"You are very intelligent" in Russian

Due to gender differences as well as formal and informal ways of address there are a couple ways of saying "You are very intelligent" in Russian:

1) Ты очень умный. - Ti ochen umniy. - Informal situation, addressing male.
2) Ты очень умная. - Ti ochen umnaya. - Informal situation, addressing female.
3) Вы очень умный. - Vi ochen umniy. - Formal situation, addressing male.
4) Вы очень умная. - Vi ochen umnaya. - Formal situation, addressing female.

Traditional Russian Dance "BARYNYA"

Barynya is a famous Russian folk dance and music. The word BARYNYA = БАРЫНЯ = landlady was used by simple folk as a form of address to a woman of higher class.



Other traditional dances include: KOZACHOK, KHOROVOD, TREPAK, TROIKA, DROBUSHKI, KAMARINSKAYA

What is Russian stringed instrument with a triangular body?

This Russian folk musical instrument is called БАЛАЛАЙКА - BALALAIKA and has triangular body and 3 strings. The back of balalaika is slightly bowed. Three strings run from the tuning pins over the metal frets on the neck across soundboard and are secured on the base of the instrument.

Couple essential phrases in Russian with audioguide

So what if you are not fluent in Russian and are just starting, but would like to greet and compliment some Russians around you? Here are a couple phrases for you to start with:

Привет. = [pree-vyet] = Hi. (informal, to a friend, relative, etc.)

Как дела? = [kahk dee-lah] = How are you? (both formal and informal)

Как ты сегодня поживаешь? = [kahk ti sye-vod-nya pah-zhee-vah-esh] = How are you today? (informal, to a friend, relative, etc.)

Ты сегодня отлично выглядишь. = [ti sye-vod-nya aht-leech-na veeg-lya-dish] = You look great today. (informal, to a friend, relative, etc.)

Now learn how to pronounce them by listening to the audio file: http://www.box.net/shared/91ozljofcc

What is GLOVE and GLOVES in Russian? Singular and plural nouns

GLOVE in its singular form is ПЕРЧАТКА [PYER-CHAHT-KAH]

Plural form in Russian is formed by adding Ы or И to masculine and feminine nouns, however one needs to remember about 7 letter spelling rule: if the word ends with consonants К, Г, Х, Ш, Щ, Ж, Ч then the ending will be soft И, and not Ы

So plural form GLOVES in Russian would be ПЕРЧАТКИ [PYER-CHAHT-KEE]

Listen to my audio file teaching to pronounce both singular and plural forms of the word "GLOVE" in Russian: http://www.box.net/shared/qkp2t0nxe3

How do we say "My sweet princess" in Russian

The phrase "My sweet princess" in Russian is "Моя милая принцесса" or another option would be "Моя дорогая принцесса".

Listen and download an mp3 file to learn how to pronounce it by clicking here.

How would we say HONEY or SWEETHEART in Russian?

The term of endearment "лапочка" can be translated to English as:

1) "lassie" when describing a pretty and/or nice girl/woman
2) sweetpie, darling, sweetheart
3) honey (there is a 2003 motion picture released by Universal Pictures, its title "honey" was translated into Russian as "лапочка")

Phonetic Translations from English into Russian

Here is an excellent resource for Russian Language Students: http://www.livelaughlovelearn.com/gloss/ It is an English to Russian Phonetic Index Online Talking Dictionary, so when you enter an English word it shows you phonetic translation into Russian presented in English letters as well as an audio file pronouncing the word.

What is the difference between these words: ванна, ванная, туалет?

So how do we say BATHROOM in Russian? Is it ванна, ванная or туалет? Let's look at these words more closely.

ВАННА stands for BATHTUB or any TUB, like washbasin. So this is a piece of furniture in the bathroom.

Depending on the type of house Russians live in, they might have one room that has both sink, bathtub and toilet bowl in it. This room will be called ВАННАЯ. Other housing type has two rooms, one with toilet bowl in it called ТУАЛЕТ and another one with a sink and a bathtub called ВАННАЯ.

Aspectual pairs: imperfective and perfective VERBS

Russian verbs come in aspectual pairs: imperfective and perfective.

