In this situation, a company may decide to introduce corporate Russian language training.

The first mistake would be to immediately start looking for a teacher or buying textbooks. Corporate language training should solve specific business problems: reduce wasted time, decrease errors, improve communication and safety, and help employees resolve production issues more quickly.

So the first thing we need to understand is what exactly should change in employees’ work as a result of the training.

In this example, I use the ADDIE instructional design model:

Analysis → Design → Development → Implementation → Evaluation

1. Analysis: What Problem Are We Actually Trying to Solve?

The focus is:

What is happening now → what should be happening → which part of the problem is actually language-related?

Not every communication problem can be solved with a language course.

Management, for example, may assume that the problem is simply that “the managers don’t speak Russian.” But a closer analysis may reveal that, in some situations, the real cause is quite different: there is no shared terminology, responsibilities are unclear, or the manager does not have the authority to make a decision.

So the first task is to test the hypothesis:

If the manager spoke Russian better, would the work be completed faster, would the problem be solved more effectively, or could the problem have been prevented altogether?

If the answer is yes, we potentially have a training need. If the answer is no, we need to look for another solution - and there is probably no need to read the rest of this article. 🙂

Performance Consulting Analysis

One way to investigate the problem is to interview or survey managers and senior management.

It is better to speak to these groups separately at first. Management’s view of the problem may differ significantly from the experience of the people who interact with production workers every day.

And, of course, we should not simply ask: “Do you need Russian?”

Instead, we should let people describe what actually happens at work.

For example:

• In which situations do communication difficulties arise?

• What does the manager need to say or understand?

• What happens when communication fails?

• Does the manager have to find another employee to translate?

• Does this cause delays?

• Does the task have to be explained again?

• Have there been situations where the language barrier prevented a problem from being solved quickly?

• How is the situation usually resolved?

It is especially useful to ask people to recall specific incidents:

Think of the most recent situation in which the language barrier genuinely interfered with the work. What happened?

Ideally, the analysis should involve someone who can look at the problem from more than just a management perspective: an instructional designer, a methodologist, a teacher of Russian as a foreign language, or an external L&D specialist.

For a Russian language teacher, this requires a different role: instead of immediately teaching the language, the teacher first needs to understand which workplace actions employees actually need to perform using Russian.

2. Job Task Analysis: What Does the Manager Actually Need Russian For?

The focus is: Which job tasks require the use of Russian?

This is one of the most important stages of the analysis because it will later determine the content of the course.

Managers need to be asked about their actual work.

For example:

What is your position? Which employees do you interact with directly? In which situations do you need to speak Russian? How often does this happen? What do you need to say or ask production workers from the beginning to the end of a shift?

You can provide prompts:

assign work; explain a task; show where the work needs to be done; name the material; specify a quantity; give measurements; explain the sequence of actions, and so on.

But it is particularly important not to ask people simply to list topics. Ask them to describe real situations.

For example:

Think of your last three conversations with a Russian-speaking production worker. What was happening? What did you need to say or find out?

These answers become the raw material for the Job Task Analysis.

Don’t Forget Non-Routine Situations

Everyday communication is only part of the picture.

We also need to analyse situations in which equipment stops working, something breaks, materials run out, or a safety hazard occurs.

One particularly useful approach is to hold a workshop with managers and create a production communication map:

start of shift → task assignment → work → monitoring → problems → changes → completion of work

Break Each Task Down into Specific Actions

A manager might say: “I need to be able to give instructions.”

But that is not specific enough to design a course.

We need to determine what “giving instructions” actually involves.

For example: addressing the employee; naming the action; identifying the object; specifying the quantity; indicating the location; giving a deadline; explaining the sequence of actions; checking understanding.

The workplace task can then be formulated much more precisely:

The manager can give a production worker a complete instruction: what to do, what to do it with, where to do it, how much is required, and by what time it should be completed — and then check that the instruction has been understood correctly.

Statements like this will later form the basis of both learning objectives and assessment.

A Short Workplace Situation Diary

Another very useful tool is to ask managers to keep a short diary for three to five working days. For example:

Today I needed Russian when __________.

I needed to say or ask __________.

Sometimes this kind of diary provides even more valuable information than an interview because it captures real situations at the moment they occur.

3. Language Diagnostic: What Can the Manager Already Do?

Once we understand the nature of workplace communication, we can identify the language gap more precisely.

General language proficiency still matters. We need to assess:

• listening comprehension;

• ability to ask questions;

• basic vocabulary;

• numbers and time;

• ability to produce simple utterances;

• ability to understand instructions.

But simply assigning someone an A1, A2, or B1 level is not enough.

Functional language assessment should be directly connected to real workplace tasks.

For example:

Explain to a production worker that they need to take ten boards and move them to another machine.

Ask the worker why the equipment has stopped.

One manager may communicate relatively well in everyday Russian but struggle specifically with giving instructions.

Another may know a great deal of professional vocabulary but have difficulty understanding workers’ responses.

That is why the result of the diagnostic assessment is better described as a skills profile rather than a single CEFR level.

For example:

Listening comprehension - intermediate.
Workplace vocabulary - partially developed.
Numbers and measurements - confident.
Giving instructions - difficult.
Understanding workers’ responses - difficult.
Communication in non-routine situations - insufficient.

This is the gap the training needs to close.

The Main Rule of the Analysis Stage

All the information collected is then analysed from a language perspective:

Which words, phrases, grammatical structures, listening skills, and communication patterns are required to perform each workplace task?

But the sequence is important:

First analyse the work. Then analyse the language needed to perform that work.

4. Design: What Will We Teach and How?

Once the Job Task Analysis has been completed, we can move on to course design.

At this stage, four questions need to be answered:

What are we teaching?
In what order?
In what format?
How will we know that the participant has learned it?

Start with the Workplace Task - Then Define the Content

Suppose one of the identified tasks is:

The manager needs to be able to give a production worker a new assignment.

From this, we formulate the learning outcome:

The manager can explain what needs to be done, what material should be used, where the task should be completed, how much is required, and by what deadline — and can then check that the instruction has been understood.

Only after that do we define:

vocabulary → communication patterns → grammar → practice → assessment

In other words, the course structure is built around workplace actions.

For example:

Module 1. Starting a Workplace Interaction

Addressing an employee, getting their attention, making a request, and checking understanding.

Module 2. Explaining Where to Work and What to Work With

Work areas, materials, equipment, and the location of objects.

Of course, the exact structure of the course can only be determined after analysing the specific workplace.

Choosing the Training Format

In this example, a blended approach is suitable.

Employees with no Russian or only minimal Russian can first complete an introductory language module before beginning the main programme.

The main training can then combine several components.

Self-study: short videos; listening comprehension activities; pronunciation and listen-and-repeat practice; flashcards; basic grammar explanations; review of professional vocabulary.

Group sessions: analysis of real production situations; role-play dialogues; questions and answers.

Assessment Is Designed at This Stage Too

Assessment should not be left until the end of the course.

During the Design stage, we should already determine what exactly will be assessed, what tasks participants will be asked to perform, which criteria will be used, and what will count as successful performance.

For example, if the objective is:

The manager can give a production worker a production instruction,

the assessment task might be:

Tell an employee what material to take, how many items to prepare, where the work should be completed, and by what time it needs to be finished.

Assessment criteria:

• the task is communicated correctly;

• the required object or material is identified;

• the quantity is stated correctly;

• the location is made clear;

• the deadline is specified;

• the employee can understand the instruction without the help of a translator;

• the manager checks understanding.

The assessment therefore measures not the learner’s knowledge of isolated Russian grammar rules, but their ability to perform a workplace task through language.

5. Development: Building the Training System

Development is usually the most labour-intensive stage.

Now the course design has to be turned into actual learning materials.

These may include:

• lesson plans and scripts;

• video and audio materials;

• training dialogues;

• interactive exercises;

• flashcards;

• professional vocabulary lists;

• job aids;

• teacher materials;

• workplace cases;

• practice tasks;

• tests and assessment materials.

This is where the experience of a teacher of Russian as a foreign language becomes particularly valuable: having an established methodological base, recording equipment, skills in creating digital learning materials, and an understanding of how to explain Russian to non-native speakers.

Other specialists may also be involved when necessary: a designer, video specialist, LMS administrator, or technical expert from the company.

And then, of course, there is the budget. 🙂 Although, really, when isn’t there a budget question?

Use the Real Production Environment

For this kind of course, it is highly advisable to use authentic company materials whenever possible:

• photographs of equipment;

• actual names of machines and tools;

• real workplace terminology;

• typical production instructions;

• real work areas;

• the most common situations and errors.

The closer the learning situation is to the actual workplace, the easier it is for employees to transfer what they have learned from the course to the production environment.

At this stage, the assessment tools planned during the Design phase are also developed.

6. Implementation: Putting the Training into Practice

The programme may begin with an introductory module for employees who have little or no knowledge of Russian.

Support is especially important during the Implementation stage.

Not every participant will need the same amount of help.

For one person, self-study materials and group sessions may be enough. Another may need additional meetings with the teacher to work through a difficult topic or overcome a language barrier that prevents them from continuing the programme.

It is therefore useful to plan in advance for:

• consultations;

• additional meetings;

• opportunities to ask questions;

• technical support;

• reminders and spaced review;

• a clear training schedule.

If the training takes place during working hours, management also needs to agree on when employees will actually have time to study and how the training will be integrated into the production schedule.

7. Evaluation: Did the Training Actually Change Anything?

The final stage of ADDIE is not simply an exam.

We are interested in several levels of results.

What Do the Participants Think?

Was the course easy to understand?

Did it reflect real workplace situations?

Which materials were useful and which were not?

Did Workplace Performance Change?

For the company, this is the most interesting question.

Some time after the training, we can check:

• whether managers need the help of translators or colleagues less often;

• whether common workplace problems are resolved more quickly;

• whether giving instructions has become easier;

• whether fewer instructions need to be repeated;

• whether managers feel more confident;

• whether production workers find managers easier to understand;

• which situations are still difficult.

This is where we finally see whether the course has achieved the goal it was originally designed to achieve.

Instead of a Conclusion

When designing corporate Russian language training for a manufacturing company, start with one question:

What should the employee be able to do at work thanks to Russian?

