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…
Fairy Tale Living Posted by yelena on May 26, 2011
Do you love reading about Russia and all things Russian, however quirky they might be? Do you love «русские народные сказки» [Russian fairy tales]? Are you interested in the latest developments in «русско-украинские отношения» [Russian-Ukrainian relations]? Do you enjoy looking at «занимательные картинки» [entertaining pictures]? If you answered «да» (do I really need to…