When I was trying to learn English, I used a word web approach that I liked because it was very visual. There must be a formal term for this method, so if you do know what it\u2019s called, please let me know in the comments.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easier to illustrate than to explain. I\u2019m going to use a verb \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> as an example because it\u2019s short, is used fairly often and it appears in Rob\u2019s post about verbs of position<\/a>. First thing first, you will need to memorize the basics – what \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> means (to stand) and how it conjugates. One of the best resources for this basic information is Wiktionary<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now the basics are covered. Time to weave the web. Start by writing the word itself on a blank sheet of paper. Write a couple of simple sentences that use the word:<\/p>\n \u042f \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044e<\/span> \u0443 \u043e\u043a\u043d\u0430<\/span><\/strong> – I am standing by the window Next, think of or research different words that are related to the verb \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong>, but that represent different parts of speech. Look up as many of these words as you can in a dictionary and write them down along with their definitions and examples of usage. When thinking about definitions, try to define them through the original verb. Some that I came up with include<\/p>\n \u0421\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430<\/strong> – a noun that means \u201ca stand\u201d or \u201ca counter\u201d. Try to include at least one noun, verb, adjective and an adverb on this list. You can go one level deeper and create lists for some of the words you just listed. For example, \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> (standing) can lead you to the words \u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> (confrontation) and \u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> (urging).<\/p>\n Once you are done listing different parts of speech, it\u2019s time to apply one of the most powerful word-building tools of the Russian language – \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (prefixes) and \u0441\u0443<\/span>\u0444\u0444\u0438\u043a\u0441\u044b<\/strong> (suffixes). Get back to the original word \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u0442\u044c and dress it up with different combinations of Russian prefixes<\/a> and suffixes<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u0412\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – to withstand Trying out all those different prefixes and suffixes is fun. Of course, not all the combinations you come up with will be real words. But Russian language is so flexible, that some combinations, although not found in the dictionaries, are actually used conversationally. How would you know? Just Google it and see if you can figure out the meaning of the word.<\/p>\n If you feel up to the challenge, try to research words that sound like some of the ones you just mapped out, but mean something very different. For example,<\/p>\n \u0441\u0442\u043e\u0438<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> (stands) and \u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u0442<\/strong> (costs) Finally, it\u2019s time for \u0444\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0435\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0433\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043c\u044b<\/strong> (idioms), \u043f\u043e\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u0446\u044b<\/strong> (proverbs) and \u043f\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (sayings). How can you search for these? Wiktionary can be helpful and so is searching for phrases \u201c\u043f\u043e\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u0446\u044b \u0441\u043e \u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u043c \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong>\u201d (proverbs with the word to stand<\/em>) and \u201c\u0444\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0435\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0433\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043c\u044b \u0441\u043e \u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u043c \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong>\u201d (idioms with the word to stand<\/em>).<\/p>\n Here are a few I came up with:<\/p>\n \u0421\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0435<\/strong> – to guard For each phrase you put on a list, try to come up with a sentence or just imagine a situation in which it can be used.<\/p>\n And now you\u2019re done! Review the results of your hard work and pat yourself on the back. Take a picture of your word web and share it with us on our Facebook page. Or share a link to it if you made it online.<\/p>\n This is a lot of work. And you won\u2019t be doing it for every word or even for most of the words you are trying to learn. Nor will you remember every single word or phrase that you just wrote down. That\u2019s fine. But you will get a better feel for the language, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One of the challenges in learning Russian language is expanding your vocabulary. With over\u00a0\u0441\u0442\u043e \u0442\u0440\u0438\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0442\u044b\u0441\u044f\u0447 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432 (one hundred and thirty thousand words) in the Russian language, figuring out where to start can be a bit frustrating. One option is to narrow it down to, let\u2019s say, the 1000 most commonly used words and memorize…<\/p>\n
\n\u0426\u0432\u0435\u0442\u044b<\/span> \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442 \u0432 \u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0435<\/strong> – Flowers are standing in a vase<\/p>\n
\n\u0421\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0430<\/strong> – a noun that means \u201ccar parking\u201d, but also a campsite used by prehistoric nomads.
\n\u0417\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0439<\/strong> – a noun that means \u201cstagnation\u201d, absence of movement
\n\u0421\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> – a noun that means \u201cstanding\u201d
\n\u0421\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0438\u0439<\/strong> – an adjective that means \u201csteady\u201d, \u201cimmovable\u201d
\n\u041f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u043e<\/strong> – an adverb that means \u201cconstantly\u201d, \u201cpermanently\u201d (think of it as something that always stands there)<\/p>\n
\n\u0423\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – to keep balance, to withstand
\n\u041d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – to insist, but also to decoct
\n\u041f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – to stand, but in certain contexts, to stand up to someone
\n\u041d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u0447\u0438\u0432\u044b\u0439<\/strong> – insistent
\n\u041d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430<\/strong> – infusion<\/p>\n
\n\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0439<\/strong> (standing) and \u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u044f\u0449\u0438\u0439<\/strong> (worth something)
\n\u0443\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0432\u0448\u0438\u0439\u0441\u044f<\/strong> (long-standing), \u0443\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0432\u0448\u0438\u0439<\/strong> (someone who withstood a challenge), and \u0443\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0448\u0438\u0439<\/strong> (tired)<\/p>\n
\n\u041d\u0435 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u0438<\/span>\u0442 \u043d\u0430 \u043d\u043e\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0445<\/strong> – Can hardly remain standing
\n\u0421\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0451<\/span>\u043c<\/strong> – to hold one\u2019s own, to stick to one\u2019s guns (metaphorically speaking)
\n\u041f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0437\u0430 \u0441\u0435\u0431\u044f<\/span><\/strong> – to hold one\u2019s own, protect oneself
\n\u0421\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u043f\u0430<\/span>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0438<\/strong> – to beg for money, to be in abject poverty; literally, to stand on a porch of a church, a place where beggars traditionally asked for \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0430\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> (a great word for when you are working on the verb \u0434\u0430\u0442\u044c\/\u0434\u0430\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to give).
\n\u041c\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0437 \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043a, \u0434\u0430 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> – it\u2019s not too cold, but you can\u2019t stand still
\n\u041d\u0435 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0431\u0440\u043e\u0432\u044f<\/span>\u043c \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0448\u0435 \u043b\u0431\u0430<\/strong> – literally, eyebrows can\u2019t be above a forehead. Less literally, it just means something self-evident, something that nobody contests.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2012\/10\/Word-Web-350x181.jpg\")