From there, the logic becomes much clearer:

real workplace problem
→ job task
→ required communicative action
→ language skills
→ practice
→ assessment
→ workplace application

And perhaps the main principle of this approach can be expressed very simply:

First analyse the work. Then analyse the language needed to perform that work.

Still have questions? Send me a message.

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Grammar

1. Where? / Where to?

Where? → в / на + Prepositional Case. В Баку, в школе, на юге.

Where to? → в / на + Accusative Case. В старый город, в театр, в гостиницу

Examples:

Я впервые в Баку.

Она работает в школе.

Мы идём в старый город.

Мы часто ходим в театр.

The Prepositional Case answers the question Where? and describes location.

The Accusative Case answers the question Where to? and shows movement toward a destination.

2. Adjectives: How do adjectives agree with nouns?

Questions: какой? - masculine, какая? - feminine, какое? - neuter, какие? - plural.

Examples: старый город, национальная библиотека, новое здание, традиционные национальные костюмы.

Russian adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number.

3. Past Tense

Formation: он → -л, она → -ла, они / мы → -ли.

Examples:

Он жил в XII веке.

Я сломала каблук.

Ирина Николаевна была прекрасным гидом.

Russian past tense agrees with the subject in gender (singular) and number.

1. Знакомство. Introductions

Меня зовут Нина. — My name is Nina.

Познакомьтесь, это Нина. — Meet Nina.

Кто это? — Who is this?

Правильно, это Нина. — That’s right, this is Nina.

Это моя мама. — This is my mother.

Очень приятно. — Nice to meet you.

А это Роман. — And this is Roman.

Познакомьтесь, пожалуйста, это инженер из Ленинграда. — Please meet our guest from Leningrad. He’s an engineer.

Познакомьтесь, это мой муж. — Meet my husband.

Это моя дочь Саша. — This is my daughter Sasha.

Это мой сын. — This is my son.

2. Семья и дети. Family and Children

Нина, у вас есть дети? — Nina, do you have children?

Да, есть. — Yes, I do.

Это мой сын. А это моя дочь. — This is my son. And this is my daughter.

Дети есть? — Do you have children?

Двое. — Two.

Мальчик и девочка. — A boy and a girl.

Покажи! — Show me!

Сын Володя, ему девять лет. — My son Volodya is nine years old.

Ишь ты! — Wow!

А это дочь Сашенька, скоро шесть. — And this is my daughter Sashenka. She’ll be six soon.

Ей пять лет. Скоро шесть. — She is five. She’ll be six soon.

Ему девять лет. — He is nine years old.

3. Профессия, работа и пенсия. Occupation, Work, and Retirement

Нина, кто вы по профессии? — Nina, what is your profession?

Я врач. — I’m a doctor.

Кто Нина по профессии? — What does Nina do?

Она врач. — She is a doctor.

Он шофёр такси. — He is a taxi driver.

Вы работаете? — Do you work?

Мне шестьдесят три года. — I’m sixty-three years old.

Я уже не работаю. — I don’t work anymore.

Я на пенсии. — I’m retired.

Сколько лет вы на пенсии? — How long have you been retired?

Три года. — Three years.

4. Что вы делаете дома? What Do You Do at Home?

Что вы делаете дома? — What do you do at home?

Я слушаю музыку. — I listen to music.

Я читаю. — I read.

Я работаю дома. — I work at home.

Что он делает дома? — What does he do at home?

Он слушает музыку. — He listens to music.

Он читает. — He reads.

Он работает дома. — He works at home.

5. Приезд в Баку. Arriving in Baku

Меня зовут Роман. — My name is Roman.

Я прилетел в Баку в командировку. — I flew to Baku on a business trip.

Простите, это ваш пакет? — Excuse me, is this your bag?

Мой, спасибо. — Yes, it’s mine, thank you.

Я вам помогу. — I’ll help you.

Благодарю вас. — Thank you.

С приездом! — Welcome! / Glad you’ve arrived!

Вот это сюрприз! — What a surprise!

6. Встреча старых друзей. Meeting an Old Friend

Мы вместе учились в университете. — We studied at university together.

А сколько лет мы с тобой не виделись? — How many years has it been since we last saw each other?

Одиннадцать? — Eleven?

Прошло одиннадцать лет. — Eleven years have passed.

Мама, садись, пожалуйста. — Mum, sit down, please.

Расскажи о себе! — Tell me about yourself!

Женат? — Are you married?

Нет, холост. — No, I’m single.

А ты? — And you?

Я женат. — I’m married.

Ну, садись, поехали. — Well, get in, let’s go.

Тебе куда? — Where do you need to go?

В гостиницу «Москва». — To the Moskva Hotel.

7. Впервые в Баку. First Time in Baku

Я расскажу вам одну историю. — I’ll tell you a story.

В Баку я впервые. — It’s my first time in Baku.

Вы давно живёте в Баку? — Have you lived in Baku for a long time?

Да, уже десять лет. — Yes, for ten years now.

А я здесь впервые. — It’s my first time here.

Впервые в Баку. — First time in Baku.

Я буду здесь недолго, всего три дня. — I’ll only be here for three days.

8. Баку: город и расположение. Baku: The City and Its Location

Это крупный промышленный и культурный центр. — It is a major industrial and cultural centre.

Он расположен на юге. — It is located in the south.

На берегу Каспийского моря. — On the coast of the Caspian Sea.

Это столица Советского Азербайджана. — It is the capital of Soviet Azerbaijan.

Баку называют городом нефтяников. — Baku is called the city of oil workers.

Это я знал. — I knew that.

Но мне хотелось увидеть город своими глазами. — But I wanted to see the city with my own eyes.

Говорят: «Лучше один раз увидеть, чем сто раз услышать». — As they say, “It is better to see something once than to hear about it a hundred times.”

Сегодня в Баку живёт более полутора миллионов человек. — Today, more than one and a half million people live in Baku.

9. Адрес и приглашение в гости. Address and Invitation

Твоя гостиница. — Here’s your hotel.

Ждём в гости. — Come and visit us.

Тогда запиши мой новый адрес. — Then write down my new address.

Улица Низами, дом десять, квартира пять. — 10 Nizami Street, apartment 5.

Заходи! — Come by! / Drop in!

Будем рады вас видеть! — We’d be happy to see you!

Всего хорошего! — All the best!

Счастливо! — Take care!

Всего доброго! — All the best!

10. Предложение показать город. Offering to Show the City

Может быть, вы мне покажете город? — Perhaps you could show me the city?

С удовольствием. — With pleasure.

Я очень люблю наш город. — I really love our city.

Я покажу вам Баку, который я люблю. — I’ll show you the Baku that I love.

Мы будем гулять по городу. — We’ll walk around the city.

11. Искусство и культура. Art and Culture

Ирина Николаевна была прекрасным гидом. — Irina Nikolaevna was an excellent guide.

Я люблю искусство: музыку, литературу, живопись. — I love art: music, literature, and painting.

Посмотрите, мы с мужем часто ходим в этот театр. — Look, my husband and I often go to this theatre.

А как вы относитесь к музыке? — And what do you think of music?

Я люблю музыку. — I love music.

Перед вами консерватория. — The conservatory is right in front of you.

Обратите внимание на эти статуи. — Take a look at these statues.

Это памятники поэтам и писателям Азербайджана. — These are monuments to Azerbaijani poets and writers.

Это национальная библиотека. — This is the National Library.

За годы советской власти Баку стал крупнейшим культурным центром. — During the Soviet period, Baku became a major cultural centre.

12. Памятник Низами и Академия наук. The Nizami Monument and the Academy of Sciences

Это памятник поэту Низами. — This is a monument to the poet Nizami.

Низами — великий азербайджанский поэт. — Nizami is a great Azerbaijani poet.

Он жил в двенадцатом веке. — He lived in the twelfth century.

Это площадь его имени. — This square is named after him.

Там Академия наук. — The Academy of Sciences is over there.

Баку большой город? — Is Baku a big city? Да. — Yes.

13. Старый город и метро. The Old City and the Metro

Куда мы идём? — Where are we going?

Мы идём в старый город. — We’re going to the Old City.

Это далеко? — Is it far?

Нет, можно проехать одну остановку на метро. — No, we can go one stop by metro.

А вы часто ездите на метро? — Do you often travel by metro?

Да, каждый день. — Yes, every day.

В оформлении этой станции использованы национальные мотивы. — National motifs are used in the design of this station.

Это исторический центр города. — This is the historic centre of the city.

14. Девичья башня. The Maiden Tower

Вот Девичья башня. — Here is the Maiden Tower.

Давайте поднимемся наверх. — Let’s go up.

В каком веке она построена? — In which century was it built?

В двенадцатом. — In the twelfth century.

Это памятник старины. — It is a historic monument.

15. Море, порт и новые кварталы. The Sea, Port, and New Districts

А это Приморский бульвар. — And this is the Seaside Boulevard.

Там Каспийское море. — The Caspian Sea is over there.

В Баку крупный порт. — Baku has a major port.

Посмотрите, вот новые кварталы. — Look, here are the new districts.

Какой красивый вид! — What a beautiful view!

Древность и современность. — The old and the new.

Это удивительно! — It’s amazing!

Прошлое и настоящее здесь рядом. — The past and the present are side by side here.

16. Музей народного искусства. Museum of Folk Art

В Баку много музеев? — Are there many museums in Baku?

Да, вот один из них. — Yes, here is one of them.

Это музей народного искусства. — This is the Museum of Folk Art.

Здесь собраны ковры ручной работы. — Handmade carpets are displayed here.

Этот музей — один из немногих в мире. — This museum is one of the few of its kind in the world.

Какой замечательный орнамент! — What a wonderful pattern!

Это ковры семнадцатого века! — These are seventeenth-century carpets!

Красиво, правда? — Beautiful, isn’t it?

Очень! — Absolutely!

А вот ещё. — And here’s another one.

Мне очень нравится. — I like it very much.

17. Жарко и хочется пить. It’s Hot and I’m Thirsty

И всё-таки в Баку очень жарко! — Still, it’s very hot in Baku!

Я хочу пить! — I’m thirsty! / I want something to drink!

