Learn Basic Russian
If your understanding of the Russian language is limited to what you heard in Cold War spy movies and saw in history textbooks, maybe it’s time to learn basic Russian. Though it doesn’t come to English speakers as readily as Spanish or German, Russian is far from impossible to learn. Due to the number of speakers and the language’s diplomatic importance in the UN, there are plenty of resources for those studying basic Russian. You’ll soon move beyond one-word indicators like “??” (yes) and “???” (no) to more useful sentences like “Vot eta da, vodka ochen deshovaya tut!” (Oh my, vodka is cheap here!).
First, why learn basic Russian?
As the eighth most common native language in the world, Russian is not only the primary tongue of Russia itself but of numerous former Soviet republics. Although Ukrainian is official in Ukraine, for example, the majority of people in that country use Russian as their vernacular. In the United States, large Russian-speaking communities exist in places like New York City, Chicago, and Alaska.
When traveling in the former Soviet Union (and in some parts of Eastern Europe), the ability to read signs, engage in conversations, or generally “get by” with basic Russian skills will serve you well. Compared to us edgy Americans, Russian are slightly more patient with foreign visitors who are learning the language. They will generally reward your attempt to speak in their native tongue.
A final reason to learn basic Russian is that it’s challenging. You’ll tie up your tongue and wrack your brain in ways you’ve never imagined. Ultimately, it’s fun and novel, and if you’re really good at it, you can pursue advanced study. Becoming bilingual in Russian is quite lucrative because it’s rare for Americans to learn a second language other than German or a Romance language. And imagine the beauty of reading Tolstoy or Dostoevsky novels without English translation!
Isn’t Russian too hard?
Although Russian is an Indo-European language, related in very basic ways to English, it does use the Cyrillic alphabet instead of the Roman alphabet. The ominous appearance of Russian is enough to frighten some people away from studying it. Russian grammar is also complex, particularly when it comes to handling things like declension (which I won’t even begin to explain). But Russian has some benefits, too. Once you learn the Russian alphabet, you’ll find that the language is largely phonetic, meaning that words are almost always pronounced by combining the sounds of individual letters.
For example, the word for restaurant is “????????.” The “?” is really an “r” sound, the “?” is really an “s” sound, and the “?” is really an “n.” At first, this is confusing because our concept of the English letters conflicts with their “new” sounds in Russian, but thanks to the consistency of Russian pronunciation, you eventually reframe the letters mentally and begin to remember that the “c” is always a soft “s” sound and never a hard “k” sound. Though complex, Russian is quite logical.
I want to learn basic Russian. Where do I begin?
I recommend a combination of books and online resources. Learning any language – even the basics – involves practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing. With Russian, it makes the most sense to focus primarily on speaking, listening, and reading at first; the written script of Cyrillic can come in time, once the sounds and visuals are second nature.
I have found the following books useful in my self-study:
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Learning Russian by Christopher Froehlich. Available from Amazon.com, Half.com, and many other booksellers for under $15, this guide provides a solid, reassuring introduction to Russian, making the intimidating language seem accessible. The book is intuitively organized and is especially deft at teaching the Russian alphabet and basic vocabulary. Because it is an unaccompanied book, though, it will not provide enough speaking or listening practice.
Teach Yourself Beginner’s Russian by Rachel Farmer. At first blush, this guide seems tough. And it is. The pace is wicked and the explanations are a little slimmer, but it comes with a solid audio recording so you can practice listening and speaking. On its own, this book would make learning Russian unpleasant, but combined with the friendlier Idiot’s Guide, this text softens a little.
Try using the two books together, in conjunction with the following websites:
www.masterrussian.com: Although it won’t help you “master” the language, this website has some great tools for self-teachers. It’s not a course on its own but rather a resource guide containing links to downloadable audio files, short alternative descriptions of grammar rules (in case the other books leave you confused), and even quizzes.
www.russnet.org: Combining a more conventional online course with some history lessons, this site makes modules, including a business Russian track, available for free.
Of course, language instruction software and pay-per-lesson sites are also available, but why spend the money initially? Learn what you can from free sites and from books/CDs (which you can also get from the library!). Then determine whether you are satisfied with your basic Russian skills and whether you want to invest in coursework or tutoring.
In summary: ???????! (I wish you success!)
