Learning Russian

My side-blog — where I cry about Russian cases.

[an-nettling]

Russian exercise: where is the stress in this word?

Me: in me... the stress is in me.

[an-nettling]

Sorry everyone, Russian has been tacking a back seat to my new hobby of piano playing, but I’m still learning, hope to post/reblog more in the future

[silly-things-that-come-to-mind]

in russian, the word for vacuum is dust-sucker

do with that information as you please

[an-nettling]

[elliemessydiary]

Today i started learning Russian and German with duolingo but i wanna know if there’s better apps and way to learn them without using that green howl app

Please drop your recommendations :)

[an-nettling]

There’s HelloTalk, but you really want to invest your time in that. It’s hard to find constant interaction.

Who has recommendations?

[an-nettling]

Russian exercise: where is the stress in this word?

Me: in me... the stress is in me.

[haxyr3]

This week's "Five Minutes" dives into the enchanting world of Sergei Kozlov, a beloved Russian author for both children and adults.

His heartwarming tales, featuring characters like the Hedgehog and the Bear, celebrate:

Simple friendships

Appreciation for nature

Everyday wonders

Discover the hidden wisdom within these stories, all in authentic Russian, perfect for honing your listening skills.

Bonus! Each episode comes with a full script, so you can listen and read along, or revisit the lesson anytime.

[haxyr3]

Run Like There's No Tomorrow: The Meaning of 'Сломя Голову'

сломя голову /sɫɐˈmʲa ˈɡoɫəvʊ/ adverb -- very fast, rapidly (lit. breaking one's head)

Yesterday's idiom might have you confused! "Сломя голову" literally translates to "breaking your head", but it actually means "very fast" or "rapidly." It describes situations where someone is moving with great urgency, often because of something unpleasant or unexpected.

For example, imagine you're rushing to catch your train and realize you left your phone at home. You'd dash back "сломя голову" to grab it before the doors close!

Он понял, что оставил телефон дома, и побежал сломя голову назад. He realized he'd left the kettle on and ran home.

Confusing it with "Ломать Голову"?

You might have guessed "solving an intellectually challenging problem" because of another Russian phrase: "ломать голову" (lomat' golovu). This one literally translates to "breaking your head" and means exactly what it sounds like - struggling with a difficult problem.

The Key is in the Pose!

The word "сломя" (slomya) is a unique form only used in this idiom. It doesn't actually mean "breaking" but refers to the way a runner leans forward with their head down when sprinting. So, "сломя голову" paints a picture of someone rushing headlong!

Hopefully, this clarifies the meaning of "сломя голову." Now you can use it confidently and avoid any literal head-breaking situations!

[haxyr3]

I admire the effort Chinese manufacturers make to communicate in their customers' languages, even if it leads to occasional mistakes. This little instruction on the photo is understandable, but there's a nuance in Russian grammar that might not be obvious to non-native speakers.

The phrase "Нужно читать" (Must read?) sounds natural, but it's a bit general. It's like saying "Humans need air." However, the instruction refers to a specific action - reading this particular text.

To clarify this, we can use the verb "прочитать" (read) which describes a completed action. Here are some options, depending on the desired tone:

Neutral: Пожалуйста, ознакомьтесь с этой инструкцией (Please read this instruction). Formal: Рекомендуем вам ознакомиться с данной инструкцией перед использованием (We recommend reading this instruction before use). Emphatic: Обязательно прочитайте эту инструкцию! (Please read this instruction carefully!) Learning these nuances can help us communicate more effectively across languages, even when encountering small mistakes.

[russianfolklore]

Boris Zvorykin's illustration for russian tale "Comrades" by Alexei Remizov.

[solnechnyeveter]

Со временем мы начинаем лучше понимать молчание, читать между строк и заглядывать людям в души. Это приходит с опытом к каждому, кто открыт жизни, доверяет ей и не боится её уроков.

Мы начинаем подходить осторожно, сближаться медленно, говорить мягче, дотрагиваться бережнее, обнимать теплее.

Мы учимся согревать своим теплом замёрзшего человека.

Мы уже успели познать горечь утрат и радость обретений, и нам стала доступна внутренняя тишина других.

Доброта и искренность становятся тем самым главным мерилом, по которому мы теперь выбираем себе близкое окружение. Со временем мы становимся проще и мудрее.

Татьяна Левицкая

Over time, we begin to better understand silence, read between the lines and look into people's souls. This comes with experience to everyone who is open to life, trusts it and is not afraid of its lessons.

We begin to approach carefully, approach slowly, speak softer, touch more carefully, hug warmly.

We learn to warm a frozen person with our warmth.

We have already experienced the bitterness of loss and the joy of gain, and the inner silence of others has become accessible to us.

Kindness and sincerity become the main criterion by which we now choose our close circle. Over time we become simpler and wiser.

Tatiana Levitskaya

[solnechnyeveter]

А жить бы надо, как погода.

То бишь, в любое время года

И в день любой, и в час любой,

Всегда и всюду - быть собой.

Погода чувств своих не прячет:

Когда ей плачется, то плачет,

Когда ей холодно, дрожит,

Когда ей весело, блажит.

Короче, делает, что хочет:

То вешним лучиком щекочет,

То слёзы льёт в ночной тиши.

И то и это - от души.

Лариса Миллер

[languagespeakingdemon]

Russian word of the day: Небо

Не́бо - inanimate noun, second declension, neuter

Root неб

Ending о - neuter ending

Plural form: небеса

Means sky, in it's plural form also means heaven(s)

[languagespeakingdemon]

Russian word of the day: Чайник

Ча́йник□ - inanimate noun, second declension, masculine

Root чай, meaning tea

Suffix ник - masculine suffix

Null ending

Plural form: ча́йники

It means both kettle and teapot

It's also a slang term that means a beginner, a noob

[languagespeakingdemon]

Russian word of the day: Лапша

Лапша́ - inanimate noun, first declension, feminine

Root лапш

Ending а

Plural form: лапши́ (that a stressed и, not a й)

It means noodles

There's a saying "вешать лапшу на уши" which literally translates to "to hang noodles on someone's ears" and means to lie, to deceive

[demi-eurovision]

[haxyr3]

Who wants an interesting Insta channel in Russian about linguistics?

Here it is, Истоки слова, by Светлана Гурьянова. She also writes books. Her latest one is "В начале было кофе". I also follow her on Telegram. A linguist with a very linguistic sense of humor - that's how I like it.

[haxyr3]

This meme is untranslatable.

It says, "If you can't eat at night, eat without looking."

Here is the pun: "на ночь глядя" = is a set expression; it literally means "looking at night", i.e. at night.

So the whole phrase literally sounds like: "If you can't eat looking at night, eat without looking", so the set expression gets it literal meaning back, and this is the core of the pun.

A new idiom for you: на ночь глядя = at nightfall.