У нас вкусная вода. — The water here tastes good.

Да, вкусная и холодная! — Yes, it’s good and cold!

18. Реставрация дворца. Restoring an Old Palace

Извините, что вы делаете? — Excuse me, what are you doing?

Мы реставрируем старый дворец. — We are restoring an old palace.

Понимаю. — I see.

Большое спасибо! — Thank you very much!

19. Прогулка по городу. Walking Around the City

Вы не устали? — Aren’t you tired?

Что вы! — Not at all!

Я готов смотреть и смотреть! — I could keep looking and looking!

Где ещё можно увидеть такую красоту? — Where else can you see such beauty?

Как вам понравилась наша прогулка? — How did you like our walk?

Благодарю вас, я восхищён! — Thank you. I’m very impressed!

20. Свадьба. A Wedding

Что это? — What is this?

Это свадьба? — Is this a wedding?

Вы угадали! — You guessed right!

Это старинный свадебный обряд. — This is an old wedding ceremony.

Вот жених и невеста в традиционных национальных костюмах. — Here are the bride and groom in traditional national costumes.

Очень интересно! — Very interesting!

21. Сломанный каблук. A Broken Heel

Ой, я сломала каблук! — Oh, my heel broke!

Подождите. — Wait.

Одну минуту, я сейчас. — One moment, I’ll be right back.

22. Знакомый адрес. A Familiar Address

Улица Низами, дом десять — знакомый адрес. — 10 Nizami Street — that address sounds familiar.

По-моему, я его знаю. — I think I know it.

Вы сказали, что вы впервые в Баку. — You said this was your first time in Baku.

Да, я впервые в Баку, но этот адрес я знаю. — Yes, it’s my first time in Baku, but I know this address.

Вот и приехали. — Here we are.

Здесь мы живём. — This is where we live.

23. В гостях. Visiting Someone’s Home

Прошу вас. — After you. / Please.

Раздевайтесь, пожалуйста. — Please take off your coat.

Здравствуйте! Очень рада! — Hello! I’m very glad to see you!

Пожалуйста, проходите. — Please, come in.

Добрый вечер. — Good evening.

Как тесен мир! — It’s a small world!

Теперь я знаю: Баку — прекрасный и удивительный город. — Now I know that Baku is a beautiful and amazing city.

Встречей с семьёй моего друга и закончилась эта история. — And that’s how this story ended—with a meeting with my friend’s family.

Additional Dialogues: Moscow

Простите, где Красная площадь? — Excuse me, where is Red Square?

Красная площадь — там. — Red Square is over there.

Вот Красная площадь. — Here is Red Square.

Это Кремль. — This is the Kremlin.

Это Исторический музей. — This is the Historical Museum.

Как называется эта площадь? — What is this square called?

Это площадь Свердлова. — This is Sverdlov Square (Its modern name is Theatre Square.)

Это Большой театр? — Is this the Bolshoi Theatre?

На площади Свердлова находятся три театра: Большой театр, Малый театр и Детский театр. — There are three theatres on Sverdlov Square: the Bolshoi Theatre, the Maly Theatre, and the Children’s Theatre.

Что это? — What is this?

Это Московский государственный университет. — This is Moscow State University.

Это старое здание или новое? — Is this an old building or a new one?

Это старое здание. — It’s an old building.

А где находится новое здание? — Where is the new building?

Новое здание университета находится на Ленинских горах. — The new university building is on the Lenin Hills. (The modern name is Sparrow Hills.)

Скажите, пожалуйста, где здесь гостиница? — Could you please tell me where the hotel is?

Как называется эта гостиница? — What is this hotel called?

Это гостиница «Россия». — This is the Rossiya Hotel.

The song featured in the video is «Бакинская осень» (“Baku Autumn”) by Muslim Magomayev, released in 1971.

So, Russian expresses age differently from English. Instead of saying “I am 35 years old,” Russian literally uses a structure meaning: “To me are 35 years” (Мне 35 лет).

To build this expression correctly, you need two grammatical cases: the Dative Case, which shows whose age we are talking about, and the Genitive Case, which gives the correct form of the word год after a number.

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1. Communication goal

If you want to say: I am 35 years old. My mother is 50. My brother is 28. My son is 1 year old. My daughter is 2 years old.

2. What you’ll learn

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to say how old you or another person is and how to choose the correct form after a number (год, года, лет).

3. Grammar you need

Dative Case: Who is this age? The person whose age we are talking about is used in the Dative Case.

Question: Кому? To whom?

Examples: Мне 35 лет. I am 35 years old. Маме 50 лет. My mother is 50 years old.

Брату 28 лет. My brother is 28 years old.

The words мне, маме, брату answer the question кому? and are in the Dative Case.

Numbers: год, года or лет?

When a number shows quantity, the form of the noun after it depends on the number.

For age, you only need to remember three forms: год, года, лет.

After 1 → год.

Use the singular form: 1 год, 21 год, 31 год, 41 год

After 2, 3, 4 → года

Use the Genitive Case singular: 2 года, 3 года, 4 года, 22 года, 23 года, 34 года.

After 5–20 → лет

Use the Genitive Case plural: 5 лет, 10 лет, 15 лет, 18 лет.

The same pattern continues with larger numbers: 25 лет, 38 лет, 50 лет.

Important exception. Look at the last number, but remember that 11, 12, 13 and 14 are exceptions (or simply up to 20):

21 год, 22 года, 23 года, 24 года, but: 11 лет, 12 лет, 13 лет, 14 лет .

So: 1 → год 2, 3, 4 → года 5–20 → лет and then the pattern repeats, except for numbers ending in 11–14 (or simply up to 20).

4. Formula

Person in the Dative Case + number + год / года / лет

Кому? + сколько? + год / года / лет. Мне + 35 + лет. Мне 35 лет.

More examples:

Сыну + 1 + год. Сыну 1 год. Дочке + 2 + года. Дочке 2 года. Брату + 23 + года. Брату 23 года. Маме + 54 + года. Маме 54 года. Мне + 28 + лет. Мне 28 лет.

5. Mini dialogue

— Сколько тебе лет?

— Мне 28 лет. А тебе?

— Мне 31 год.

— А сколько лет твоей сестре?

— Ей 23 года.

You’re listening to a podcast in Russian — slow, simple, and real.

If you’re just beginning to learn Russian, or if you’ve already started but miss regular practice … this podcast can be your quiet space to return to the language.

Each episode is like a small training: listen and repeat.

I’m a teacher of Russian as a foreign language. And I’ve created this podcast for those who want to practice regularly, to feel more confident, to speak more clearly and grow naturally.

Welcome! Let’s begin.

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🔵 Монолог 1
Я изучаю русский язык в университете. Наш учитель говорит по-русски медленно и понятно. Мы читаем тексты, слушаем аудио, пишем домашние задания. Мне нравится учить язык, но иногда это трудно.

I study Russian at university. Our teacher speaks Russian slowly and clearly. We read texts, listen to audio, write homework. I like learning the language, but sometimes it’s hard.

🔵 Монолог 2
Я начал изучать русский язык, потому что хочу читать книги Толстого и Достоевского. Я люблю русскую литературу. Я читаю со словарём. Это трудно, но интересно.

I started learning Russian because I want to read books by Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. I love Russian literature. I read with a dictionary. It’s hard, but interesting.

🔵 Монолог 3
Я учусь на курсах русского языка. У нас занятия три раза в неделю. Мы много говорим, читаем и слушаем диалоги. Мы изучаем язык и культуру. Это помогает понимать людей.

I study in Russian language courses. We have classes three times a week. We speak a lot, read and listen to dialogues. We study language and culture. It helps to understand people.

🔵 Монолог 4
Я люблю смотреть русские фильмы. Я смотрю фильмы с субтитрами. Это помогает слушать и понимать речь. Я учу новые слова из диалогов. Мне нравится этот метод.

I love watching Russian films. I watch films with subtitles. It helps me listen and understand speech. I learn new words from the dialogues. I like this method.

🔵 Монолог 5
Русский язык трудный. Алфавит другой. Некоторые звуки трудно произносить. Но я учусь каждый день. Я повторяю слова, делаю упражнения и слушаю радио и подкасты. Я думаю, что у меня всё получится.

Russian is a difficult language. The alphabet is completely different — it’s Cyrillic. Some sounds are hard to pronounce. But I study every day. I repeat words, do exercises, and listen to the radio and podcasts. I think I will succeed.

Thanks for listening to Easy Russian Practice. See you soon!

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Russian does this with possessive pronouns such as мой, твой, наш, ваш, его, её, and их. Some of these pronouns change to agree with the noun in gender and number, while его, её, and их never change.

1. Communication Goal

You may want to say:

my sister, your book, our house, her children, their car

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to choose the correct Russian possessive pronoun for each noun.

2. What You’ll Learn

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use the following Russian possessive pronouns:

мой, твой, наш, ваш, его, её, их

3. Grammar You Need

Possessive Pronouns That Change

The pronouns мой, твой, наш, and ваш agree with the noun in gender and number.

Examples: мой брат, моя сестра, моё место, мои друзья

The form of the pronoun depends on the gender and number of the noun, not on the gender of the owner.

A man can say: Это моя сестра.

A woman can also say: Это моя сестра.

Possessive Pronouns That Do Not Change

The pronouns его, её, and их never change:

его брат, его сестра, его дети
её брат, её сестра, её дети
их брат, их сестра, их дети

4. Formula

possessive pronoun + noun

мой + брат
моя + сестра
наше + место
их + дети

5. More Examples

Это мой сын.

Это ваша дочь.

Это наша мама.

Это моя сестра.

Это её дети.

Где работает их мама?

A possessive pronoun can also be used without a noun when it is already clear what or whom you are talking about:

— Это твоя книга?
— Да, моя.

— Это журнал Кати?
— Да, её.

6. An Important Difference

Before a noun

моя книга — my book

его журнал — his magazine

Without a noun

Книга моя. — The book is mine.

Журнал его. — The magazine is his.

7. Mini-Dialogue

— Это твоя книга?
— Да, моя.

— А это ваш журнал?
— Нет, это её журнал.
— Понятно. А это их книги?
— Да, их.

