{"id":2437,"date":"2011-11-15T08:00:56","date_gmt":"2011-11-15T08:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=2437"},"modified":"2014-07-17T17:32:32","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T17:32:32","slug":"this-russian-grammar-round-up-will-make-your-head-spin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/this-russian-grammar-round-up-will-make-your-head-spin\/","title":{"rendered":"This Russian Grammar Round-Up Will Make Your Head Spin"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are looking for entertaining and helpful takes on some of the stickier problems of Russian grammar, then this post is for you. NOTE: not all the posts mentioned below were written by me. In fact, I wrote just a tiny portion of them. So if you leave comments on those posts (with links in italics<\/em>), your comments might not appear right away and might take a couple of days to be approved.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over the years we collected quite a few posts on this blog, 472 to be exact. A few of these posts are grammar posts. In case you don\u2019t like digging through the archives and don\u2019t have time to search by keywords, this is a round-up of our grammar posts:<\/p>\n

As a warm-up, read a quick review of \u00ab<\/strong>\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438 <\/strong>\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [parts of speech<\/a><\/em>]. Once your grammar juices are flowing and you are ready, dive right in!<\/p>\n

One part of speech that Russian language doesn\u2019t have is \u00ab<\/strong>\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u043b\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [article<\/a>]. How do Russians get by without all those \u201ca\/an\u201d and \u201cthe\u201d? Quite famously, thank you very much! Seriously, find out how to make your Russian friends understand that you\u2019re talking about THIS blog and not about another blog.<\/p>\n

Russian verbs can be very confusing and time-consuming to learn. The \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044b <\/strong>\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e <\/strong>\u044f\u0437\u044b\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u00bb <\/strong>[Russian verbs<\/a>]<\/em> overview post might help you get oriented in the verb maze.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019re done with the overview, you might want to start digging deeper. If you always thought Russian verbs of motion to be tricky and confusing, this post on \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044b <\/strong>\u0434\u0432\u0438\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [verbs of motion<\/a><\/em> ] is for you and so is this one.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Tired of \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [verbs] yet? If not, then I have some good news for you. Russian verbs don\u2019t just have the three tenses, but two aspects as well – perfective<\/a> and imperfective<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Another topic that is difficult for many Russian learners is that of \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [the Russian cases]. We\u2019ve tried to demystify and simplify them through the years:<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0418\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435\u0436\u00bb <\/strong>[Nominative case<\/a><\/em>] – \u00ab\u0442\u0430\u043a \u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e \u0438 \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [it\u2019s so easy and useful]<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0420\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u00bb<\/strong> [Genitive case] is such a trouble-maker that it required 3 posts to cover it – Part 1<\/a><\/em>, Part 2<\/a><\/em> and Part 3<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0414\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u00bb<\/strong> [Dative case<\/a><\/em>] – lots of examples in the post make this case an easy one to crack.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0412\u0438\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u00bb<\/strong> [Accusative case<\/a><\/em>] – with \u00ab\u043a\u0442\u043e \u0432\u0438\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442?\u00bb<\/strong> [who is to blame?] being one of the two eternal Russian questions, this case merits a post of its own. (By the way, what\u2019s the other eternal Russian question?)<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0422\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u00bb<\/strong> [Instrumental case<\/a><\/em>] – a must-know for when you want to congratulate your Russian friends with something, whether it\u2019s a holiday, \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [housewarming], \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u043c\u0430\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [a new car] or \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0441\u0435\u043c\u044c\u0435<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [new family member]. You might also need it to make plans<\/a><\/em> for your own and your children\u2019s future. Plus we have more examples here<\/a><\/em>, here<\/a> <\/em>and here<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Wow, looks like we haven\u2019t covered \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u00bb<\/strong> [prepositional case] at all! Good to know as it gives us something to work on.<\/p>\n