Imperfective: process and/or repetition
Perfective: completed action, one-time, and result

Here's a typical aspectual pair:

читать/прочитать (to read)

Imperfective
Past: Он читал
Present: Он читает
Future: Он будет читать

Perfective
Past: Он прочитал
Present: -----------
Future: Он прочитает


Some common VERB PAIRS and their conjugation:

• брать (я беру, ты берёшь…они берут)/взять (я возьму, ты возьмёшь…они возьмут) – to take


• готовить (я готовлю, ты готовишь…они готовят)/приготовить – to prepare; to cook


• делать (я делаю, ты делаешь…они делают)/сделать – to do; to make


• думать (я думаю, ты думаешь…они думают)/подумать – to think


• ехать (я еду, ты едешь…они едут)/поехать – to go by vehicle


• есть (я ем, ты ешь, он ест, мы едим, вы едите, они едят)/съесть – to eat


• завтракать (я завтракаю, ты завтракаешь…они завтракают)/позавтракать – to have breakfast


• идти (я иду, ты идёшь…они идут)/пойти (я пойду, ты пойдёшь…они пойдут) to go on foot


• обедать (я обедаю, ты обедаешь…они обедают)/пообедать – to have lunch (2nd meal of day)


• писать (я пишу, ты пишешь…они пишут)/написать – to write


• пить (я пью, ты пьёшь…они пьют)/выпить (я выпью, ты выпьешь…они выпьют)– to drink


• покупать (я покупаю, ты покупаешь…они покупают)/купить (я куплю, ты купишь…они купят) – to buy


• слушать (я слушаю, ты слушаешь…они слушают)/послушать – to listen to


• слышать (я слышу, ты слышишь…они слышат)/услышать – to hear


• смотреть (я смотрю, ты смотришь…они смотрят)/посмотреть – to watch, to look at


• советовать (я советую, ты советуешь…они советуют)/посоветовать – to advise


• ужинать (я ужинаю, ты ужинаешь…они ужинают)/поужинать – to have dinner/supper (3rd meal of day)

The Russian Grade System

Best grade in Russia, equivalent to A in US, is called excellent = ОТЛИЧНО [aht-'leech-nah] often referred to by number 5 = ПЯТЁРКА [pya-'tyor-kah]. One grade below would be good = ХОРОШО [ha-rah-'sho] or 4 = ЧЕТВЁРКА [cheyt-vyor-kah]. Next would be satisfactory = УДОВЛЕТВОРИТЕЛЬНО [oo-dahv-lyet-va-ree-tel'-no] or 3 = ТРОЙКА [troy-ka]. And the failing grade is non satisfactory = НЕУДОВЛЕТВОРИТЕЛЬНО [nye-oo-dahv-lyet-va-ree-tel'-no] or 2 = ДВОЙКА [dvoy-ka]

Click on the link of the post to listen or download the recording on how to pronounce Russian grades.

Commands for DOGs in English and in Russian

Do you want your dog to speak Russian? You can teach some of the commands to your dog in Russian. Here are the most basic commands in both languages. Make sure to listen to the audio where I teach the commands by clicking on the title of this post.

SIT = СИДЕТЬ = [see-dyet']
DOWN = ЛЕЖАТЬ = [lye-'zhaht]
SHAKE = ДАЙ ЛАПУ = [dai 'la-poo]
COME = КО МНЕ = [ka 'mnye]
HEEL = РЯДОМ = ['rya-dom]
SPEAK = ГОЛОС = ['go-lahs]

How to say I DON'T SPEAK RUSSIAN

In Russian the sentence: "I don't speak Russian." or "I can't speak Russian." would be "Я не говорю по-русски." - ya ne gava`ryoo pa`rooskee

Learn how to say it well by clicking on the title of the post to listen to the audio where I pronounce the full phrase and then practice it word by word.

ЧТО ДЕЛАТЬ? and ЧТО СДЕЛАТЬ?

ДЕЛАТЬ is an imperfective aspect of the verb, which is used to emphasize the process. The translation of ЧТО ДЕЛАТЬ? is WHAT TO DO? or WHAT IS TO BE DONE? (There is a novel with this title by Russian writer Chernyshevsky)

СДЕЛАТЬ is a perfective aspect of the verb and is used to emphasize the result or to express a one time action. ЧТО СДЕЛАТЬ? is WHAT TO GET DONE? or WHAT TO GET ACCOMPLISHED?