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Grammar:

1. Possessive Pronouns

мой, моя, моё, мои — my
твой, твоя, твоё, твои — your, informal
ваш, ваша, ваше, ваши — your, formal or plural
наш, наша, наше, наши — our
его — his
её — her
их — their

Examples: это мой сын, это ваша дочь, это наша мама, это моя сестра, это её дети,
где работает их мама?

You can see that the pronouns мой, наш, and ваш agree with the noun in gender and number: мой сын, моя дочь, мои дети, наша мама, наши внуки.

The pronouns его, её, and их do not change: его сын, его дочь, его дети.

2. The «У кого есть кто?» Construction

У + Genitive Case + есть + a person or object

У меня есть дети. У неё есть дети. У вас есть внуки. У меня есть внук. У меня их трое. There is also a negative form: У меня секретов нет.

Пусть играет! — Let it play!

Знакомство. Introductions

Здравствуйте! — Hello!

Простите, как вас зовут? — Excuse me, what is your name?

Как тебя зовут? — What is your name? — informal

А вас? — And you?

Меня зовут Андрей. — My name is Andrei.

Очень приятно! — Nice to meet you!

Как же вас зовут? — So, what is your name?

Простите, кто вы? — Excuse me, who are you?

Я вас не знаю. — I don’t know you.

Мы не знакомы. — We haven’t met.

Дети, познакомьтесь, это Андрей. — Children, meet Andrei.

А мы уже знакомы. — But we already know each other.

Познакомьтесь, это моя сестра. — Meet my sister.

И это её дети. — And these are her children.

Семейное положение. Marital Status

Простите, вы замужем? — Excuse me, are you married? — addressing a woman

Вы уже замужем? — Are you married already? — addressing a woman

Да, я замужем. — Yes, I’m married.

А вы женаты? — Are you married? — addressing a man

Нет, я холост. — No, I’m single.

У меня секретов нет. — I have no secrets.

Это секрет. — It’s a secret.

День и вечерние планы. The Day and Evening Plans

Сегодня чудесный день, правда? — It’s a wonderful day today, isn’t it?

Чудесный! — Wonderful!

Одну минуту. — One moment.

Что вы делаете сегодня вечером? — What are you doing this evening?

Сегодня вечером? — This evening?

Не знаю. — I don’t know.

Работа и учёба. Work and Study

Вы работаете или учитесь? — Do you work or study?

Утром я работаю, а вечером учусь. — I work in the morning and study in the evening.

А вы? — And you?

А где вы работаете? — Where do you work?

Я работаю на заводе. — I work at a factory.

Я инженер. — I’m an engineer.

Я работаю в школе. — I work at a school.

Мама работает в театре. — Mum works at a theatre.

Наша мама очень хорошая актриса. — Our mum is a very good actress.

Наш папа — рабочий. — Our dad is a factory worker.

Он работает на заводе. — He works at a factory.

Мама — учительница. — Mum is a teacher.

Она работает в школе. — She works at a school.

Кто ваши родители? — What do your parents do? / Who are your parents?

Где они работают? — Where do they work?

Где работает папа Ани? — Where does Anya’s father work?

Где работает их мама? — Where does their mother work?

Правильно! — That’s right!

Вы любите детей? — Do you like children?

Конечно. — Of course.

И сколько же детей у вас в классе? — So, how many children are there in your class?

Много! — A lot!

Десять мальчиков и пятнадцать девочек. — Ten boys and fifteen girls.

Большая у вас семья! — You have a big family!

Да, очень большая! — Yes, a very big one!

И очень хорошая семья. — And a very good family.

Дети: маленькие и взрослые. Children: Young and Grown-Up

Простите, а у вас есть дети? — Excuse me, do you have children?

Да, есть. — Yes, I do.

У неё есть дети? — Does she have children?

Сын и дочь. — A son and a daughter.

Они большие или маленькие? — Are they grown-up or young?

Они ещё маленькие. — They are still young.

Дети уже большие. — The children are already grown-up.

Они уже взрослые. — They are already adults.

Маленькие дети — маленькие проблемы. — Small children, small problems.

Большие дети — большие проблемы. — Big children, big problems.

У меня только маленькие проблемы. — I only have small problems.

Это интересно! — That’s interesting!

Почему? — Why?

У вас хорошие дети! — You have wonderful children!

Но это не мои дети. — But these are not my children.

Это не ваши дети? — Aren’t these your children?

Не мои. — They aren’t mine.

Возраст. Age

Сколько вам лет? — How old are you?

А вам сколько лет? — And how old are you?

Мне тридцать лет. — I’m thirty years old.

Сколько лет сыну? — How old is the son?

Ему шесть лет. — He is six years old.

Сколько лет дочери? — How old is the daughter?

Ей четыре года. — She is four years old.

Внуки, бабушка и дедушка. Grandchildren and Grandparents

У меня внук. — I have a grandson.

Он ещё маленький. — He is still young.

Серёжа! Надень шапочку! — Seryozha! Put your hat on!

Вы очень молодая бабушка. — You are a very young grandmother.

Спасибо! — Thank you!

А у вас есть внуки? — Do you have grandchildren?

У меня их трое. — I have three of them.

Мальчик и девочка. — A boy and a girl.

Вы уже бабушка? — Are you a grandmother already?

Да, я уже бабушка. — Yes, I’m already a grandmother.

Значит, и вы уже дедушка? — So you are already a grandfather too?

Да, я уже дедушка. — Yes, I’m already a grandfather.

Он дедушка? — Is he a grandfather?

Да, он уже дедушка. — Yes, he is already a grandfather.

Смотрите! Наши внуки уже познакомились! — Look! Our grandchildren have already met!

Да, познакомились. — Yes, they have.

В море. At the Seaside

Осторожно! — Be careful!

Я не умею плавать! — I can’t swim!

Это вы не умеете плавать? — Is it you who can’t swim?

Не умею. — I can’t.

Значит, это ваш сын? — So, is this your son?

Да, это мой сын. — Yes, this is my son.

А это ваша дочь? — And is this your daughter?

Ребята, это ваша мама? — Children, is this your mum?

Да, это наша мама. — Yes, this is our mum.

А где она работает? — Where does she work?

В театре? — At a theatre?

Да-а-а, вы очень хорошая актриса. — Oh yes, you are a very good actress.

The song featured in the video is «Ты возьми меня с собой» (“Take Me with You”) by the legendary Alla Pugacheva , released in 1980.

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Grammar: The Prepositional Case: Places and Locations.

Где? → в / на + Prepositional Case.
Где? В Москве. На улице Пушкина. В доме номер четыре. В квартире номер шесть.

1. Приветствие и начало разговора. Greeting and Starting a Conversation

Здравствуйте! — Hello!

А что вы тут делаете? — What are you doing here?

Вы тут живёте? — Do you live here?

Нет, я тут отдыхаю. — No, I’m on holiday here. / No, I’m relaxing here.

А вы? — And you?

Я тоже отдыхаю. — I’m on holiday here too. / I’m relaxing too.

Очень хорошо! — Very good! / That’s great!

2. Семейное положение. Marital Status

Простите, вы женаты? — Excuse me, are you married?

Я спрашиваю: вы женаты? — I’m asking: are you married?

Нет, я не женат. — No, I’m not married.

А вы? — And you?

А я женат. — I’m married.

Уже десять лет. — For ten years already.

Значит, детей у вас тоже нет? — So you don’t have any children either?

А у вас, наверное, тоже нет детей? — You probably don’t have any children either, do you?

Есть! — Yes, I do!

Три сына и две дочери. — Three sons and two daughters.

3. Знакомство. Introductions

Тогда давайте познакомимся. — Then let’s introduce ourselves. / Then let’s get acquainted.

Меня зовут Виктор. — My name is Viktor.

А вас как зовут? — What is your name?

Меня зовут Андрей Петрович. — My name is Andrei Petrovich.

Очень приятно! — Nice to meet you!

4. Семья и родственники. Family and Relatives

Этого зовут Антон. — This one is called Anton. / His name is Anton.

Этого зовут Алексей. — This one is called Alexei. / His name is Alexei.

Это третий сын. — This is the third son.

Его зовут Леонид. — His name is Leonid.

А это мои дочери — Анна и Елена. — And these are my daughters, Anna and Elena.

Это мой дедушка. — This is my grandfather.

Это моя бабушка. — This is my grandmother.

Это моя сестра. — This is my sister.

А это ваша жена? — Is this your wife?

Да, это моя жена. — Yes, this is my wife.

5. Где вы живёте? Where Do You Live?

Простите, а вы где живёте? — Excuse me, where do you live?

Я живу в Москве. — I live in Moscow.

А вы где живёте? — Where do you live?

Я тоже живу в Москве. — I live in Moscow too.

Я живу на улице Пушкина. — I live on Pushkin Street.

Вы знаете, где находится улица Пушкина? — Do you know where Pushkin Street is?

Конечно, знаю! — Of course I do!

Я тоже живу на улице Пушкина. — I live on Pushkin Street too.

Я живу около метро. — I live near the metro station.

А вы? — And you?

Я тоже. — Me too.

6. Дом и квартира. House and Apartment

Вот мой дом. — Here is my building. / This is my building.

А вот метро. — And here is the metro station.

Дом номер четыре. — Building number four.

Вы живёте в доме номер четыре? — Do you live in building number four?

Я тоже живу в доме номер четыре. — I live in building number four too.

Я вас знаю! — I know you!

Вы меня знаете? — Do you know me?

Да, знаю! — Yes, I do!

Вы живёте в квартире номер шесть, правильно? — You live in apartment number six, right?

Да, я живу в квартире номер шесть. — Yes, I live in apartment number six.

А я живу в квартире номер пять. — I live in apartment number five.

Уже десять лет. — For ten years already.

Значит, мы соседи? — So we’re neighbours?

Здравствуй, сосед! — Hello, neighbour!

7. Улицы и площади. Streets and Squares

Как называется эта улица? — What is this street called?

Это улица Горького. — This is Gorky Street.

А где находится площадь Пушкина? — Where is Pushkin Square?

Площадь Пушкина там. — Pushkin Square is over there.

Вот она. — There it is.

