Russian is the most widespread of the Slavic languages ​​and the 6th largest in terms of the total number of speakers. Therefore, many people strive to learn Russian for work and career prospects, some need it for education, and others want to get to know Russian culture better.

In this article we will give you 10 practical tips that will help you learn Russian and make this process interesting and exciting.

1 - Start with the simplest

The first step to learning Russian is to master its alphabet. The Cyrillic alphabet, unlike the Latin alphabet, is based on the Greek alphabet. Because of this, many letters, although similar, mean different sounds, and some are completely unique. So, for example, the Russian letter “P” is similar to the English “R”, and the Russian “N” is nothing more than the English “N”. If you spend enough time on the alphabet and basic phonetics from the very beginning, further learning of many aspects of the language will become easier and will progress much faster.

Children's fairy tales are well suited for teaching reading; a list of them can be found on Wikipedia. They are written in simple and correct language and are easy to understand. This kind of reading will help you get a feel for the basics of the language and learn how to construct sentences beautifully and correctly. More complex things are best left for later.

2 – Repetition is the mother of learning

So says the old Russian proverb. Glue leaves with Russian names on pieces of furniture, appliances, dishes and everything that surrounds you in all the places where you spend a lot of time: at home, in the office, in the car. This will help you always keep new words before your eyes and, over time, remember them without resorting to boring memorization.

3 - Write everything down

You shouldn't always rely on your memory. Especially if you are in another country and everything that surrounds you is often new phenomena. Always keep a notebook or mobile phone handy so you can quickly and conveniently take notes. At the end of each day, review your notes; there will certainly be something worth remembering.

4 - Always stay in touch

VKontakte is the Russian analogue of Facebook, which in many post-Soviet countries is much more popular than its older brother. Russian-speaking users are happy to make new acquaintances with foreigners, which can be very useful for language practice. Thanks to communication on social networks, you can quickly improve your knowledge of spoken language and learn someone else's online culture. In addition, sometimes friends and acquaintances during such informal communication can explain some phenomena and concepts much better than teachers.

5 – Cinema and music

For many, the most interesting way to learn another language is watching movies and listening to music. In the case of the Russian language, it will be an excellent help official channel of the Mosfilm concern, where all the old Russian films are collected. The channel has a separate playlist with films with subtitles.

Far From Moscow is an excellent platform where you can find a lot of Russian music from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries. All genres and trends are represented here, and there is a lot of content that can be legally listened to and downloaded.

These resources will help not only improve your language skills themselves, but also find new topics for conversations with friends.

6 - Read in Russian

Reading develops language skills very quickly. Try to read as much Russian as possible, such as news sites and Russian-language blogs. This way you will improve your language skills and be able to delve more deeply into the Russian mentality, culture and everyday life. In the end, it’s just interesting to read how the same events are written about in different countries.

7 - Never refuse invitations

Russians sometimes seem not very friendly and cold, but this is only until you find yourself at their home. If you are invited to a party, or just for tea, then rest assured that you will be treated to the best food and the most unusual stories will be shared with you. Such lively and relaxed communication is a great way to improve your speaking skills, learn new things about the culture and make friends.

8 – Visit a Russian-speaking country

Complete immersion in the language environment is the surest way to start speaking Russian quickly. In the vast expanses of the former USSR, the Russian language is very widespread; it is not necessary to go directly to Russia - you can find cities in other countries where Russian is one of the main languages ​​of communication. Such a place can be found even in the European Union. For example, the city of Daugavpils in Latvia: for 80% of its residents Russian is their native language, and 96% of residents speak Russian fluently. In Daugavpils, standard modern Russian without any accent is used as the main language for communication, which makes this city a very attractive place to study it.

If possible, it is better to live not in a hotel, but in a family where the main language of communication is Russian. Many language training programs provide this opportunity. This way you will never fall out of the language environment, and you will be forced to speak Russian, which will certainly bear fruit over time.

9 - Find someone to talk to

Finding an interlocutor for whom Russian is a native language is not so difficult. You can use social networks, but if you are in a Russian-speaking country, be sure to find someone to spend time with. This will not only help you make new friendships, but will also help you get involved in learning the language faster.

The main thing to remember is that if your goal is language, then you should not forget about the need to write down and remember everything new. Analyze your meetings every time, learn new words and expressions. Thus, with each subsequent “lesson” you will feel more confident, which means you will be ready for more difficult things.

10 - Find a new hobby

Do you like to cook? Ask your friends to teach you how to cook some traditional dishes. Are you into music? Learn several traditional songs and several popular modern Russian compositions. Dive deeper into Russian culture. This will make you an even more interesting conversationalist and allow you to better understand the Russian mentality. This way you will be able to quickly find a common language with Russian-speaking people and will be able to gain much more conversational experience.

Russian culture and the language, which is an integral part of it, are incredibly interesting and, therefore, attract many. We are confident that the tips we have given you will simplify the process of learning Russian. If you are interested in courses to learn this language, which provide a unique cultural experience and practice, be sure to check out the information on our website. Don't be afraid of difficulties and learn Russian!

Instructions

Conscious work on oneself is possible already at a more or less conscious age. Helping with language development and ensuring language competence is a task. The knowledge that is given at school is basic knowledge adapted for the average student, and not at all exorbitant. That is why if you want to know the Russian language perfectly, try to always get an “excellent” grade in the school curriculum. There is nothing superfluous in it, even if it seems so to you.

But what to do if you have already graduated from school, and your knowledge of the language still cannot be called excellent? Either a higher philological education or individual work will help here. In the first case, everything is more or less clear. At the Faculty of Philology, if you take your studies responsibly, you will certainly acquire, if not an excellent knowledge of the Russian language, then at least a very good one. If you study individually, then it is worth studying manuals on the subject “Russian language and speech culture.” Just be sure to make sure that you are using a quality publication approved by experts.

Among other things, there are several tips that will help you improve your language, regardless of what family you come from, what education you have and how old you are. First, read as much as possible. Basically, classical works - domestic and foreign authors. Don’t forget to look up the meanings of unfamiliar words in the dictionary - at school, such a request from teachers seems boring, but in fact it greatly develops erudition. Turn to dictionaries more often, especially the academic spelling dictionary - the one that still contains classical pronunciation, without incorporating modern concessions from the Ministry of Education. Even if you graduated from school a long time ago, sometimes try to solve Russian language tests for high school and test yourself in case you forgot some rule. Also, when communicating with different people, try to notice, but not borrow from them, certain speech errors.

Online Russian language test: Do you know Russian well?

Russian language is one of the most beautiful, but at the same time, one of the most difficult languages ​​in the world! This is because it has many rules as well as exceptions to the rules.

Many works of literature have been written in Russian and are read all over the world. It is important for a modern person not only to read correctly, but also to write. And for this you need to periodically test your knowledge.

Want to check how well you speak Russian? Then answer 12 simple questions and find out what grade you deserve in your school diary!

Intelligence test Do you know Russian well? You can go online completely free of charge (without registration and without sending SMS). If possible, leave your review and rate it. Happy testing!

Reviews about the Russian language test:

• Andrey| Saint Petersburg
  4 minus I would like


• Sophia| carpets
  Kick


• Lyudmila| friendship
  like


• Konstantin| Angarsk
  Tell me the correct answers


• Angelina| Kaliningrad
  Not at all objective assessments. The compiler or compiler is either simply unable to notice his own gaps in knowledge, or simply does not know how to do tests.