https://www.youtube.com/embed/9gR6s8K_PI4 How much hardship can a single country endure?  Take a brief look at Russian history, and you’ll find that a country can survive just about anything as long as its people remain united. From Polish invasion to the so-called Time of Troubles, Russia underwent quite a series of destructive events in the seventeenth century—and eventually made it to the other side intact as a nation. In this article, we’ll discuss some of this history with you and talk about the importance of National Unity Day in Russia.  Let’s get started! 1. What is National Unity Day? The Russian National Day of Unity, celebrated each year on 4 ноября (4 nayabrya), or November 4, commemorates... Show more

https://www.youtube.com/embed/fmbhKWZnOZk Did you know that the National Day of Russia is also the country’s newest holiday? Russia Day didn’t become an official holiday until 1994, four years after Russia became an independent Штат (shtat), or "state." In this article, you’ll learn how Russians celebrate this holiday, why it’s such a significant (and sometimes controversial) day, and some useful vocabulary. Let’s get started! 1. What is Russia Day? Russia Day is the national day of Russia, marking the date in 1990 when Russia adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty, making Russia an independent state. In 1994, Russia began celebrating this as a national holiday, and in 2002, it received its official name: День... Show more

In Russian culture, education is put on a high pedestal, and the Russian education system reflects this each year on the country’s Day of Knowledge (or День знаний in Russian). To Russia, the first day of school ceremonies are an essential part of keeping children interested and excited for each new year at school—after all, kids won’t really learn anything if they’re not excited to, right? This holiday is especially unique to Russia’s culture, considering the fact that there’s no International Day of Knowledge (though other countries do have similarly themed holidays). In this article, you’ll learn about the history behind the Day of Knowledge in Russia, as well as gain insight into how Russia gets its kids excited for a new year... Show more

Did you know that when a Bulgarian nods his head, that means “no,” and when a Russian nods his head, it means “yes?” The same thing goes for shaking one’s head from side to side. In Bulgaria that means “yes,” but in Russia that same gesture means “no.” That’s why it’s so important to put some time and effort into learning foreign body language. You need to be perfectly sure that you interpret every gesture the right way. That said, here’s our list of Russian body language and gestures that you should know. Start with a bonus, and download your FREE cheat sheet - How to Improve Your Russian Skills! (Logged-In Member Only) Table of Contents Russian Greetings and Gestures Interesting Russian Nonverbal Gestures Counting ... Show more

Did you know that Russian people have their own way of forming emoticons in text? They amputate the eyes and the nose of :-) leaving just a bracket-mouth. The more brackets you use, the more positive the emotions you express are. While one bracket means just a light smile or an expression of friendliness, using three or more brackets represents laughter. Sometimes if a person doesn’t put at least one bracket in his message, it seems as though he’s being very serious. Let's dig deeper into the Russian text lingo and learn how to speak exactly like a Russian on the internet. Table of Contents About Russian Texting Slang Russian Texting Abbreviation Dictionary Russian Internet Slang Words Fun Exercise: Rewrite the... Show more

Zombies are coming, and they speak Russian! Do you have what it takes to survive? No? How lucky you are, we have exactly what you need. Here is the Top 20 Words and Phrases you need to survive this Apocalypse! Click here to listen how to pronounce those phrases! инфекция (n) infektsiya infection жуткий (adj) zhutkiy scary череп (n) cherep skull могила (n) mogila grave Какой Ваш любимый фильм про зомби? Kakoy vash lyubimyy fil'm pra zombi? What's your favorite zombie movie? Click here to access this lesson for free! Апокалипсис (n) Apakalipsis apocalypse Подняться из могилы. Padnyatsa iz magily rise from the grave Зомби! Бежим! Zombi! Bezhim! Zombies! Run! Если был случилась атака... Show more

Hey Listeners! So you've decided to study Russian, now what? Chances are you're looking to become fluent and conversational as fast as possible, right? Well then, look no further! This is the list for you! Without further ado, here are the top 5 shortcuts to learning Russian! Click Here To Start Learning Russian Right Now! 1. Create A Study Schedule And Set Some Goals: This one may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many unorganized language learners there are in the world! Creating a schedule allows you to manage your time wisely, enabling you to free up time to study consistently. Goals are also a key component of learning Russian. These give you motivation and something to strive for. 2. Make It Fun: You... Show more

Hey Listeners! Guess what? Your language learning goals just got a little easier! As you’ve probably realized by now, there have been some major improvements made to your dashboard! These updates have been designed to improve your overall experience with the website and help keep you organized and on-track! Here are a few of the changes: Your progress is now tracked right, smack in the middle of the page to keep you motivated and organized. A new, sleek and easy to navigate design allows you to worry less about where to click and more on learning Russian! An enlarged profile picture that gives your dashboard a unique and more personal feel. A new layout for the “Latest News” feed to keep you informed on all of the most... Show more

Are you currently debating whether or not to learn Russian? You aren't alone. Learning a new language requires a huge investment of time, and often money as well. That's why so many people are hesitant to spend the amount of effort required to become fluent in another language. However, learning a new language can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life and there are a number of reasons why you should start studying one... and start studying now! Click Here And Start Learning Russian With A FREE Account! More Opportunities That's right. It's not rocket science. A new language can open up many new doors. You're able to work in countries other than your own, leading to a world of new opportunities. It can also qualify... Show more

Hello Listener, What say you to a cup of tea? How about...a new app, our 34 Language Celebration and 34% OFF Premium and MORE Russian lessons by real teachers? Bam! Didn’t expect that, did you? The year’s just started and you’re already getting the newest study tools and best deals. So what’s this new app that you’re getting? And what’s this celebration? Keep reading! In this month’s newsletter: Join the 34 Language Celebration & Get 34% OFF Premium New iPhone & iPad App! Get Free Mini-Lessons Every Day 2016 Lesson Schedule! Your Russian Lessons for the New Year 1) Celebrate our 34 Languages & Get 34% OFF Premium! You asked, we listened. And on January 1st, we launched the new websites for Afrikaans, Romanian and... Show more