8. Как сообщить адрес. Giving an Address

Дай мне, пожалуйста, твой адрес. — Please give me your address.

Запиши! — Write it down!

Город Киев, площадь Богдана Хмельницкого, дом десять, квартира четыре. — Kyiv, Bohdan Khmelnytsky Square, building ten, apartment four.

Где живёт Толя? — Where does Tolya live?

Толя живёт в Киеве. — Tolya lives in Kyiv.

Таня, дайте мне, пожалуйста, ваш адрес. — Tanya, please give me your address.

Пожалуйста: Ленинград, Невский проспект, дом девять, квартира семь. — Certainly: Leningrad, Nevsky Prospect, building nine, apartment seven.

Таня живёт в Ленинграде. — Tanya lives in Leningrad.

9. Как спросить, где находится место. Asking Where a Place Is

Скажите, пожалуйста, где находится университет? — Could you please tell me where the university is?

Это недалеко, около парка Шевченко. — It’s not far, near Shevchenko Park.

Большое спасибо! — Thank you very much!

Простите, пожалуйста. Где находится гостиница «Космос»? — Excuse me, please. Where is the Cosmos Hotel?

На проспекте Мира. — On Prospect Mira.

Это далеко от ВДНХ? — Is it far from VDNKh?

Нет, недалеко. — No, it isn’t far.

The song featured in the video is by the band Mashina Vremeni.

Машина Времени “Ах, что за луна” (1980)

The Genitive Case is used to indicate a point of origin or the starting point of movement - the place, event, object, or person that someone or something moves away from.

Я из России.

Я приехал из Москвы.

Я только что пришёл с работы.

Okay, what does “the starting point of movement” mean? Imagine each situation as movement from one point to another. There is a place where the movement begins, and there is another place where the person or object is now.

The starting point can be a city, a country, a place, an event, a surface, or even a person.

A place as the starting point

Someone travelled from Moscow and is now somewhere else:

Приехал из Москвы.

Movement away from the surface of an object

Someone picked something up from the floor:

Поднял с пола.

Leaving an event or activity

Someone was at a concert and has now returned:

Пришёл с концерта.

Movement away from a place or object

Someone was near the theatre and then moved away from it:

Отошёл от театра.

Movement away from a person

Someone was visiting their sister and has now returned from her place:

Приехал от сестры.

When you want to name this starting point, the word referring to the place, event, object, or person is not used in its basic dictionary form. It changes into the Genitive Case.

Москва → из Москвы
концерт → с концерта
театр → от театра
сестра → от сестры

Grammar You Need

Meaning: the starting point of movement

Question: Откуда? — Where from?

Prepositions: из, с, от

Typical Endings

Of course, I love tables! You can find all the endings for all the Russian cases in a case-ending chart. Send me a direct message, and I’ll share my favourite charts with you.

But when the rules are explained in words, they look like this:

Masculine nouns

Most masculine nouns take the ending -а:

студент → от студента

театр → из театра

Masculine nouns ending in -й or -ь usually take the ending -я:

музей → из музея

писатель → от писателя

Neuter nouns

Neuter nouns ending in -о take the ending -а:

озеро → из озера

окно → из окна

Neuter nouns ending in -е or -ие take the ending -я:

море → с моря

здание → из здания

Feminine nouns

Feminine nouns ending in -а usually take the ending -ы:

сестра → от сестры

комната → из комнаты

After г, к, х, ж, ч, ш, щ, write -и, not -ы:

книга → из книги

Feminine nouns ending in -я or -ь take the ending -и:

песня → из песни

тетрадь → из тетради

Feminine nouns ending in -ия take the ending -ии:

лекция → с лекции

Эстония → из Эстонии

The Genitive Case is the most difficult Russian case and my favourite. This is only one of its functions, but that’s enough for today. Go and practise! Откуда ты?

To express where someone or something is located, Russian uses the Prepositional Case.

Grammar you need. The Prepositional Case: Location — Где? (Where?)

When you want to say where a person or an object is, the name of the place is usually used in the Prepositional Case with the preposition в or на.

Где? — Where?

• на работе — at work

• в банке — at the bank

• на столе — on the table

• на стадионе — at the stadium

• в классе — in the classroom

В or НА?

Use в when someone or something is inside a place, building, room, or enclosed area:

• в банке — at the bank / in the bank

• в классе — in the classroom

• в магазине — at the shop / in the shop

• в парке — in the park

Use на when someone or something is on a surface:

• на столе — on the table

• на стене — on the wall

However, на is also used with certain places, activities, institutions, and open spaces:

• на работе — at work

• на стадионе — at the stadium

• на почте — at the post office

• на уроке — in class / at a lesson

Therefore, the difference between в and на cannot always be explained only as “inside” versus “on a surface.” Some combinations must be learned together as fixed expressions.

Prepositional Case Endings: -Е or -ИИ

Most singular nouns have the ending -е in the Prepositional Case.

Ending -Е

Use -е with most masculine, feminine and neuter nouns.

• банк → в банке

• класс → в классе

• стадион → на стадионе

• работа → на работе

• комната → в комнате

• море → на море

Ending -ИИ

Nouns ending in -ий, -ия, -ие have the ending -ии in the Prepositional Case.

Masculine nouns ending in -ий

• санаторий → в санатории

• музей is not part of this group: в музее

Feminine nouns ending in -ия

• аудитория → в аудитории

• Россия → в России

• станция → на станции

Neuter nouns ending in -ие

• здание → в здании

• общежитие → в общежитии

• упражнение → в упражнении

General rule

Most nouns → -Е

Nouns ending in -ИЙ, -ИЯ or -ИЕ → -ИИ

• в банке, на работе, в море

• в санатории, в аудитории, в здании

Ending -И

Feminine nouns ending in -ь usually have the ending -и in the Prepositional Case.

• тетрадь → в тетради

Ending -У

A small group of masculine nouns use the ending -у after the prepositions в or на when they describe location.

• в лесу

• в саду

• на полу

These forms should be learned as exceptions.

Grammar: The Prepositional Case: Places and Locations.

Где? → в / на + Prepositional Case. Где? В школе. На заводе.

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1. Приветствие и знакомство — Greetings and Introductions

Здравствуйте! — Hello!

Как вас зовут? — What’s your name?

Скажите, как вас зовут. — Tell me your name, please.

Меня зовут Гриша. — My name is Grisha.

Николай. — Nikolai.

Очень приятно! — Nice to meet you!

2. Кто это? Профессия — Who Is This? Occupations

Кто это? — Who is this?

Кто Вы по профессии? — What do you do?

Я инженер. — I’m an engineer.

Вы врач? — Are you a doctor?

Нет, я не врач. Я инженер. — No, I’m not a doctor. I’m an engineer.

Я учитель. — I’m a teacher.

3. Где работает человек? — Where Does the Person Work?

Где работает Филипп? — Where does Filipp work?

Где работает Толя? — Where does Tolya work?

Толя работает в школе. — Tolya works at a school.

А вы где работаете? — And where do you work?

Я работаю на заводе. — I work at a factory.

Я работаю в школе. — I work at a school.

Вы работаете в больнице? — Do you work at a hospital?

Нет, я работаю на заводе. — No, I work at a factory.

4. Где учится человек? — Where Does the Person Study?

Вы не знаете, где учится Нина? — Do you know where Nina studies?

Нина учится в университете. — Nina studies at a university.

Вы учитесь или работаете? — Do you study or work?

Я учусь. — I’m a student.

Я студентка. — I’m a student. — female speaker

Я учусь в институте. — I study at an institute.

5. Работа и учёба одновременно — Working and Studying at the Same Time

Вы не знаете, где работает Максим? — Do you know where Maksim works?

Максим утром работает, а вечером учится. — Maksim works in the morning and studies in the evening.

Да что Вы говорите! — Really!

Это очень интересно! — That’s very interesting!

The songs featured in the video were:

Песня о встречном (Нас утро встречает прохладой 1932). Музыка Д.Шостаковича, слова Б.Корнилова.

Сережа Парамонов и Большой детский хор - “Веселый ветер” (1975). Музыка И.Дунаевского, слова В.Лебедева -Кумача.

In this article, I will show you how the Understanding by Design (UbD) approach can help you structure your Russian learning around clear communicative goals rather than isolated grammar rules. Using one practical example, we will design a learning sequence step by step from defining what you want to be able to say in real life to selecting the grammar, vocabulary, and practice activities that directly support that goal.

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If We Have an Overall Goal

For example: The learner is able to speak Russian in everyday communication situations.

This is a long-term goal. For an individual lesson or module, it needs to be translated into a specific communicative action.

Moving on to the Specific Module Outcome

By the end of the module, the learner will be able to: introduce themselves; say where they live; say where they study or work; say where they have come from; ask another person similar questions; understand the other person’s short answers.

For example:

Меня зовут Марк. Я живу в Таллине. Я учусь в университете. Я приехал из Германии.

We remember that grammar is not the final goal. The prepositional and genitive cases are tools needed to complete the communicative task.

Next, we examine and elaborate in more detail. Three Types of Goals

1. Acquisition Goals

This is straightforward. The learner should know and be able to use:

• the questions “Where?” and “From where?”;

• the structures I live… / I study… / I work… / I came…;

• the prepositional case after the prepositions in and on to express location;

• the genitive case after the prepositions from (iz) and from (s) to express a point of origin or departure;

• the forms of the most common names of countries, cities, educational institutions, and workplaces;

• the main patterns: in a city - from a city; in a university - from a university; at work - from work; in Russia - from Russia.

This is the level of language material: vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and speech patterns. (Such materials are widely available for repetition and practice in any form - in textbooks, podcasts, YouTube videos, or they can simply be generated in any language model.)

2. Meaning-Making Goals

The learner should understand not only the endings but also the meaning behind the grammatical choice.

Key Ideas (Here, the example uses cases. This is how Russian cases are usually learned - through meaning)

Где? indicates location:

Я учусь в университете.

Откуда? indicates a point of departure or origin:

Я приехал из Германии.

The choice of case depends not on an individual word but on the meaning the speaker wants to communicate.

The learner understands the connection:

Где ты живёшь? — В Эстонии.
Откуда ты приехал? — Из Германии.

