birth of «Александр Сергеевич Пушкин» [Alexander…