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Have you ever had difficulties with combining Russian words? We’re sure you know what we’re talking about. Russian word order is important because it makes sentences make sense. Without understanding the main principles of combining words, you won’t be able to communicate with native speakers while, let’s say, vacationing in Russia over the holidays or chatting on social media.Russian sentence structure is one of the most significant parts of learning the grammar rules of this language. If you learn how to make sentences word by word now, you probably won't have problems with more difficult themes in the future. So let's start studying! Table of Contents Overview of Word Order in Russian Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and... Show more

This article is the result of a diligent inquiry into the question of how native Russians are actually telling time in Russian. If you’ve taken a peek at this topic before, you probably know that Russians usually add one of the following words to the number of hours: утра (utra) — "of the morning"дня (dnya) — "of the day"вечера (vechera) — "of the evening"ночи (nochi) — "of the night"  But how would you define three a.m.? Is it still night or is it already morning?  Well, the Russian language is very flexible, so both options are possible depending on the context and what you want to emphasize. If you’re talking about early wakeups, saying Сегодня я встал в 3 утра (Segodnya ya vstal v tri utra), or "Today I woke up at three in the... Show more

When you’re taking a cab, asking for the nearest toilet, and making sure that the bus goes where you need it to go, being able to understand directions in Russian is essential for tourist survival in Russia. Of course, you can always use translation apps, but sometimes it’s just inconvenient to do that. The taximeter is counting ruble by ruble, a full bladder doesn’t want to lose a second more, and the bus is already at the bus stop ready to take off—and you have no idea when the next one is. Learning all about directions in Russian will help you save time, money, and nerves. Also, knowing how to say basic things—such as the cardinal directions in Russian, the words for "far" and "close," "straight," "left" and "right" in Russian,... Show more

You’ve probably noticed that a lot of kids start learning words with nouns—besides sound imitations, of course. They say "mom," "dad," "dog," "cat," and so on. Only after that do they start to glue sentences together with verbs and add adjectives. It’s just so easy to point at something and pronounce its name—causing loud excitement in the rows of grannies and grandads. It’s actually a great way for grownups to study as well. You can put stickers with Russian nouns on things around you, practice saying the names of things in Russian while walking down the street, or talk about what you’re eating during dinner with Russian friends. It may also be helpful to make learning cards and draw pictures on them. In this article, RussianPod101... 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

Sincere compliments are wonderful! Every person loves to hear about his or her merits. Compliments make people happy, increase self-esteem, and smooth out sharp edges in relationships. Of course, they’re not obligatory, but they are helpful in many situations. That’s why you should know some Russian compliments if you study this language or simply want to fly to Russia in the future. This article will help you learn about giving compliments in the Russian language. Table of Contents General Information Compliments on Someone’s Look Compliments on Someone’s Skills or Abilities Compliments on Someone’s Personal Traits Compliments on Someone’s Work How to Make Sincere Compliments How to Respond to Compliments ... Show more

Everyone experiences anger, regardless of temperament, strength of character, endurance, or other similar factors. Anger is a biologically programmed feeling. It was one of the first emotional experiences available to primitive man, and contrary to popular opinion, anger is a useful emotion. It was given to humans in order to survive. We get angry when something violates our inner peace, threatens our lives, or damages our self-esteem. Scholars say that those who don’t let their anger out suffer both psychologically and physically. Thus, if you study Russian, it’ll be useful for you to learn how to talk about your rage in this language. You need to know angry phrases in Russian by heart so you can put your feelings into words in any... Show more

Russian prepositions are the glue of a sentence, connecting pronouns, nouns, and other words in order to convey the most accurate meaning and describe how things relate to each other. If you don’t know the main prepositions of the Russian language and have no idea how to use prepositions in Russian grammar, then you can’t write or speak the language correctly. In this article, you’ll find everything you need to master Russian prepositions and Russian prepositional cases. If you study properly, your Russian speech will become much richer and clearer. Table of Contents What is a Preposition? Prepositions of Time Prepositions of Location Prepositions of Relation Quiz Conclusion 1. What is a Preposition? Learn Russian... Show more

Did you know that there’s a Russian holiday called Крещение (Kreshcheniye), or "Baptism," when everyone jumps into прорубь (prorub’), or an "ice hole" in just their underwear? This holiday is in January, so it might be -10°C or -20°C, or even -50°C outside. Russian people believe that it washes off their sins and improves health. This holiday salutes the end of Russian winter holidays, each of which contains even more peculiar traditions. (You thought you were just going to learn Happy Birthday in Russian, didn’t you?) To feel confident in living in Russia and communicating with Russian people, it’s important to know these traditions, especially how people congratulate each other. So, let’s dig into the festive side of life and learn how... Show more

Russia is the only country in the world that lies in eight climate zones. That means that the general weather in Russia is very different from one region to another. Whether you want to travel or have a business visit in mind, being able to talk about the weather will be very useful. Talking about the weather in Russian can help you keep your socks dry, your body warm, and your face without sunburns. Sounds promising, doesn’t it? So, let’s learn Russian weather vocabulary with RussianPod101.com, and get a glimpse of St. Petersburg, Russia weather too! Table of Contents Basic Vocabulary: How’s the Weather? Advanced Vocabulary about Weather in Russia Russian Weather: Let’s Practice a Conversation Weather in Russian Cities ... Show more