The learner also begins to notice systematic pairs:

в школе — из школы;
на работе — с работы;
в Москве — из Москвы. (Here we understand the difference between the two prepositions.)

The main conclusion is: to correctly choose the form of a noun, you first need to understand which question you are answering: Where? or From where?

3. Transfer Goals

The learner should be able to apply what they have learned not only in a completed exercise but also in a new situation.

The learner will be able to:

• introduce themselves to a new person without using a previously written text;

• adapt their introduction when personal information changes;

• ask another person where they live and where they have come from;

• talk not only about themselves but also about another person;

• use the patterns with new words that were not included in the model dialogue;

• maintain communication even if they forget the exact ending.

For example, after learning how to talk about themselves, the learner will be able to say:

Анна живёт в Польше, но учится в Германии. Она приехала из Варшавы.

This is transfer: the person, country, city, and content change, but the underlying principle remains the same. Such situations can also be easily modeled using language models.

Six Facets of Understanding

(This is more complex, but it helps learners grasp the topic more quickly. It provides the very understanding referred to in the article)

1. Explanation

The learner is able to explain a language pattern in their own words.

For example:

After the question “Where?” we say “in the university” — Где? в/на.
After the question “From where?” — “from the university” — Откуда? из/с.

Task:

Explain why different forms are used in the sentences “I live in Estonia” and “I came from Estonia.” In Russian, we use different prepositions depending on meaning: for location we use в (в Эстонии), and for origin or movement from a place we use из (из Эстонии).

The task assesses not the reproduction of a rule but the learner’s understanding of the connection between meaning and form.

2. Interpretation

The learner understands the meaning of an utterance in context and can extract information from it.

For example, the learner hears:

Меня зовут Сара. Я из Испании, но сейчас живу в Таллине. Я учусь в университете.

The learner identifies: where Sara is from; where she lives now; where she studies; how her place of origin differs from her current place of residence.

Here, grammatical forms become carriers of information rather than isolated endings to be memorised.

3. Application

The learner uses their knowledge in a practical situation.

Task

You have met a new student. Introduce yourself and ask them questions:

• What is your name?

• Where do you live?

• Where do you study or work?

• Where are you from?

The learner does not insert endings into ready-made sentences but constructs the conversation independently.

An information-gap variation can also be used: two learners receive different character cards. They must ask questions and complete the missing information. I really like character cards that include full information: who the person is, their age, where they live, family members, hobbies, and interests - and, when necessary, I use only part of this information.

4. Perspective

The learner recognises that the same information can be expressed differently depending on the situation and the person they are speaking to. (This is a complex part, but we include it because there is also a cultural aspect: the communication features of a country, environment, place, and context.)

For example:

Informal Introduction

Привет! Я Марк. Я из Германии. Сейчас живу в Таллине.

More Formal Introduction

Здравствуйте. Меня зовут Марк. Я приехал из Германии. Сейчас я учусь в Таллиннском университете.

The learner compares the two versions and decides:

• which form is appropriate when speaking to a peer;

• which form is appropriate when meeting a teacher;

• what information is appropriate to share;

• which questions may be perceived as too personal.

This takes learning beyond grammar and connects language use with real communication.

5. Empathy

This will not be easy for everyone. It depends on the learner and, let’s say, their “cultural characteristics” or the type of culture they belong to. More often, however, it simply depends on personality or upbringing.

The learner takes the other person’s situation into account.

For example, a new student may: have difficulty understanding Russian; feel embarrassed about speaking; not know the Russian name of their educational institution; prefer not to explain in detail where they have come from.

Practical task:

Your conversation partner has just started learning Russian. Get to know them. Speak slowly, ask one question at a time, and help them answer.

Useful strategies:

Ты живёшь в Таллине?
Ты из Италии?
Можно сказать: «Я учусь в университете».

In this way, the learner develops not only accurate speech but also the ability to support communication. (Advanced level)

6. Self-Knowledge

The learner understands what they can already do and where they still experience difficulty.

After the dialogue, the learner assesses themselves:

• I can introduce myself without a text.

• I can say where I live.

• I can say where I have come from.

• I can distinguish between the questions Where? and From where?

• I correctly choose в/на and из/с.

• I can ask questions to my interlocutor.

• I can continue the conversation if I do not know one word.

It is important to include not only an assessment of mistakes but also an analysis of the learner’s strategy:

When I didn’t know the ending, I stopped and did not continue the conversation.

or:

I didn’t know the exact form, but I was able to express the idea in other words.

The Logic of the Learning Sequence

Stage 1. Meaning First

Learners consider two situations:

Мария живёт в Испании.
Мария приехала из Испании.

The teacher asks:

Где Мария живёт?
Откуда Мария приехала?

The learners notice the difference in meaning.

Stage 2. Language Patterns

The following structures are introduced:

жить в…
учиться в…
работать в / на…
приехать из…
прийти с…

Learners compare the pairs:

в школе — из школы;
в университете — из университета;
на работе — с работы.

Stage 3. Guided Practice

Learners select the appropriate question and form:

Я живу ___ Польше.
Я приехал ___ Польши.

However, exercises of this kind are used only as an intermediate stage of practice.

Stage 4. Personalisation

Learners complete the patterns with their own information:

(Here I would like to introduce my YouTube video series, “Tell Your Story in Russian.” I have brought together all the topics typically covered at levels A1–A2 (beginner level) and created sample monologues that you can practise using the shadowing technique.)

And let’s continue:

Я живу…
Я учусь…
Я работаю…
Я приехал…

Stage 5. Questions for a Conversation Partner

The learner transforms statements into questions:

Я живу в Таллине. - Где ты живёшь? (By the way, in Estonia it is customary to write Tallinn with two n’s: Таллинн.)
Я приехал из Италии. — Откуда ты приехал?

Stage 6. Supported Dialogue

Learners conduct an introductory conversation using a structure, prompt, or role card.

Stage 7. Unscripted Dialogue

The partner or communicative situation changes. The learner no longer reads a prepared text but selects the content independently.

Stage 8. Reflection and a Second Attempt

After the first dialogue, the learner identifies one successful action and one difficulty. They then conduct a second conversation and try to address the specific problem.

The Essence of This Design Approach

In a traditional lesson, the sequence often looks like this:

rule of the prepositional case → exercises → rule of the genitive case → exercises → dialogue.

In backward design, the sequence is reversed:

the learner must get acquainted and exchange personal information → we determine how they will demonstrate this skill → we establish what meanings, grammatical forms, and communicative strategies they need → we create exercises that lead to the final conversation.

Therefore, the learning outcome is not formulated as:

The student has studied the prepositional and genitive cases.

Instead, it is formulated as:

The student can, when meeting someone, say where they live and study, where they have come from, ask similar questions, and understand the interlocutor’s answers, using the prepositional and genitive cases.

If you need help setting learning goals and designing an individual study program, methodological consultations with me will be useful. During such a session, we will define your objectives, select appropriate materials, and create a step-by-step learning path.

I will finish by saying that students’ motivation increases significantly when they understand that they are achieving their goals. It is like crossing completed planned tasks off a daily planner. You do that, don’t you? Amazing feeling, right?

And that’s the end of the article. You made it all the way to the end? Wow!

Grammar Rules and Useful Constructions

Possessive Pronouns. First- and second-person possessive pronouns

The first-person singular possessive pronoun is мой — my, mine.

The second-person singular informal possessive pronoun is твой — your, yours.

The first-person plural possessive pronoun is наш — our, ours.

The second-person singular formal and plural possessive pronoun is ваш — your, yours.

These pronouns agree with the noun in gender and number:

• мой папа — my father

• моя мама — my mother

• моё море — my sea

• мои родители — my parents

• твой журнал — your magazine

• твоя книга — your book

• наш папа — our father

• наши дети — our children

Third-person possessive pronouns

The third-person possessive pronouns are:

• его — his, its

• её — her, its

• их — their

Unlike мой, твой, наш, ваш, these pronouns do not change according to the gender, number, or case of the noun.

Examples:

• его папа — his father

• его родители — his parents

• её книга — her book

• их дети — their children

The interrogative pronoun «чей»

The interrogative pronoun чей means whose.

It agrees with the noun in gender and number:

• чей — masculine

• чья — feminine

• чьё — neuter

• чьи — plural

Examples:

• Чей это журнал? — Whose magazine is this?

• Чья это книга? — Whose book is this?

• Чьё это море? — Whose sea is this?

• Чьи это дети? — Whose children are these?

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Useful Expressions

1. Повелительное наклонение — Imperative Mood

Смотри! — Look! (informal singular)
Смотрите! — Look! (formal or plural)
Поехали! — Let’s go!
Познакомься, это Лидия Николаевна. — Meet Lidia Nikolaevna. / Let me introduce you to Lidia Nikolaevna.
Пусть читает. — Let him/her read.

2. Вопросы «Что это?» и конструкции с «это» — Questions with «Что это?» and Constructions with «Это»

Что это? — What is this? / What is that?
Дети, что это? — Children, what is this?
Это город. — This is a city.
Это карта Таллина? — Is this a map of Tallinn?
Да, это карта Таллина. — Yes, this is a map of Tallinn.
Море! — The sea!

3. Глаголы в настоящем времени — Verbs in the Present Tense

Что ты делаешь? — What are you doing?
Что Вы делаете? — What are you doing? (formal)
Я отдыхаю. — I am relaxing. / I am resting.
Я слушаю музыку. — I am listening to music.
Я работаю. — I am working.
Что делает Толя? — What is Tolya doing?
Он отдыхает. — He is relaxing. / He is resting.
Он слушает музыку. — He is listening to music.
Я её читаю. — I am reading it.
Он читает мою книгу. — He is reading my book.

4. Глагол «знать» и отрицание — The Verb «Знать» and Negation

Я знаю. — I know.
Я не знаю. — I don’t know.
Ты знаешь? — Do you know?
Ты не знаешь? — Don’t you know?

5. Вопросы о местонахождении — Asking About Location

Где карта? — Where is the map?
Где дети? — Where are the children?
Где наши дети? — Where are our children?
Где мой муж? — Where is my husband?
Где моя книга? — Where is my book?
Где наш папа? — Where is our dad?
Вот она. — Here it is.
Нина дома? — Is Nina at home?
Да, она дома. — Yes, she is at home.
Толя дома? — Is Tolya at home?
Нет, он работает. — No, he is working.

