Facts about Russian
The most popular words in Russian
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Did you know that the most popular words in Russian are год (year), человек (human), and время (time)? You can use all three of them in one sentence, for example: Прошло так...
The most popular Russian verbs
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Do you know which Russian verbs are the most popular? These are быть (to be), мочь (to be able to), сказать (to say), говорить (to talk), хотеть (to want). You can...
Russian Tip of the Day
Did you know that there is the Day of the letter Ё? It is celebrated on the 29th of November. The official birthday of the letter Ё is on the...
How many consonants are in Russian?
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Do you know how many consonants are in the Russian alphabet? There are 21 consonant letters and 36 sounds! There are more sounds than letters because in some cases some...
The Russian response to a sneeze
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According to Russian etiquette norms, when a person sneezes, you are supposed to wish him or her health using an imperative mode. There are three forms for that: будь здоров...
How to address a stranger in Russian
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In modern Russian there is no form that would correspond to English ‘sir’ and ‘madame’ or, for example, Spanish ‘señor’ and ‘señora’. In Soviet times, this function was performed by...
Russian interjections “Ай!”, “Ой!” and “Эй!” (do not confuse them!)
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Although "Ай!", "Ой!", and "Эй!" may seem similar at first glance, they have distinct meanings and usage in Russian language. "Ай!" is an exclamation used to express sudden pain or...
Declension of surnames in Russian (part III)
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Some surnames in the Russian language remain unchanged regardless of the case they are used in. These surnames are typically foreign in origin. The first important thing to remember is that...
Difference between ‘извините’ and ‘простите’
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Both expressions verbalize our regret about something that happened due to our fault, but there is a nuance in their meanings. We say ‘извините’ (or ‘извини’ to close people) when the...
Names of punctuation marks in Russian
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In any language punctuation marks and the rules for their use play an important role. Here's the correct naming of the most common punctuation marks in Russian: Точка = Dot...
Why some people say ‘крайний’ instead of ‘последний’
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The avoidance of using the adjective 'последний' stems from pilots and paratroopers, individuals who, in the line of duty, constantly face life-threatening risks. With each flight, there existed a relatively...
Difference between ‘До свидания’, ‘Пока’, and ‘Прощай’
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The Russian phrases "до свидания," "пока," and "прощай" convey the idea of parting ways, but they are used in slightly different contexts and carry distinct emotional tones. "До свидания" is a...
How to call parts of speech in Russian
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In Russian, the parts of speech are called "части речи." Each of these parts of speech plays a unique role in constructing sentences and conveying meaning. (Имя) существительное = Noun...
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What do romantic dates and goodbyes have in common linguistically? You might have been surprised when you learned that 'a romantic date' in Russian is 'свидание.' Is it the same...
The letter Ё can be written without dots, why? And what about Й?
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You may have noticed that texts in Russian books, newspapers, and on the internet usually employ "е" instead of "ё." Readers are expected to understand the words correctly based on...
How to Read Reductions in Russian (Part 1)
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Undoubtedly, you have encountered reductions such as "т.е.", "и т.д.", "до н.э." in Russian texts. Let's delve into how to read these commonly used reductions and understand their meanings. Spoiler...
How to Read Reductions in Russian (Part 2)
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Let's explore reductions in Russian which we use when writing about time. г. = год (case depends on context) гг. = годы (case depends on context) Московский университет был основан в 1755...
Why Is a Ladybird Called "God's Little Cow" ("божья коровка") in Russian?
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The name of this small insect, with its red wings and black dots, sounds unusual not only in Russian but also in many European languages, including English (ladybird), German (Marienkäfer),...
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Even when speaking your native language, uncomfortable pauses sometimes occur. When we speak foreign languages, we often need a little more time to find the right word or formulate a...
Russian Tip of the Day
Food undeniably plays an important role in our lives, and it's no surprise that language is rich with verbs expressing the act of eating. The verb 'есть' is the go-to,...
