Tag Archives: current events
4 Business Failure Verbs in Russian Posted by Maria on Oct 7, 2019
You might have heard the news that the Thomas Cook travel agency has gone under. The company had purchased two Russian subsidiaries (доче́рние предприя́тия), Intourist (Интури́ст) and Biblio-Globus (Би́блио-Гло́бус), but their management has assured their customers that the Russian-based companies would not be affected. This may be a good opportunity to look at some vocabulary…
Is August a “Cursed” Month in Russia? Posted by Maria on Aug 26, 2019
Did you know August is seen as the month of trouble in Russia? Over the last 20 years, several accidents have happened in August (а́вгуст), which led people to regard August as a dangerous month (“чёрный а́вгуст,” literally “black August”). This post will look at some of these events and the reasons why August may—or…
Silver Linings: Five Idioms For Dealing With Shock And Disappointment Posted by Maria on Nov 14, 2016
The results of the presidential election in the US came as a surprise to both supporters and opponents of the President-Elect Trump. For situations like this, along with Brexit, which we covered on this blog, a few Russian idioms may come in handy. How and whether you will use them will depend on your outlook…
Ten Key Russian Words for Talking About Brexit Posted by Maria on Jul 4, 2016
The news of #Brexit has been trending over the last few days. For those who were away on a desert island, the United Kingdom has held a referendum and voted to leave the European Union. Here are some useful words for discussing Brexit with your Russian friends. 1. Европейский союз Европейский союз, also known as Евросоюз…
High-Profile Political Assassinations in Russia Posted by Maria on Mar 2, 2015
The news of Boris Nemtsov’s (Бори́с Немцо́в — not BAWris NEMtsov) murder has shocked the Russian Internet. The former deputy premier was walking home from a Red Square restaurant when he was shot dead by an unidentified assailant. The perpetrators are unknown, with theories ranging from the usual suspect — the current government (прави́тельство) — to…
Rent Prices Falling in Moscow Posted by Maria on Dec 29, 2014
A lesser explored consequence of the economic sanctions against Russia and the falling ruble is a drop in rent prices (снижение стоимости аренды) in Moscow. There are several news reports looking into the causes and outcomes of this development. The website BFM.ru used this pun as a title for an article on the subject — “Врагу не…
Russian Tour Operators Going Out Of Business Posted by Maria on Sep 15, 2014
Those of you who follow Russian news might have heard that several travel agencies (туроператоры, турагентства) have gone out of business (разорились). A few have gone bankrupt (объявили о банкротстве) while others have suspended operations (приостановили деятельность). As you know from a previous post, Russian tourists love traveling abroad, so people who had paid the…