Archive for 'language'
Listen While You Read, or – Read As You Listen Posted by josefina on Sep 10, 2009
In three days I’ll be returning to Russia – more specifically, «на Урал» [to the Ural Mountains] – but until then I have a great tip for all of you. One of the things that make learning a language outside of the country in which it is spoken very difficult is because it is hard…
Word of the Week: «Время» [Time] Posted by josefina on Sep 4, 2009
Sometimes Russian Blog’s Word of the Week is solely grammatically interesting, sometimes purely culturally or historically fascinating. Seldom can our Russian word of the week be both. But this week’s word is actually both! The Russian word «время» [time] is grammatically interesting because it is a neuter noun despite ending on «я» [ya] (which is…
«Что когда? или: дни недели» [What when? or: Days of the Week] Posted by josefina on Aug 31, 2009
When meeting someone at this fall’s new schedule in a Russian university/firm/organization (really, anywhere Russian is spoken) you could ask them courteously: «Что нового приносит эта осень вашему расписанию?» [What new does this fall bring to your schedule?]. But that’s a really ambitious question and could sound a bit formal. A less strict way of…
Breaking Russian News: «Авось» Goes International! Posted by josefina on Aug 26, 2009
Remember the post “«Авось!» or a really Russian Expression” in which I decided to try if «авось» [perhaps; possibly; maybe] works also outside of Russia? In the post I posed the following question: Can one say «авось повезёт» [maybe (I’ll) get lucky; perhaps (I’ll) have some luck] a day or two before taking the TOEFL…
Word of the Week: «Съездить» Posted by josefina on Aug 14, 2009
The week might almost be over (it is after all «пятница» [Friday] already as I’m posting this) but it is not too late to learn a new Russian word before «воскресенье» [Sunday] is upon us, inevitably followed by yet another «понедельник» [Monday]. The word of the week this time is a verb and a rather…
It’s all about the Learning Process! Posted by josefina on Aug 8, 2009
Always when I’m back home in Sweden and thus living outside of Russia, one and the same question is constantly on my mind: «Как изучать русский язык вне Российской федерации?» [How to study (learn; read; explore) Russian language outside of the Russian Federation?] The main point within this simple question could also be posed in…
Авось! or a Really Russian Expression Posted by josefina on Aug 3, 2009
Have you ever wondered if the things that work (i.e. are able to function/have a function) in Russia can ever work outside of Russia? I sure have! For example, in Russia your best friend’s «бабушка» [grandmother] will shower your breakfast «гречка» [buckwheat] with «масло» [butter] and «сыр» [cheese] until all of these three ingredients melt…