Search by tag «languages» 97 results

• 6 Words With Unexpected Russian Origins

  Balalaika, samovar, matryoshka – ask anyone which Russian words are known around the world and they’ll bring up one of these. But there are many words in English and other languages that we use on an everyday basis without even suspecting that they originated from, or were popularized by, the Russian language. Let’s learn more about them!

  28.04.2025

• The Four Lost Letters of the Russian Alphabet

  If you’ve ever seen any text printed or written in Russian over a hundred years ago, you might’ve noticed that the letters are quite different from the ones in use today. And it’s not all about the fonts – the alphabet itself has undergone a number of changes over the decades. So, which letters have we lost along the way?

  03.03.2025

• What’s in a Name: 4 Russian Words With Unexpected Origins

  One of the best parts of learning a language is the opportunity to dig deep into etymology – the study of words and their origins – and discover all sorts of lucky accidents, historic events, and incredible connections between distant cultures. Here are a few Russian words that conceal within themselves some truly fascinating stories.

  20.01.2025

• The 5 Rarest Languages of Russia

  Did you know that some Russians speak the language of the Vikings? Or that there are quite a few unwritten languages still around, though previously considered extinct? This list contains five little-known languages in Russia that are spoken by a small number of people – including by just one person.

  23.08.2024

• 5 Phrases to Master the Russian Language

  Despite the general belief, memorizing Russian grammar and phonetic rules can be simple and also fun. The secret is… Learn these five amusing yet helpful phrases to slay the Russian case system, tricky word endings, and, worst of all, stresses.

  19.02.2024

• The Most Puzzling Letter of Russian Alphabet

  Today, February 2, is the birthday of Ы – one of the most mysterious letters in the Russian alphabet. How did the letter come about? Is it true that no Russian word starts with ы? And what is its pop-culture impact? Let’s find out.

  02.02.2024

• Express Your Emotions Like a Russian

  What would you say if you stubbed your toe? And what about if you saw a cute little cat or doggo? And which words do you dread leaving your mouth the most when you’ve already clicked “send?” In this article, we will look into some common interjections that will help you describe the multitude of your emotions and feelings the Russian way.

  22.01.2024

• To Dot or Not To Dot: Letter Ё in Russian Alphabet

  The letter ё (yo), which is currently found in over 15,000 Russian words, not counting names and surnames, was added to the Russian alphabet 240 years ago – but disputes over its usage have persisted ever since. 

  28.11.2023

• Learning Russian: Beyond the Classroom

  It's no secret that learning Russian can be hard, but who says it has to be? Here's our rundown of great out-of-class activities, lovingly picked by our Russian teachers, learners, and yours truly, to help you make progress while having fun.

  29.08.2023

• Songs in Languages We Don’t Speak

  There’s something beautiful about songs in foreign languages, isn’t there? You can’t understand the lyrics, so you pay more attention to the melody or, perhaps, you try to guess the words. Please welcome our musical favorites in mysterious – to us, anyway – tongues.

  25.11.2022