After dealing with the cases and the verbs, learning how to use prepositions<\/a><\/em> and pronouns<\/a> will be easy-peasy. By the time you get to adverbs<\/a>, you\u2019ll be a grammar guru<\/a>. Don\u2019t let your newfound confidence be shattered once you get to the posts on homonyms<\/a><\/em>, homophones<\/a><\/em>, homographs<\/a> <\/em>andparonyms<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You know by know that Russian is a hard, but rewarding language to learn, maybe even one of the hardest and most rewarding in the world. If you are not sure how to say \u201chard\u201d, \u201charder\u201d, \u201cthe hardest\u201d in Russian, then it\u2019s time to review \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u0435\u043d\u0438 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> [comparative adjectives<\/a><\/em>]. If you want even more examples, you can find them here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Did I hear you saying you want to know even more about adjectives? No problem! Here\u2019s a post about short form adjectives<\/a> that will either enlighten you or confuse you. Either way make sure to read the comments\u2026 all 35 of them.<\/p>\n

Moving onto sentence-building, find out how to use a marvelous little word<\/a> \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> to ask tru-ly great questions in Russian.<\/p>\n

Speaking of questions, how easy is it to ask a \u201cwhy\u201d question<\/a> in Russian? Turns out, it can be quite tricky since there are two words for \u201cwhy\u201d. Find out the rules so you never \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u043f\u0430\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0432\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [put one\u2019s foot in one\u2019s mouth] when being \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u044e\u0431\u043e\u0437\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [inquisitive].<\/p>\n

One of the most famous questions of all times is, of course \u00ab<\/strong>\u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0438<\/span><\/strong>\u043b\u0438 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to be or not to be]. Find out all about using the verb \u00ab<\/strong>\u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to be<\/a><\/em>] in Russian sentences.<\/p>\n

Some other, no less dramatic, but more language-specific questions, are \u201chow to form a plural<\/a><\/em> of a Russian word\u201d and \u201cwhere is stress<\/a>\u00a0in this word?\u201d Needless to say, we provide answers to both these vexing questions and, unlike Shakespeare we write in a much more readable \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [prose]. By the way, irregular plurals<\/a><\/em> are covered in a separate post.<\/p>\n

As you know, real life isn\u2019t always about \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u043c\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0438<\/span> <\/strong>\u0431\u044b <\/strong>\u0432\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [could you, would you]. Sometimes you have to put your foot down, bark orders and act \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e-<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u043c\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [as a commander]. Find out how you can make others do your bidding without sounding rude with \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u043a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [imperative<\/a><\/em>].<\/p>\n

Of course, you might still get a response along the lines of \u00ab<\/strong>\u0443\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u044c <\/strong>\u0441\u0432\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u044d\u043d\u0442\u0443\u0437\u0438\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> [curb your enthusiasm]. And that\u2019s (\u201cyour\u201d) is just one meaning of the word \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0432\u043e\u0439\u00bb<\/strong>. It\u2019s a very important word for anyone who\u2019s trying to speak Russian \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043a <\/strong>\u0441\u0432\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0439 <\/strong>\u044f\u0437\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [as one\u2019s native language]. Naturally, we are happy to help figure it out with a post on possessive pronouns<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

So at this point, if your head is not spinning with all the Russian grammar, then I just don\u2019t know! Seriously though, this post is meant as a reference – favorite it, bookmark it, or tag it for future use. And let us know what other sticky points of Russian grammar you\u2019d like us to write about. Actually, we tend to procrastinate, so go ahead and use that \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u043a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [imperative] after all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

If you are looking for entertaining and helpful takes on some of the stickier problems of Russian grammar, then this post is for you. NOTE: not all the posts mentioned below were written by me. In fact, I wrote just a tiny portion of them. So if you leave comments on those posts (with links…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":2438,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8,7828],"tags":[113315,117467,117469,35336,9820,1217,1237,117468],"class_list":["post-2437","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language","category-russian-for-beginners","tag-confusing-russian-grammar","tag-difficult-russian-grammar","tag-rules-of-russian-grammar","tag-russian-adjectives","tag-russian-adverbs","tag-russian-cases","tag-russian-grammar","tag-russian-verbs-of-motion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2437"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2437\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11273,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2437\/revisions\/11273"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}