6. Притяжательные местоимения: мой, твой, наш — Possessive Pronouns: мой, твой, наш

мой муж — my husband
моя книга — my book
мою книгу — my book (accusative form)
наши дети — our children
наш папа — our dad
Это твой журнал? — Is this your magazine?
Нет, это не мой журнал. — No, this is not my magazine.
Это твоя книга? — Is this your book?
Нет, это не моя книга. — No, this is not my book.
Да, это моя книга. — Yes, this is my book.

7. Вопросительные слова «чей?», «чья?», «чьи?» — Interrogative Pronouns «Чей?», «Чья?», «Чьи?»

Чей это журнал? — Whose magazine is this?
Чья это книга? — Whose book is this?
Чьи это дети? — Whose children are these?

8. Притяжательные местоимения «его» и «её» — Possessive Pronouns «Его» and «Её»

Это его папа? — Is this his father?
Да, это его папа. — Yes, this is his father.
Это его родители. — These are his parents.
Да, это её книга. — Yes, this is her book.

9. Семья — Family

Это мои родители. — These are my parents.
Это мой папа. — This is my dad.
Это моя мама. — This is my mum.
Это моя бабушка. — This is my grandmother.
Это мой дедушка. — This is my grandfather.
Это мои бабушка и дедушка. — These are my grandmother and grandfather.
муж — husband
дети — children
родители — parents
папа — dad / father
мама — mum / mother
бабушка — grandmother
дедушка — grandfather

10. Вежливые фразы — Polite Phrases

Простите. — Excuse me. / I’m sorry.
Спасибо. — Thank you.
Пожалуйста. — Please. / You’re welcome.
Очень хорошо. — Very good.
Очень приятно! — Nice to meet you!
Так интересно! — That’s so interesting!

11. В кафе — At a Café

Я хочу кофе. — I would like some coffee. / I want coffee.
Два кофе, пожалуйста. — Two coffees, please.

12. Отдельные существительные — Individual Nouns

город — city
море — sea
карта — map
карта Таллина — a map of Tallinn
музыка — music
книга — book
журнал — magazine

#LearnRussian #RussianForBeginners #RussianLanguage #EasyRussianPractice

You’re listening to a podcast in Russian — slow, simple, and real.

If you’re just beginning to learn Russian, or if you’ve already started but miss regular practice … this podcast can be your quiet space to return to the language.

Each episode is like a small training: listen and repeat.

I’m a teacher of Russian as a foreign language. And I’ve created this podcast for those who want to practice regularly, to feel more confident, to speak more clearly and grow naturally.

Welcome! Let’s begin.

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🔵 Монолог 1
После занятий я люблю гулять с друзьями. Иногда мы идём в парк, иногда — в кафе. Мы говорим, слушаем музыку и отдыхаем. Это помогает после тяжёлого дня в университете.

After class I like to walk with friends. Sometimes we go to the park, sometimes to a café. We talk, listen to music, and relax. It helps after a hard day at university.

🔵 Монолог 2
Многие студенты любят спорт. Мой друг играет в футбол. Я хожу в бассейн. Некоторые студенты занимаются йогой. Это помогает быть активным и здоровым.

Many students like sports. My friend plays football. I go to the swimming pool. Some students do yoga. It helps to stay active and healthy.

🔵 Монолог 3
Я люблю читать. У нас в университете есть большая библиотека. Там тихо, и там много интересных книг. Я читаю литературу на русском и на английском языке.

I love reading. Our university has a big library. It’s quiet there, and there are many interesting books. I read literature in Russian and English.

🔵 Монолог 4
У нас есть студенческий театр. Я не актёр, но я часто хожу на спектакли. Моя подруга играет в театре. Студенты репетируют после занятий и выступают вечером.

We have a student theatre. I’m not an actor, but I often go to performances. My friend acts in the theatre. Students rehearse after class and perform in the evening.

🔵 Монолог 5
В выходные я отдыхаю дома. Иногда я просто сплю. Иногда смотрю фильмы. Если хорошая погода — гуляю в парке. Мне нравится, когда нет лекций и можно ничего не делать.

On weekends I rest at home. Sometimes I just sleep. Sometimes I watch movies. If the weather is nice, I walk in the park. I like when there are no lectures and I can do nothing.

Thanks for listening to Easy Russian Practice. See you soon!

Grammar Rules and Useful Constructions

1. The present-tense verb “to be” is usually omitted in Russian

Russian does not normally use an equivalent of am, is, are in the present tense.

Кто это? Это робот.
Что это? Это театр. Это музей. Это река.

2. Russian has no articles

Russian has no equivalents of the English articles a, an, and the.

The meaning is understood from the context:

Это театр. Это музей. Это собака.

Depending on the context, театр may mean a theatre or the theatre.

3. The word «это»

The word это is used to identify a person, animal, place, or object. It may correspond to this, that, or it in English.

Use кто? when asking about a person or an animal: Кто это? Это Алла.

Use что? when asking about an object, place, or thing: Что это? Это мост.

4. Questions without a question word

A statement can become a question through intonation. The word order often remains the same.

Алла дома.
Алла дома?

5. Negation with «не»

The particle не is placed before the word or phrase being negated.

Это не Алла. Нет, это не Алла, это Виктор. Я не знаю.

The word нет is used as an independent negative answer:

Нет, это не Алла.

6. The verb «знать»

The verb знать means to know.

Useful forms: Я знаю. Я не знаю. Да, я знаю. Я не знаю, что это.

7. Asking about location

Use где? to ask where someone or something is. Где метро?

Use тут or здесь for a place close to the speaker: Тут река.

Use там for a place farther away: Там город.

8. Short location answers

Russian often uses short answers without a verb: Где? Там. Где? Тут.

9. Describing distance

The words далеко and недалеко describe distance.

Далеко? Недалеко. The verb “to be” is not used: Метро недалеко.

10. Describing a state

Russian can express a person’s condition without the verb “to be.” Я устал. A woman says: Я устала.

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Useful Expressions

Кто ты? Who are you?

Я робот. I am a robot.

Что это? What is this? / What is that?

Это робот. This is a robot. / It is a robot.

Алла дома? Is Alla at home?

Кто это? Who is this? / Who is that?

Это Алла. This is Alla.

Нет, это не Алла, это Виктор. No, this is not Alla. This is Viktor.

Это театр. This is a theatre.

Это музей. This is a museum.

Это река. This is a river.

Это парк. This is a park.

Это море. This is the sea.

Это памятник. This is a monument.

Это улица. This is a street.

Это мост. This is a bridge.

Тут река. There is a river here. / The river is here.

Город там. The city is over there.

Это такси. This is a taxi.

знать - to know

Я не знаю, что это. I do not know what it is.

Да, я знаю.Yes, I know.

Я не знаю. I do not know.

Где метро? Where is the metro?

Это собака. This is a dog.

Здравствуйте. Hello.

Простите. Excuse me. / I’m sorry.

Далеко? Is it far?

Недалеко. It is not far.

Где? Where?

Там. There. / Over there.

Тут. Here.

Я устал. I am tired. — said by a man

Я устала. I am tired. — said by a woman

Motivation and interest are often more important than your language level. When a topic is engaging, a learner is willing to watch the same video several times, look up unfamiliar words, and tolerate not understanding everything.

For example, my husband watches football with Spanish commentary and even comments on the game himself, repeating phrases he hears, although he does not always know what they mean.

The same principle applies to almost any interest. Do you enjoy cooking? Watch cooking shows. Are you interested in cosmetics and makeup? Look for tutorials by Russian-speaking bloggers. Do you love travelling? Search for travel programmes or vloggers and watch different channels until you find someone whose style you enjoy.

It is better to watch a difficult video about something you love than an easy video about a topic that does not interest you at all.

Why are you watching?

The second question is: what is your purpose?

Some highly motivated, achievement-oriented learners value structure, clear stages, study guides, and exam requirements. In this case, the learning objective should determine the choice of material.

Videos created specifically for learners of Russian as a foreign language are often more suitable for them. The vocabulary is already selected according to language level, and the topics are usually connected with those covered in language exams. These are often audio and video materials that accompany textbooks.

Such students tend to have strong self-awareness and usually know their weaknesses very well. Their goals may be very specific: improving listening comprehension, learning to speak more confidently, or becoming familiar with Russian culture.

Let us start with listening comprehension. Interviews, vlogs, podcasts, and almost any short videos can be useful for this purpose.

If your goal is to learn to speak, it is better to choose materials containing plenty of everyday dialogue, such as television series and films.

If you want to learn more about Russian culture, feature films, documentaries, and programmes about life in Russia are a good choice.

What if you simply want to enjoy watching?

If your goal is simply to enjoy yourself and watch films in Russian, there is no need to search for “the perfect film for A2 learners.”

It is much more important to choose a genre you enjoy: comedy, detective stories, science fiction, or melodrama. A good choice is always something you genuinely want to watch until the end.

Your language level does, of course, matter, but it should not be the first criterion. Subtitles can help beginners, and difficult material can be watched several times. You certainly do not need to understand every single word.

For my beginner students, I created a separate series of educational videos. They use the shadowing technique: after each phrase, there is a pause that allows students to repeat it aloud. In this way, they practise all the vocabulary included in the official Russian as a foreign language curriculum.

However, this is real structured learning, with assessment and progress monitoring. It is a more academic approach designed for classroom use.

With adult learners, I often use Let’s Get Acquainted: A Russian Language Television Course. Yes, it was created many years ago and is slightly outdated, but the characters’ speech and the actors’ performances are excellent.

Do not search for “the perfect film for A1 learners.” First, find a topic that genuinely interests you. Then decide why you want to watch the material, and only after that consider the difficulty of the language.

This approach helps learners stay motivated and makes learning Russian much more enjoyable.

Tell me a little more about yourself, and I’ll send you a list of channels and films selected according to your interests.

Start with classic Russian films available on Mosfilm’s YouTube channel.

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You’re listening to a podcast in Russian — slow, simple, and real.

