Learn Russian: Russian Made Easy 10
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Episode #10 – Russian Made Easy
Welcome to episode #10. Today we’re going to have you play the role of interpreter. Aside from being fun practice, this is also pretty realistic. After all, you’re probably the only person in your group or your family who speaks Russian, now. So, they’ll need you to interpret for them if they go with you to Russia or Ukraine, or if a Russian speaking friend or relative comes to visit. So, get ready to translate…
I need to mention, as I’ve done from time to time, that these podcasts are cumulative. Each one assumes you’ve mastered the material taught in all the previous episodes. So, if you’re new, please start with Episode #1 of RussianMadeEasy. Ok, let’s dive in. Please translate the following:
Здравствуйте. Меня зовут Владимир.
Means: Hello. My name is Vladimir.
А как Вас зовут?
And what’s your name?
Это мой друг Сергей. Он – музыкант.
This is my friend Sergei. He is a musician.
А это моя подруга Наташа. Она – студентка.
This is my friend Natasha. She is a student.
Джон – американец. A Катя – англичанка.
John is an American, whereas Katya is an Englishwoman.
Марк, это твой папа?
Mark, is this your dad?
Да. Он – адвокат.
Yes. He’s a lawyer.
And this is your mom?
А это твоя мама?
Yes. She is a doctor.
Да. Она – доктор.
Мой папа – австралиец, а моя мама – американка.
My dad is an Australian, whereas my mom is an American.
Сергей, хочешьь кушать?
Sergei, want to eat?
А что есть?
And what is there?
Есть паста и салат и суп.
There is pasta and salad and soup.
Хорошо. Я буду пасту, пожалуйста.
Ok. I’ll have pasta, please.
А что ты хочешь, Наташа?
And what do you want, Natasha?
А я хочу борщ.
And I want borscht.
In this next one, there’s a word that’s new to these podcasts. The word is ИЛИ. Can you figure out what it means?
Хочешь чай или кофе?
Хмм..Чай, пожалуйста.
So, или translates as “or”. Let’s try those last two phrases again…
Хочешь чай или кофе?
Want tea or coffee?
Хмм..Чай, пожалуйста.
Hmm…Tea, please.
Imagine you’re standing outside a pizzeria and a sushi bar. Your friend asks:
Что ты хочешь? Пиццу или суши?
That means: What do you want? Pizza or sushi?
Я не хочу кушать.
I don’t want to eat.
V.O. And now, here’s your Tip of the Day from Russian Made Easy…
To really maximize your practice time, I recommend hitting pause now and again, and treating the phrase you heard as a construction. Then quickly input a few different content words. For example, that last phrase was:
Я не хочу кушать.
The content word there is кушать…that’s the word you can take out to insert other words. So you might say:
I don’t want pizza.
Я не хочу пиццу.
I don’t want vodka.
Я не хочу водку.
I don’t want sushi.
Я не хочу суши
Just a few, like that. See if you can rattle off five really quickly. That’s just a good habit to get into when you’re listening to a lot of Russian. Hit pause after a particular phrase and treat it as a construction.
Let’s keep going. Translate the following…
Марк, кто это?
Mark, who is this?
Это мой друг Глэн. Он – бизнесмен.
This is my friend, Glenn. He is a businessman.
Он – канадец.
He’s a Canadian.
А кто это?
And who’s this?
Это моя подруга Джэнифер. Она – австралийка.
This is my friend Jennifer. She’s Australian.
Хочешь йогурт или маффин или блины?
Want yogurt or a muffin or crepes?
Нет, спасибо. Я не хочу кушать.
No, thanks. I don’t want to eat.
Хочешь капучино?
Want cappuccino?
Хорошо. Спасибо.
Ok. Thanks.
Икру?
Caviar?
Хмм…икру? Нет, спасибо. Не хочу.
Hmm…caviar? No thanks. I don’t want.
So, how’d you do with all these? If you got most or all, then you’re doing great. This episode was kind of a mid-term, so we’re getting out of class early today. But today’s exercises are longer. What I did for the download exercises was take today’s translation practice and flip it around. So, for homework, you need to say each of today’s phrases in Russian. So be sure to download those, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
DOWNLOADS – (right click with mouse and “save as”)
Please comment or share with one of the buttons below. Your support helps keep the ball rolling!
Hi Mark, I’ve been taking these lessons for a month or so, I’ve been kind of busy, so I take a lesson, practice it, then the next day, do the same lesson in review, then do the next. I’m dealing with two puppies at six months, and running a machine shop, so I get time when I can, and “two steps forward, one back” has been working very well for me.
Your format is well considered, and follows a logical pattern, so it come like natural. Thanks for putting this up and the follow up.
Semper Fidelis,
John McClain
Hi Mark. I’m an English Language Teacher from Turkey. You are following a very effective teaching and learning method. I also apply same principles in my class. This method makes people love learning a foreing language in my opinion. Now, I can build Russian sentences while the record is building in English. I also suggest to learners a subconsious approach. After taking lessons from here, you can study while you are sleeping. It is a very effective backup after learning.
With my sincere thanks.
Sorry about grammatical mistakes. It is a shame. I am using Turkish keyboard. I forget checking.
Hi Mark!
I’m from Sweden and I’m trying to learn Russian, I want to say that I think you have a Great teaching technic!
I think it’s interesting to learn. But so hard to remember all new words.
Cheers
Hi Ove!
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. It’s okay to forget. Normal, even.
What you might try is this: Take a blank piece of paper and just write down
either **all** the Russian words you know, or the most recent 100 you learned.
Make it a day-long project. It’s a way of confirming that, yes, you know a lot,
sometimes it takes time to recall.
Hi mark! I really enjoy these podcasts, I can really see the progress from one to the next. You encourage us to write words down to remember them. In my experience, I barely ever write in English, I mostly type. So I taught myself to touch-type in Cyrillic and use that as my writing practice. Do you think that is as effective?
Hi Dov,
Thanks again for joining Russian Accelerator. I was just answering your podcast question.
ANyway, yes…Typing each word is better than nothing, but there is scientific evidence to support
the idea that writing by hand, on paper, is superior. Kinesthetic memory.
Thanks again for joining, and please dont hesitate with any questions along the way.
We’re here to help.
Cheers from Ukraine,
Mark Thomson
Pres. R.A.