Random words: БРИТЬСЯ/to shave
Posted: August 12, 2014 Filed under: Mnemotechniques, Random Words | Tags: Russian Vocabulary Leave a commentMen’s word today. Pronounced like БРИЦА.
Not an easy nut to crack, so to be safe it is better to use it as infinitive, if possible. If not, we should remember that it is not type 2 verb (looks like it!) but type 1, so in present, it would look as follows:
бреюсь, бреешься, бреется, бреемся, бреетесь, бреются.
If we remove the reflexive bit СЯ/СЬ, that would mean shaving someone else or shaving a particular part of the body apart from face.
Бриться (imperfective) – побриться (perfective)
Ok, now let’s try to link it with an image and a similar word in English. To me it sounds a lot like brie cheese. So, instead of shaving foam we can use this cheese? =) :
How not to make Russian workbooks
Posted: July 25, 2014 Filed under: Fun with Language Leave a commentIn one of the workbooks I have, Поехали, there is an interesting dialogue (don’t be put off – it requires basic reading skills and very basic vocabulary):
That’s to the question of time spent and value gained – not all workbooks are equally good for you=) Even one of the most relied upon and popular, like this one.
Random words: СТАРЫЙ / OLD
Posted: July 24, 2014 Filed under: Mnemotechniques, Random Words | Tags: Russian Vocabulary Leave a commentIn Russian, we often have two forms for adjectives – long and short. For the concept above that would be СТАРЫЙ and СТАР (masculine), СТАРАЯ and СТАРА (feminine), СТАРОЕ and СТАРО (neuter), СТАРЫЕ and СТАРЫ (plural).
Does it remind you anything?:
Random words: МЕСТО
Posted: July 15, 2014 Filed under: Random Words | Tags: Russian Vocabulary Leave a commentМесто should be read as *места or *местэ if pronounced quickly. Means “a place”. Can be used when talking to your wife or girlfriend, for example as follows:

Know your place, woman! (Source)
It is of neutral gender, therefore we would say
моё место, твоё место, своё место, пустое место etc
How to give urgent orders
Posted: July 11, 2014 Filed under: Russian Grammar | Tags: Russian Grammar Leave a commentI already explained here what Imperative mood is and how we use it to give orders or ask to do anything. That’s considered the most common and neutral way.
Also, among others, we sometimes use
1) infinitives (mostly when talking to dogs and in the army):
Сидеть! (Sit down! – to a dog)
Стоять! (Stop! – for example to a soldier, and what do we know about discipline?).
2) past tense (sort of an urgent order, something which was meant to be done “yesterday”, depending on the context can be rude, or show different social levels):
Ключи мне дал! – Keys to me gave! (=Hey you give me the keys right now!!!)
Пошел отсюда! – Went from here! (=Go away!)
So don’t trust past forms! They can be an order sometimes.
Dos and don’ts in маршрутка
Posted: June 6, 2014 Filed under: Mentality | Tags: marshrootka, marshroutka, marshrutka Leave a commentIf you have been in Russia (not as an oligarch), you may have taken маршрутка (a little bus):
In English, it is possible to spell this word as marshrootka, marshrutka and even marshroutka (the last one sends you back to the concept of “route”).
Quick must-know facts, tips and tricks about marshrootka:
– replaces almost all public transport in majority of Russian towns – so, it is important to know how to use it;
– drivers are known as fast, fearless, breaking all possible and impossible traffic rules, men with a sense of humor;
– drivers do not recognize usual bus stops and take/unload people anywhere;
– to catch this bus, you need to wave like mad and sometimes even jump to attract driver’s attention;
– if the drives shows you with his forefinger and middle finger (kind of V but upside down), don’t get him wrong – passing by, he is just asking if you agree to stand as all seats have been occupied (this gesture resembles feet);
– often overcrowded, and during rush hours, you will never get into it if you remain a typical English gentleman – alas, you will see lots of men getting inside before women and children;
– during super rush hours and on student routes, the only way to catch one is to stand in the middle of the road and wave to the driver like your whole life depends on his decision and show letter V upside down;
– made of a super elastic material unknown to the rest of the world (proof: looks like designed for 13-14 people max but can easily take 20-30);
– if you have taken a seat, it does not mean it is yours (British, beware!): somebody can take a sit on your lap;
– to request a stop you need to use a special tool which British people use very reluctantly – their voice (read: you need to shout you want a stop – you would rather miss it than shout, ah?);
– having found a place to sit or stand (the latter is actually illegal), you need to pass the money to the driver straight away to avoid execution and interrogation – if you sit far from the driver just ask other people to pass the money;
– the previous tip explains why the seat right behind the driver can become your unpaid full-time job;
– it is divided into 2 parts: driver’s cabin with 2 extra seats for passengers and main passenger part;
– the former (read above) one is normally for beautiful girls and those who can, during the whole journey, hold the safety belt in such a way that it seemed it is fixed properly (Normally safety belts do not work in these buses. If you don’t know what to do, just put the buckle under your bum, and the road policemen will think (or pretend to think) you are safe);
– marshrootka has rules, peculiarities and sarcastic slogans you can find inside (to understand this humor, please read above):

Cost of ride – 25 rubles. Faster – 50 rubles. Standing – 20 rubles. Lying – 15 rubles. Run with the bus – 10 rubles. Sit on driver’s lap – 30 rubles.

Getting closer and closer to the person next to you, you give hope to people waiting at the bus stop