If you’re just beginning to learn Russian, or if you’ve already started but miss regular practice … this podcast can be your quiet space to return to the language.

Each episode is like a small training: listen and repeat.

I’m a teacher of Russian as a foreign language. And I’ve created this podcast for those who want to practice regularly, to feel more confident, to speak more clearly and grow naturally.

Welcome! Let’s begin.

Subscribe now

🔵 Монолог 1
Я учусь в государственном университете. Я учусь хорошо и получаю стипендию. Это не очень большая сумма, но она помогает. Я плачу за транспорт и обед.

I study at a public university. I study well and receive a scholarship. It’s not a big amount, but it helps. I pay for transport and lunch.

🔵 Монолог 2
Мой друг учится по гранту. Он участвовал в международной программе и выиграл грант. Теперь он учится бесплатно. Это отличная возможность!

My friend studies on a grant. He took part in an international program and won a grant. Now he studies for free and receives money for housing. It’s a great opportunity!

🔵 Монолог 3
Я хочу получить стипендию. Для этого нужно хорошо учиться, не пропускать занятия и сдавать экзамены. В следующем семестре я постараюсь!

I want to get a scholarship. To do this, I need to study well, not miss classes, and pass exams. Next semester I will try!

🔵 Монолог 4
В университете есть академическая и социальная стипендия. Академическую дают за хорошие оценки. Социальную получают студенты, у которых есть финансовые трудности.

At the university, there are academic and social scholarships. The academic one is for good grades. The social one is for students who have financial difficulties.

🔵 Монолог 5
Моя сестра учится в магистратуре и получает стипендию. Она участвует в проекте и пишет научную работу. Университет платит ей стипендию, потому что у неё хорошие результаты.

My sister is studying for her Master’s and receives a scholarship. She participates in a project and writes research. The university gives her a scholarship because she has good results.

Thanks for listening to Easy Russian Practice. See you soon!

You’re listening to a podcast in Russian — slow, simple, and real.

If you’re just beginning to learn Russian, or if you’ve already started but miss regular practice … this podcast can be your quiet space to return to the language.

Each episode is like a small training: listen and repeat.

I’m a teacher of Russian as a foreign language. And I’ve created this podcast for those who want to practice regularly, to feel more confident, to speak more clearly and grow naturally.

Welcome! Let’s begin.

Subscribe now

🔵 Монолог 1
Я учусь на филологическом факультете. Это гуманитарное образование. Я изучаю русский язык и литературу. Мне нравится читать, писать и учить языки. В будущем я хочу работать переводчиком.

I study at the faculty of philology. It’s a humanities education. I study Russian language and literature. I like reading, writing, and learning languages. In the future, I want to work as a translator.

🔵 Монолог 2
Мой брат учится в техническом университете. Он изучает информатику и математику. Он хочет стать программистом. Это сложная, но интересная профессия.

My brother studies at a technical university. He studies computer science and mathematics. He wants to become a programmer. It’s a difficult but interesting profession.

🔵 Монолог 3
Моя подруга учится в медицинском институте. Она хочет быть врачом. Она изучает биологию, химию и латынь. Учёба очень трудная, но она любит помогать людям.

My friend studies at a medical institute. She wants to be a doctor. She studies biology, chemistry, and Latin. The studies are very hard, but she loves helping people.

🔵 Монолог 4
Я долго не знал, что выбрать: гуманитарное или техническое образование. Мне нравится история и философия, но я решил учиться на инженера. Теперь я учусь в техническом университете.

I didn’t know for a long time what to choose: humanities or technical education. I like history and philosophy, but I decided to study engineering. Now I study at a technical university.

🔵 Монолог 5
В моей семье все врачи. Мама - терапевт, папа - хирург. Я тоже поступил в медицинский университет. Это трудно: нужно много читать и учить. Но я хочу работать в больнице.

Everyone in my family is a doctor. My mom is a therapist, my dad is a surgeon. I also entered medical university. It’s hard: you have to read and memorize a lot. But I want to work in a hospital.

Thanks for listening to Easy Russian Practice. See you soon!

You’re listening to a podcast in Russian — slow, simple, and real.

If you’re just beginning to learn Russian, or if you’ve already started but miss regular practice … this podcast can be your quiet space to return to the language.

Each episode is like a small training: listen and repeat.

I’m a teacher of Russian as a foreign language. And I’ve created this podcast for those who want to practice regularly, to feel more confident, to speak more clearly and grow naturally.

Welcome! Let’s begin.

Subscribe now

🔵 Монолог 1
Сейчас я учусь на втором курсе бакалавриата. Моя специальность - экономика. Учиться интересно, но непросто. Я хочу закончить бакалавриат и потом поступить в магистратуру.

Now I’m in my second year of Bachelor’s studies. My major is economics. Studying is interesting but not easy. I want to finish my Bachelor’s and then apply for a Master’s.

🔵 Монолог 2
Моя подруга Лена закончила бакалавриат в прошлом году. Сейчас она учится в магистратуре. Она изучает международные отношения. У неё много лекций и большая дипломная работа.

My friend Lena finished her Bachelor’s last year. Now she studies in a Master’s program. She studies international relations. She has many lectures and a big thesis.

🔵 Монолог 3
Я хочу быть преподавателем. Сейчас я заканчиваю магистратуру. Через год я хочу поступить в аспирантуру. Там нужно писать научную работу и преподавать студентам.

I want to be a teacher. Now I’m finishing my Master’s. Next year I want to enter postgraduate studies. There I need to write research work and teach students.

🔵 Монолог 4
В университете три уровня: бакалавриат, магистратура и аспирантура. Бакалавриат длится четыре года, магистратура — два года, аспирантура — три-четыре года. После аспирантуры можно работать в науке.

At university there are three levels: Bachelor’s, Master’s, and postgraduate. Bachelor’s takes four years, Master’s — two years, and postgraduate — three to four years. After postgraduate studies, you can work in science.

🔵 Монолог 5
Мой брат хочет получить магистерский диплом. Он уже закончил бакалавриат. Сейчас он работает и готовит документы. Он хочет учиться на вечернем отделении, потому что днём работает.

My brother wants to get a Master’s degree. He already finished his Bachelor’s. Now he works and prepares documents. He wants to study in the evening program because he works during the day.

Thanks for listening to Easy Russian Practice. See you soon!

You’re listening to a podcast in Russian — slow, simple, and real.

If you’re just beginning to learn Russian, or if you’ve already started but miss regular practice … this podcast can be your quiet space to return to the language.

Each episode is like a small training: listen and repeat.

I’m a teacher of Russian as a foreign language. And I’ve created this podcast for those who want to practice regularly, to feel more confident, to speak more clearly and grow naturally.

Welcome! Let’s begin.

Subscribe now

🔵 Монолог 1
Сначала я учился в школе. Это среднее образование. У нас было одиннадцать классов. После школы я поступил в университет. Сейчас я получаю высшее образование.

First I studied at school. That’s secondary education. We had eleven grades. After school, I entered university. Now I’m getting higher education.

🔵 Монолог 2
Моя сестра ещё учится в школе. Она в десятом классе. Она хочет поступить в медицинский университет. Она говорит, что хочет получить высшее образование и стать врачом.

My sister is still at school. She is in the tenth grade. She wants to enter a medical university. She says she wants to get higher education and become a doctor.

🔵 Монолог 3
Мой брат учился в колледже после девятого класса. Это среднее профессиональное образование. Сейчас он работает. Он не пошёл в университет, но у него уже есть диплом.

My brother studied at college after the ninth grade. That’s secondary vocational education. Now he works. He didn’t go to university, but he already has a diploma.

🔵 Монолог 4
Я хочу получить высшее образование. В школе я люблю математику и информатику. Я хочу учиться в техническом университете и стать программистом.

I want to get higher education. At school I like math and IT. I want to study at a technical university and become a programmer.

🔵 Монолог 5
Университет — это высшее учебное заведение. Там учатся взрослые. В школе учатся дети и подростки. В университете учат сложные предметы. Нужно много читать и готовиться к экзаменам.

A university is a higher educational institution. Adults study there. Children and teenagers go to school. At university you learn difficult subjects. You need to read a lot and prepare for exams.

Thanks for listening to Easy Russian Practice. See you soon!

You’re listening to a podcast in Russian — slow, simple, and real.

If you’re just beginning to learn Russian, or if you’ve already started but miss regular practice … this podcast can be your quiet space to return to the language.

Each episode is like a small training: listen and repeat.

I’m a teacher of Russian as a foreign language. And I’ve created this podcast for those who want to practice regularly, to feel more confident, to speak more clearly and grow naturally.

Welcome! Let’s begin.

Subscribe now

🔵 Монолог 1
В моей стране школа бесплатная и обязательная. Все дети идут в школу в шесть или семь лет. Учиться надо девять лет. Потом можно пойти в колледж или в университет.

In my country, school is free and compulsory. All children go to school at six or seven years old. They must study for nine years. Then they can go to college or university.

🔵 Монолог 2
Я учусь в университете бесплатно. Я хорошо сдал экзамены и поступил на бюджетное место. У нас есть студенты, которые учатся платно. Они платят каждый семестр.

I study at the university for free. I passed the exams well and got a state-funded place. Some students study on a paid basis. They pay every semester.

🔵 Монолог 3
Моя сестра учится в частном колледже. Это платное образование. У родителей есть деньги, и они платят за её обучение. У неё хорошие преподаватели и много интересных предметов.

My sister studies at a private college. This is paid education. Our parents have money, and they pay for her studies. She has good teachers and many interesting subjects.

🔵 Монолог 4
Я знаю, что в некоторых странах образование очень дорогое. Там люди берут кредит на учёбу. У нас государственные университеты доступны для всех, но конкурс большой.

I know that in some countries education is very expensive. People take a loan for their studies. In our country, state universities are accessible for everyone, but the competition is high.

🔵 Монолог 5
В деревне, где живёт моя бабушка, есть школа. Туда ходят все дети. Школа государственная, обучение бесплатное. Там работает только один учитель, но он хороший специалист.

In the village where my grandmother lives, there is a school. All children go there. The school is public, and education is free. There is only one teacher, but he is a good specialist.

Thanks for listening to Easy Russian Practice. See you soon!