What is the national anthem? It is a song that officially symbolizes a country or nation and tells about its past, people, and pride. Most of these national songs are marches with fanfare. You can hear them on a wide variety of occasions, and usually, you need to stick to a certain etiquette. The main national song usually has lyrics in the most commonly used language in the territory of the country.In most cases, lyrics are very poetical and beautiful, so you can hardly decipher them if you don’t know the language well enough. The Russian anthem can be easily recognized by the strong and hard-to-forget music and its Russian lyrics. Many people, even not knowing the Russian language, think it sounds very powerful. The lyrics for the... Show more

Studying takes up a large part of our lives, and very often when learning a new language from scratch you get acquainted with new vocabulary in a classroom that will be useful further in life. Therefore, today we will talk about school and university vocabulary. The topic of education is very extensive, but in this article, we will try to mention the main things that interest people who study Russian. For example, there are a lot of school subjects or school supplies surrounding us in everyday life, and it will be especially useful to know what they are called. So, we suggest talking about the education process in Russian language learning and its essential vocabulary. Do you know the names of school subjects in Russian? Here you... Show more

Why is it important to study restaurant phrases? No trip to Russia is complete without visiting local restaurants and cafes. But to enjoy Russian food to the fullest and not end up getting something strange on your plate, it is better to know in advance the basic Russian restaurant phrases, what popular dishes are called in Russian, how to book a table, and other nuances. Of course, many restaurants have menus with pictures, which greatly simplifies the task for those who are new to this vocabulary. But wouldn't you like to know how to order food in Russian and not just point the finger at the dish in the picture?So today’s “special” is useful Russian vocabulary and the most common Russian restaurant phrases. From this article, you... Show more

A visit to Russia presents a great opportunity to see some extraordinary wildlife! For example, the Russian taiga is home to such animals as boars, reindeer, moose, and even bears. Russians also love their pets—if you ever find yourself invited to a Russian’s home, don’t be surprised if you encounter a dog or cat during your stay. In this article, we’ll be taking a trip to the zoo to learn the names of different animals in Russian. While some of these animal names may sound familiar to you and prove easy to memorize, others will be more of a challenge. Make sure to keep an open mind while reading and to write down any unfamiliar animal names for future reference—you might already know the basics, like “cat” and “dog,” but I doubt... Show more

Love is one of the best feelings ever, and it’s one that frequently cuts across international borders and cultural backgrounds.  If a Russian has caught your eye or completely stolen your heart, learning even a few basic phrases in his or her language might just win them over.  In this article, we’ll talk about everything from flirting to marriage and introduce you to the many ways you can say "I love you," in Russian. You’ll learn the most common pick-up lines, how to express your abiding love in Russian, how to propose to that special someone, and more.  Save these popular Russian love phrases for the person of your heart, and get ready for a whirlwind of romance!  Table of Contents Confess Your Affection: Pick-Up... Show more

Why learn Russian when there are so many other languages—such as English, Spanish, and Chinese—that are obviously in high demand? This question has no definite answer, but one thing is obvious: Those who decide to study Russian are signing themselves up for certain advantages unavailable to speakers of other languages.  In this article, we’ll explain why you should learn Russian in 2021. We’ll also prove to you that this language is not as difficult as it seems, and tell you about the areas where it’s spoken.  Already interested? Let’s go! Table of Contents Quick Info About the Language Benefits of Learning Russian Evidence that Russian is not Difficult to Learn Conclusion 1. Quick Info About the Language  ... Show more

"Better late than never." "Don’t judge a book by its cover." You’re constantly surrounded by proverbs, and you probably don’t pay much attention to them until you start learning a new language. This is where the fun begins: The meanings of foreign proverbs can be difficult to guess, you can’t usually translate them literally, and some of them don’t even have an equivalent. Yes, you’ll find a few Russian proverbs like this. But what if you look at them from another angle? Have you ever wondered where proverbs come from? Many of them haven’t changed in centuries! They’ve been carrying wisdom from one generation to another, up until modern times. We use proverbs to console a beloved one, to give advice, or to cheer somebody up.... Show more

Moscow is a magnificent city, serving as both the Russian capital and the nation’s historical and cultural center. So, if you want to learn more about the biggest country in the world—and experience its grandeur yourself—then visiting Moscow is the logical next step forward.  But is Moscow a nice place to visit?  Believe us: This lively city has dozens of entertainment options for all tastes. If you’re ready, let’s start planning your trip right now in our Moscow travel guide! Table of Contents Before You Go: The Most Important Things to Know Must-See Places for a 1-3 Day Trip Highly Recommended Places for a 4-7 Day Trip (or Longer) Survival Russian Phrases for Foreigners Conclusion Before You Go: The Most... Show more

The Russian language is rich not only with its own words, but also with words borrowed from other languages. For English speakers looking to learn the language, studying English loanwords in Russian is a great way to quickly expand your vocabulary and make Russian seem less daunting.  We’ve prepared a list of English words in Russian that you can start using right away. We’ve also included a section about Russian words in the English language to further broaden your horizons.  Let’s get to it! Table of Contents Introduction to Runglish Runglish Examples Loanwords vs. Runglish How to Say These Names in Russian English Words Derived From the Russian Language English-Russian Paronyms Conclusion ... Show more

What images come to mind when you hear the word "Russia"?  Russia is known for its large territory and cold winters. But, digging deeper, what is Russian culture like?  Art and literature enthusiasts may be familiar with our world-famous ballet and our prominent writers: Alexander Pushkin, Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky…  Sports lovers may acknowledge our hockey team and outstanding performances at the Olympics. Those who are into science must already be familiar with our space activities as well as our massive oil and gas industry.  And gamers: you know Tetris, right? Perhaps you’ve already learned something new just from reading this Russian culture introduction. But if you want to find out how Russians live, interact with... Show more