To many native speakers of other languages Russian can seem like a challenging and mysterious language. It’s not usually the first language people think of when they want to learn a foreign language. In this post we’ll unveil some of the mystery surrounding Russian as we give you 5 reasons you should learn the language.   

1) Knowing Russian Opens the Doors to Travel

Russian is a truly international language with over 300 million native and non native speakers in countries throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Being able to speak russian will open doors to exotic and exciting places. From the busy bustle of Moscow, the hopefulness of Kiev, the elegance of St. Petersburg, to the mysteriousness of Almaty your Russian skills could unlock a lifetime of travel and adventure.

2) The Russian Speaking World Holds Many Interesting Cultures

All these foreign destinations hold a depth of fascinating culture. Learning Russian will do more than just give the opportunity of travel, it will help you discover new ways of looking at the world. The Russian speaking world has a deep and rich tradition of Slavic culture. Many parts of its history and customs will be completely new to most native English speakers. But Slavic culture isn’t only a part of the past. It lives on today. Knowing the Russian language will help you appreciate a different way of life and a new way of looking at the world.

3) Russia has a Great Tradition of Literature

Russia has historically been a titan in the area of world literature. Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Gogo, Bunin, Chekhov, Pushkin, the list goes on. As your skill in russian improves you’ll be able to read the works of these great authors in their native Russian, giving you a higher level of appreciation and understanding that just wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

4) There are More Resources Than Ever to Help You Learn Russian

In the past if you were a native English speaker it could be difficult to find good resources for learning Russian. But in the past several years the internet has exploded with courses, apps, and other resources to you help along in your language journey. Not all courses are created equal, I’ve often written about how some are better than others. Still there are a ton of lessons, grammar aids, videos, and media out there that are helpful and will make the difference in your studies.

5) Learning Russian is a rewarding experience

Learning Russian isn’t always easy, but it is always worth it. Yes the grammar can be complex, the words unusual, and the pronunciation difficult; but as you practice and develop your skills you will find that the ability to understand and use the language more than makes up for it. Celebrate every success you have on the road to fluency, even the smallest ones, and you will find Russian learning to be a satisfying experience.

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There are so many problems that might be holding you back from becoming fluent in Russian. One of them is not being confident! 

During the years of my career as a Russian language teacher, I’ve worked with hundreds of students from different countries and of different age, and about 95% of them were insecure about how they spoke or wrote in Russian.

• “I know I make a lot of mistakes….”
• “I hope you can understand me…”
• “Sorry, my Russian is so bad…”

Don’t these phrases sound familiar? Do you ever feel like your Russian is not good enough?

These two simple exercises will help you to increase your confidence:

1. Focus on what you CAN do, not what you CAN’T do

It’s a huge mistake constantly to concentrate on what you lack. Sooner or later it will make you feel frustrated and bad. Instead of doing that, try to focus on what you’re GOOD at, on what you CAN do in Russian. Buy a cute notebook and write down all the small wins of the day.
For example: I’ve learned 5 new words today, I’ve listened to Russian for 30 minutes, I understood a phrase from a song or a movie.
No matter how small these things are – the important part is that they show progress!

2. Avoid stress and pressure

Some students try to start speaking to native speakers as soon as possible. But it’s a dangerous path that can make you feel bad in the end! Taking part in a real conversation is very stressful.

Build your confidence by practicing speaking in low-pressure situations. The best way to start is to speak to yourself. Trust me, it works. If you don’t know what to say, use one of these questions and try to answer:

BIRTHDAY:
How are birthdays celebrated in your country? – Как отмечают день рождения в вашей стране?
How do you like to celebrate your birthday? – Как вы любите отмечать свой день рождения?
What is your worst birthday memory? – Ваш худший день рождения?
What is the best birthday gift you have ever received? – Какой самый хороший подарок вы получали?
What do you think is the best age? – Какой возраст самый хороший?

FOOD:
Are you a vegetarian? – Вы вегетарианец?
Can you cook well? – Вы хорошо готовите?
Do you have a favorite cafe? If so, where is it? Why do you like it? – Какое ваше любимое кафе? Где оно находится? Почему оно вам нравится?
What kind of vegetables do you like? – Какие овощи вы любите?

HOME:
Can you describe each room of your house? – Опишите каждую комнату в своем доме?
Who lives with you? – С кем вы живете?
What do you think houses in the future will be like? – Как вы думаете, как будут выглядеть дома в будущем?

MOVIES:
What is your all-time favorite movie? Why? – Какой ваш самый любимый фильм? Почему?
How often do you go to movies? – Как часто вы ходите в кино?
Do you like to see a movie many times? Why? – Вам нравится смотреть фильмы много раз? Почему?

CELEBRITIES:
Have you ever seen a celebrity in person? What did you do? – Вы когда-нибудь встречали знаменитостей? Как вы себя вели?
Would you like to be a celebrity? – Вы бы хотели быть знаменитым?
What do you think of fans? – Что вы думаете о фанатах?

Choose any topic you like and tell everything you can!

When you become comfortable and confident speaking Russian when you’re alone, it will be much easier to communicate with a native speaker!

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How to learn Russian? Usually, the main purpose for learning the Russian language is the ability to communicate with native speakers. But for some reason, it’s extremely difficult to become fluent. Even if you know Russian grammar and vocabulary, even if you’ve been learning this language for years, you still might be struggling with awkward pauses when it comes to a real conversation.

Maybe you start a phrase, but you hesitate every time because you’re not sure how to express your thought in Russian. You know perfectly well how to say it in your language, but you’re just not 100% sure how to translate it. As a result, you are slow and shy – far from feeling fluent.

Enough! Today I’m going to give you the first tip on learning the Russian language: how to learn thinking directly in Russian and how to eliminate hesitation when you speak.

Most students believe that thinking in any foreign language is difficult, or that it’s a special gift. And in reality thinking in Russian is a skill that even beginners can learn and practice!

Long story short, here are the step by step instructions on how to think in Russian:

Step 1 – Think in individual words

Look around you, think of some words like:

• окно (window), стена (wall), стол (table), стул (chair)

Then when you go somewhere, think of words like:

• машина (car), дорога (road), люди (people), солнце (sun), работа (job).

And from now on, during the day, try to think of the individual Russian words for everything you see or do.

Step 2 – Think in Russian phrases

For example, when you’re at lunch, think:

• Я пью кофе (I’m drinking coffee).
• Этот суп вкусный (This soup is good).
• Мне нравится этот ресторан (I like this restaurant).

When you’re at work, think:

• Мой босс строгий (My boss is strict).
• У коллеги чёрные глаза (My collegue has black eyes).
• Мой компьютер сломан (My computer is broken).

The essential part here is to practice and develop the habit of thinking in Russian. That’s why you should use simple phrases that don’t include any complicated grammar constructions.

Step 3 – Everyday Russian

Imagine that you moved to Moscow or St.Petersburg. Now you have to use Russian every day! So, after every time you speak in your native language, think of how you would say the very same phrase in Russian. For example, buying a ticket or ordering a cup of coffee:

• Один билет, пожалуйста (One ticket, please).
• Одну чашку кофе, пожалуйста (One cup of coffee, please).

Keep practicing regularly, and you will develop the ability to use Russian in everyday situations.

Final advice: Don’t just read about these tips – put them into practice right now! Look around you and try to think of something in Russian. From now on, make the Russian language a part of your everyday life.

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