Question by vongchild: What are some good tips for learning Russian?
I am trying to learn russian. I am living in a russian speaking country and taking russian class for about an hour a day 5 times a week. I am still having a very hard time getting it because Russian is such a tough language. Does anyone have any tips?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Zmejka
If i can compare your experience with mine (living in a foreign country and studied the foreign language 3 hours a day 5 days a week):
-don’t be afraind to talk actually even with mistakes, with difficulties but still – talk and talk to everybody who’s going to listen to you, let them at first not correct your mistakes or it’ll get you depressed – just listen and talk back.
-listen programs on tv, on internet (where you can play them many times by pressing pauze), at first the language will be like a flow, no familiar words – or only a few – but day after day you’ll begin to recognize sentences and eventually – words. Listen much!
-read books -first for children, they’re easy and you’ll know the basic language, them for example recepies – you’ll get to know the name of ingredients, then forums on internet on the topics you’re interested in – so you’ll know the spoke language and by the way – will be reading about something you’re interested in.
-talking on icq or other chat program – if you like.
Advices are universal for any language. And – if you can – get work even if not at your level or part-time for example – there you’ll still be around native-speakers and will be picking new words and expressions. That’s my own experience. Good luck!
What do you think? Answer below!
yamayo says
I lived in Russia for a year as an exchange student, and it was pretty hard for me to get it all down too, but I would say your best bet if you already know the letters is to start reading, and getting a friend you can read to! That helped me a lot! I read a lot of Pushkin. I didn't really understand it when I read it, but it helped pronunciation so that when I did understand it, I could say it properly.
I'm someone who learns patterns really easily, so if you listen and try to pick up the patterns of how they talk it helps and replay things in your head over and over and over again! practicing writing and having someone look at it helps too. It you don't like to speak (I hated it) write. Write things the way you would speak it and have it checked for grammar.
I know it's really hard, and what's weird is that I've been told I speak better Russian now that I'm back home! IDK!
Good luck!
Jess says
Im from america and russian was my first language. when i was little, my parents would first teach me how to just speak it, and then how to read it, like little kids learn english. so if youre trying to read and speak it at the same time, youre going to have some trouble. try to learn it as tho u are a toddler learning your first language. dont compare the russian words to english words because it'll get confusing. and dont learn to read until you know basic conversational russian and the grammar and mechanic of it. you'll get it. if i can learn english when i was 6, you can learn russian now.