Archive by Author
Fun Uses of the Instrumental Case in Russian Posted by Maria on Jul 24, 2018
The instrumental case (твори́тельный паде́ж) is primarily used to talk about the tools or means that allow you to do something. There are also other, less literal, uses of this case that express the manner in which something is done. The most common use of the instrumental case is, of course, the instrument with which…
5 Russian Phrases to Talk About Raising the Retirement Age Posted by Maria on Jul 16, 2018
One of the current stories coming from Russia—even though it was temporarily overshadowed by the World Cup—is the proposal to raise the retirement age. Here are five useful expressions for discussing this reform, along with some coverage it’s received in the Russian media. Пенсио́нный во́зраст Пе́нсия refers to the pension received by a retired person…
8 Russian Football Words for the World Cup Posted by Maria on Jul 11, 2018
Now that Russia is out of the running at the World Cup and the tournament is nearing its end, and I’m sure football—or soccer for our US readers—is on many people’s minds. Sasha recently shared his experience at the World Cup. Here are eight words that will helps you talk about the game. 1. Чемпиона́т…
4 Ways to Refer to Living Things in Russian Posted by Maria on Jul 3, 2018
Do you know what to call that cute fuzzy creature in the woods? Read on to learn four ways you can talk about living creatures and what distinguishes each of these ways. 1. Животное Живо́тное is related to жить, to live. This word is a general word for “animal.” You can hear it in speech…
Bob’s Your Uncle, or Using Kinship Terms for Strangers in Russian Posted by Maria on Jun 21, 2018
Did you know that some words normally reserved for family members can be used in Russian to refer to people you are not related to? This post will look at some of the situations when this may happen. Тётя The primary sense of тётя is “aunt.” This word may also refer to any adult or…
5 Words You Hear in Informal Russian Conversations Posted by Maria on Jun 14, 2018
If you’ve listened to a speaker of Russian in an informal conversation, you know that there are a few words they say over and over again. Some are fillers, meant to give the speaker some time to come up with what to say. Others mark logical connections in a conversation or express the speaker’s attitudes…
Advice for First-Time Travelers to Russia by Arie Helderman Posted by Maria on Jun 11, 2018
This post is the second in a series of first-hand accounts and tips from people who have traveled to Russia. Check out previous posts in this series here! Our second guest author is Arie Helderman, a freelance copywriter from the Netherlands. He runs his own site about learning Russian at learntherussianlanguage.com. The rest of this post…