How do I say in Russian ''I wish you have fun''

There are a couple ways to express this in Russian. If you are addressing your friend or family member, which is an informal way of communication, you can say:

Желаю тебе приятно провести время! or
Повеселись! or
Желаю тебе весело провести время!

If you are addressing your boss or the person much older than you are as well as addressing multiple people at the same time, you need to be formal and can say:

Желаю вам приятно провести время!

Here is the recording teaching you to pronounce all above mentioned phrases http://www.box.net/shared/b06yct5djp You can either listen to it or download it onto your computer/ipod/mp3 player and practice.

Best of luck!

What is a typical Russian hat made of fur?

Typical Russian worn hat made of fur is ушанка pronounced as "oo-shahn-kah". I have also recorded an mp3 file for you teaching how to pronounce Ushanka in Russian. I hope it helps: http://www.box.net/shared/nfdjibiqrg

Famous Russian Movie Actors

This is a post for all of the Russian students interested in Russian movies and actors. I have composed a short list of famous Russian Movie Actors.

Konstantin Khabenskiy - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0450975/
Chulpan Khamatova - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0451122/
Oleg Menshikov - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0579823/
Vladimir Mashkov - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0556343/
Yevgeni Mironov - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0592491/
Sergey Bezrukov - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0080115/
Pavel Derevyanko - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1125711/
Dmitri Pevtsov - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0678933/
Olga Budina - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0119022/
Nikita Mikhalkov - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0586482/

How to say: "Hello again, (person's name). How are you doing?" and "Thank you" in formal Russian?

Here is a small lesson for you, which includes both an mp3 teaching the phrases as well as written instructions below:

http://www.box.net/shared/1benndub7v

Hello again + person's name = [ye-schyo rahs zdrah-stvooy-tye] + person's name = Еще раз здравствуйте + name

How are you doing? (formal) = [kahk oo vahs dye-lah] = Как у вас дела?

Thank you. = [spah-see-bah] = Спасибо.

Happy Birthday Poem in Russian

Does your friend or relative have birthday?! Learn how to write and pronounce a short Russian birthday poem!

С днём рожденья тебя поздравляю!
Здоровья, радости желаю,
И чтоб жил(а) ты много лет
Без слёз, без горести, без бед!

Literal translation into English:
I congratulate you with your birthday!
I wish you health and happiness,
And to live for many years
With no tears, with no sadness, with no troubles!

To learn the pronunciation listen to an mp3 I recorded: http://www.box.net/shared/egifx0fmho
Note: use "жил" when addressing male and "жила" when addressing female.

Russian Dessert - CRANBERRY MOUSSE - КЛЮКВЕННЫЙ МУСС

This cranberry mousse if one of my fondest memories from early childhood when I tasted it at our dacha/country house for the first time.

You will need:
- One and a half cups fresh cranberries
- Two and a half cups plus 1/3 cup of water
- 1/4 cup uncooked cream of wheat (not instant)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- lingonberry preserve for topping
- whipped cream for topping

Step 1:
Place the cranberries in a medium-size saucepan, add the 1/3/ cup of water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until cranberries pop open, 8-10 minutes.

Step 2:
Remove from the heat, let cool, then mash the cranberries thoroughly. Pass them through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Add the 2 and a half cups water and bring to a boil.

Step 3:
Reduce heat to low and gradually add cream of wheat and sugar, stirring constantly. Simmer stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved and mixture has thickened, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Step 4:
Put the mixture in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer set on the highest speed until the mousse doubles in size, 7-10 minutes. Transfer to individual serving bowls and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with lingonberry preserve and whipped cream.

What is the difference between ПОЧЕМУ and ЗАЧЕМ?

A dear friend and student of mine, Gale suggested this as one of many topics for the blog answering a question many students face: What is the actual difference between the words ПОЧЕМУ and ЗАЧЕМ?

The first interrogative word ПОЧЕМУ = why and can have a couple different meanings with first one being just "why" as in "what is the reason".
E.g.: Почему ты не читаешь? = Why aren't you reading?
Не понимаю, почему он еще не здесь. = I don't understand why he is not here yet.

The second meaning of ПОЧЕМУ is an equivalent to WHY NOT, an objection used as an affirmative answer to questions starting with "don't you" or "haven't you".
E.g.: Ты не сделал домашнее задание? = Haven't you done your home work?
Почему, сделал. = Why not, I have. / Why not, I have done it.

The second interrogative word ЗАЧЕМ = why as in "what's the purpose" or "what for". It is used when the idea of the question is "With what purpose?" or "What is the goal?"
E.g.: Зачем ты готовишь ужин? Мы ужинаем сегодня в ресторане. - Why / what for are you cooking dinner? We are having dinner at a restaurant today.