Tag Archives: confusing Russian words
Two very neat Russian words Posted by bota on Jul 15, 2021
*All images from Google Translate are by author This blog is simple. I have two Russian words that I find very neat and a little underappreciated. We will talk about what they mean, how they are used, and attempt to make sense of their English translations. And if you are a native Russian speaker or…
Two Ways of Saying “For” in Russian: What’s The Difference Between Для And За? Posted by Maria on Aug 3, 2017
If you look up “for” in a Russian dictionary, you will see at least two options — для and за. I will list some of the most common scenarios where you would use either preposition so you can grasp the difference better. За + accusative Support За expresses someone’s support of a particular cause, candidate…
Contrast in Russian: What’s The Difference Between А (And/But) And Но (But)? Posted by Maria on Jul 25, 2017
If your native language only has the basic “and” vs “but” distinction, Russian conjunctions а and но may be a bit confusing. How do you use them, and what’s the difference? I will explain the difference on an intuitive level below and will include links to additional resources at the bottom. Но: Contrasting the Entire…
When You Must Contradict Posted by yelena on Sep 6, 2012
This is in case your child says не хочу (don’t want to) a bit too often. Sometimes even the most cheerful and positive of us встают не с той ноги (get up on the wrong side of a bed). Or maybe it is the right side of the bed, but then something happens during the…
Even More Curious то же and так же Posted by yelena on Oct 14, 2011
Learning Russian can be frustrating. But in the end, it’s so worth it! This photo, taking years ago in St. Petersburg, is not really related to anything in this post. But it’s good memories for me, so I thought I’d share. When it comes to me writing grammar posts, I either don’t do them or…
The Curious Case of Russian Words Тоже and Также Posted by yelena on Oct 13, 2011
I got to learn something new about rats thanks to your comments. Now it’s pay-back time. Plus I loved this movie when it came out. Rats can be so cute! When it comes to grammar, being a native speaker of a language is a double-edged sword. Sure, native speakers tend to automatically select just the…
There Is More To Marriage Than “Брак” Posted by yelena on Apr 21, 2011
Are you married? Please don’t be offended by what seems to be my idle curiosity. There’s a reason for my asking you this (or is it “me asking you this”?) How would you ask this simple question in Russian? The answer depends on the gender of the person you’re speaking with. So if you…