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.
Here’s how!
Posted: May 26, 2014 Filed under: Fun with Language, Random Jokes, Random Words | Tags: Russian Vocabulary Leave a commentNothing difficult as today is Monday!
Russian through songs: born in USSR
Posted: May 20, 2014 Filed under: Fun with Language Leave a commentMusic is a wonderful way to learn a language – rhythm and rhyme make the process easier and more enjoyable. I have found a great video for a popular Russian song with relevant images:
Would be a good idea just to listen to it a few times, then look at English translation to get a basic idea of what it is all about and then follow Russian lyrics to hear how we pronounce words and phrases. Then it is recommended to listen to it again a few times until you get comfortable with lyrics. This song is quite easy – mostly names – so it won’t make you feel like you know nothing!
Текст (for better quality, download it or click on it):
Money in the jar
Posted: April 10, 2014 Filed under: Fun with Language, Mnemotechniques, Random Words | Tags: Russian Vocabulary Leave a commentIt would not be a surprise for you to hear that Russian word for bank is банк (masculine gender).
Also, we have a similarly pronounced word, but of feminine gender – банка. Means a jar (glass jar for storing).
But in prepositional case, they would take the same forms – банке. So,
– Возьми в банке! can mean 1) take (it) in/from bank 2) take it in/from the jar
– Я храню деньги в банке! can mean 1) I keep money in bank 2) I keep money in a jar
And one more about work (not bank/jar) for more advanced speakers:

Source: Demotivators.to (when) you don’t work – to live not on what (there’s no money for living) (when) you work – to live there’s no time (there’s not time for living)
Random words: СТАТЬ/BECOME
Posted: April 4, 2014 Filed under: Fun with Language, Random Jokes, Random Words | Tags: Russian Vocabulary Leave a commentСТАТЬ sounds a bit like British English START, doesn’t it? Just mind the soft Т in the end. I want to start and become a…
Also, we use Instrumental case after this verb:
Я хочу стать врачом. – I want to become a doctor.
Я хочу стать космонавтом. – I want to become a cosmonaut.
Я хочу стать звездой. – I want to become a star.
A little joke to practice (it’s Friday today, don’t work too much!):

(word for word) If all time work and never not rest, possible to become most rich person on cemetery.
We don’t always put dots above Ё (like in the second word above).
Great present
Posted: March 13, 2014 Filed under: Fun with Language, Mnemotechniques, Random Words | Tags: Russian Vocabulary Leave a commentLet’s talk about a few words related to presents.
Дарить – to give something as a present – Что тебе подарить? Я не знаю!
Дар – gift (but quite a high style, better use the word below) or talent.
Подарок – a present (подарки – presents) – read like *ПАДАРЭК.
Do you think dark chocolate is a good present (just make sure you say the Russian РРРРРР sound!)?
Sleeping in spa
Posted: March 12, 2014 Filed under: Fun with Language, Mnemotechniques, Random Words | Tags: Russian Vocabulary Leave a commentIf you struggle with Russian word спать (to sleep) think spa! And then just add a soft consonant т (when not italics will look like т)
It’s an imperfective infinitive that changes normally in past – спал, спала, спали. But it’s a bit tricky in present: я сплю, ты спишь, он спит, мы спим, вы спите, они спят.
When “look” is onion
Posted: March 11, 2014 Filed under: Fun with Language, Mnemotechniques, Random Words | Tags: Russian Vocabulary Leave a commentIf you know English word look, you will definitely master the Russian word for onion as it sounds (almost) the same: лук. The tiny difference will be that in Russian sound л will be very hard. Hope my idea below will help you remember it!
Slang of the day: БОМЖ
Posted: March 6, 2014 Filed under: Fun with Language, Mnemotechniques, Slang of the day | Tags: Russian Slang Leave a commentThis abbreviation is quite slangy and means a homeless person.
At the end of a word, Ж turns into Ш, so this word is read like *БОМШ. The Ш sound is like in that famous posh car:

One бомж heard that it is correct (to pronounce) not “Porsch” but “Porsche”. Now he asks to call himself not “Бомж” but “Бомже”.
If at the end of a word after Ж there are vowels, Ж remains Ж.