Magic English-Russian Podcast
Audio: http://kb.mista.ru/files/914/1-hello.mp3
Hello, my friends. Nice to meet you.
This podcast is devoted to the Russian language. If you want to learn some Russian and you know
English better than Russian and you even understand me, you have made a good choice! This podcast
will help you learn Russian so you will be able to start a little conversation or ask some questions
in Russian.
The Russian language is great and rich. It is a language of the world-famous writers like Pushkin
and Tolstoy. It is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations so it is an
international language indeed. People who speak Russian mostly live in countries of the former USSR
such as Russia (the largest country on the planet), and Ukraine, Belorus, Kazakhstan and other
countries in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia. More than 200 million of people speak Russian
fluently or can understand it easily. We can call them native-speakers of Russian.
And I am a Russian native speaker as well. My name is Stas and I live in Moscow, the capital of
Russia. Now I’m learning English and this podcast is just a new practice to me. I’m trying to
activate my passive vocabulary and spoken skills in English. And at the same time I’m trying to be
useful to you if you are a learner of Russian as a second language now. I have learned English
mostly from podcasts so I’m trying to help you and help myself in the same way, in a form of
podcast.
So. It was a little introduction of this stuff and what is going on here. Let’s start to learn a bit
of Russian. Are you ready? Let’s say something in Russian, for example «Hello». In Russian it will
be like this: Привет. Let’s try again: Привет. Привет. The stress is on the second syllable and the
very strong sound «Р» Try to repeat this sound. Привет. Привет. It is not an English weak sound “r”
like in the words «right» and «try». It is more and more powerful, even cruel. РРРР. Like a sound
from a lion when it is angry. РРРР. You must say it long and strong. This sound is very difficult
even for Russian babies. They can start to go to school and still do not say it right. But this
sound is very important to speak Russian.
This is the first distinction of the Russian language from English. Very strong «Р». Very.
The second distinction is a stress in words. In Russian the stress can be put on the first syllable
in a word, or on the second, or on the third and on any other. It is unpredictable. The stress in
Russian can cause a real stress or frustration so you should be prepared to it. Every language has
its own difficulties and beauty. Just be prepared to this adventure.
Let’s say it one more time. Привет. Привет. And you should know that this word is a common way to
start every conversation, or a letter to your good friend, or a talk to an absolutely stranger at
the party. It’s a kind of unofficial greeting, so you can’t use it in the street in Moscow to ask a
road to your hotel. No.
It would be impolite. But at a party it is a very appropriate word to start a talk, or to start a
letter to your Russian friend. Just say Привет and go on.
Let’s imagine that we are at the party and you start a small talk with a girl or a guy. You say
Привет and he or she says Привет to you. Good. You have started a talk in Russian! Amazing!
Then you can name yourself like this «Меня зовут Иван». It means «My name is Ivan». The Russians
don’t say «Моё имя есть Иван» (My name is Ivan) as you can say it in English. They speak it a little
different, like this «They call me Ivan» or «I’m called Ivan». It’s a bit strange but it works. So
you say «Меня зовут Иван». Good.
The Russian grammar is a bit strange. The thing or the main point is that it has no grammar rules at
all! It has a lot of exceptions and a few of grammar rules. So be prepared to an adventure.
Your brain will build the grammar map of the Russian language if you listen to it enough. The brain
can learn any language at any age. It has plasticity. It means that it changes itself. The cells of
your brain appear, grow and connect to each other with many of synapses. Just like hand by hand. And
so then you will hear new sounds and produce them well. You will be able to get new words and use
them correctly. Eventually you will speak new language. Sometimes you won’t be able to name a
grammar rule but you will speak correctly because you know that it is right. Just by ear.
Ok, let’s come back to the party. You said «Hello» and then named yourself. After that you can tell
something else about yourself, for example, where you are from. «Я из Франции» that means «I'm from
France». Or «Я из Китая» that means «I’m from China». The grammar is simple: «Я из <and put here the
name of your country> with a proper ending. For example, your country is England. In Russian it is
named «Англия». But you can’t say «Я из Англия». Wrong! [Beep] You say it like this «Я из Англии».
The ending has changed. Have you noticed that? Not «Я из Англия». [Beep] The right way is this «Я
из Англии».
The endings of words are very important in Russian. They are very difficult to manage and they don’t
follow the rules. This is bad news about the language, but there is some good news about it. For
example, the Russian language doesn’t have articles like “a” or “the”. It’s very good news, isn’t
it?
Ok, let’s go on. You say “Привет. Меня зовут Иван. Я из Франции». Now let's ask your future friend,
make a question like this “А как Вас зовут?» that means «What is your name?» or literally «And how
do they call you?» or “What are you called?”. And your partner says his or her name: “Меня зовут
Светлана» (Svetlana is a typical female name) or «Меня зовут Пётр» (Petr is a typical male name).
Wonderful! You have started a real talk in Russian! Go on!
«Как дела? Как поживаете?» And it means «How do you do? How are you?” It's just a stupid questions
to say something. Just to continue the talk. Literally you’re saying “How do you do? How do you
live?” and you’re expecting something in response and waiting. You have done your job and you are
waiting for an answer. Cool. It is a good start.
And the partner says «Нормально» that means as usual или «Хорошо» that means good, fine.
It’s a good sign. You have passed a face control and you are allowed to continue the talk. And your
partner obviously have understood you because he or she speaks Russian and you also speak Russian.
Good. Go on!
«Мне нравится Россия» that means «I like Russia». Or you can say «Мне здесь нравится» that means «I
like here» or «Вы мне нравитесь» that means «I like you». It depends on what you like.
Or you can ask «Чем занимаетесь?» that means «What is your profession / occupation / social
status?». Roughly speaking, «Who are you? What are you doing?». If you are being asked this
question, you can answer «Я турист» (I’m a tourist) or «Я бизнесмен» (I’m a businessman) or «Я
президент» (I'm a president).
Have you noticed the same words? Турист and tourist. Бизнесмен and businessman. Президент and
president. These Russian words have been taken from English. They are really Russian words now, but
they were taken from English some time ago. And it is good news actually. Very many Russian words
are foreign words that were taken from other languages. Or they came from the same parent language
like Latin but changed by history and time. It’s very good news. It means that if you understand me
and this podcast then you actually know thousands and thousands of modern fresh new Russian words.
Your Russian vocabulary is great indeed! You know words like интернет (internet), компьютер
(computer), подкаст (podcast), турист (tourist), бизнесмен (businessman), президент (president). All
these Russian words came from English. Cool!
Let’s repeat all Russian words from this podcast:
Привет! Hello!
Как Вас зовут? What is your name?
Меня зовут Иван. My name is Ivan.
Меня зовут Светлана. My name is Svetlana.
Меня зовут Пётр. My name is Piter.
Я из Франции (не Франция) I’m from France.
Я из Англии (не Англия) I’m from England.
Я из Китая (не Китай) I’m from China.
Как дела? How do you do?
Как поживаете? How are you?
Нормально. Ok, as usual, normal.
Хорошо. Good. Fine.
Мне нравится Россия. I like Russia.
Мне здесь нравится. I like here.
Вы мне нравитесь. I like you.
Чем занимаетесь? What do you do?
Я турист. I’m a tourist.
Я бизнесмен. I’m a businessman.
Я президент. I’m a president.
Интернет Internet
Компьютер Computer
Подкаст Podcast
Ok. Good.
That’s it for the first time. Bye-bye! |