Greetings and common words
First things first: no conversation goes without a hello as a rule. Thus, it’s only natural to learn a phrase or two of greeting when coming to another country. With this, you can wholeheartedly rely on our starting-out guide, while the everyday Russian guide, on the other hand, will be your trusty comrade on your first outing in the city. Apart from greetings, there are other situations you will inevitably experience over and over again such as having a meal in a Russian household or with Russian friends or sharing your feels about something, both good and bad – luckily, there are quite a few handy expressions you will find in our previous stories.
Those who love to get to the bottom of things will appreciate our articles about colors and their other meanings – as well as a sickness vocabulary, which is, to say the least, sick. For more advanced learners, we recommend memorizing a few proverbs and sayings to spruce up your speech a bit. And also cat words – well, who doesn’t adore cats?
Finding your way around
Getting around a new city ain’t easy – and may be even more challenging when you don’t speak the local language. Our two-part series on navigating St. Pete (part 1 and part 2) will gear you up for being out and about in the city, and a list of local names for metro stations and districts will ensure you get to the right destination, even if it sounds like someone’s name.
Complaining (or not) about weather
Weather is a go-to topic for small talk or chit-chat all around the world – and Russia is no exception. Whether you want to rage at terrible weather or discover why холодрыга is way worse than мороз, you need to pick up some weather-related vocab first – for instance, all things rain, fall blues, and the many chills of Russian winter.
Celebrating holidays
This list wouldn’t be complete without some festive vocabulary, right? New Year’s might be a bit far on the horizon yet, but you can learn how to congratulate and even give a toast in Russian beforehand by checking out this holiday-themed edition. Who knows, maybe you will be a toast giver this year?
Student phrase book
Student life isn’t student life without a flurry of academic words — and a whole new language spoken on campus and daily life. Another integral part of being a student — or anybody with a job — are the ever-coming deadlines, on which you will find more here. And in times of crisis, aka exams, turn to Russian study-related proverbs for inspiration — and a fresh perspective.
Digging into the Russian psyche and past
The Russians love to get a bit (or a lot) philosophical, especially late into the night, sitting at a kitchen table with a buddy. To better comprehend at least some aspects of the Russian psyche and history, you can check out our stories on fate and fatalism, as well as Soviet-originated words and phrases, including catchphrases from that era’s movies that are still around today.
And finally – &%@!
To speak like a sailor or not to speak like a sailor (or сапожник (shoemaker) if you prefer the Russian version of the saying more) may still be the question – trust us, we understand the dilemma – but if things are getting too intense, just say черт, к черту, or any other “safe” Russian swear word, and carry on.
