At the time of writing I have 2060 consecutive days on Duolingo. During that time I’ve appreciated Duo for the vocabulary but found it very difficult to learn grammar. I’ve got a couple of grammar books (that I don’t have the time to properly study) and I’ve tried several grammar apps (that are characteristically poorly written, poorly explained and generally very unhelpful). I’ve learned more Russian grammar from this app in three days than I have in the past five years. If you’re serious about understanding Russian, this is the best £25 you’ll spend.
1. The verb ‘to be’ 2. Personal pronouns – я, он, она, оно, мы, вы, они 3. Это : this, that, it 4. Simple negation with не 5. Asking and answering questions with да and нет 6. Formality in Russian: вы and ты 7. Who and what – кто and что 8. Gender and adjectives in Russian 9. The conjunctions и, но and а 10. An introduction to Russian Plurals
Verbs of motion are used to describe movement from one place to another. In English ‘to go’ is the most common verb of motion. The verbs of motion in Russian are considerably more complicated. As with all Russian verbs there are imperfective and perfective forms. But additionally, they have have two imperfective forms, the unidirectional and multidirectional (or habitual), that indicate whether the journey is one-way or involves a return (or habitual – daily, every morning, weekly etc.) trip.
These are the imperfective forms of the verb ‘to go.
By foot
By transport
unidirectional one-way journey
идти To go on foot, in one direction.
* I am going to the library (by foot)
ехать To go by transport, in one direction.
* I am going to Moscow (by train)
multidirectional or habitual
ходить To go on foot, in more than one direction, or repetitively.
* I go to school (every morning – by foot).
ездить To go by transport, in more than one direction, or repetitively
* I go to school (every morning – by bus)
The perfective forms of the verb ‘to go are пойти and поехать. These do not have different unidirectional and multidirectional forms and are most frequently used for the past or future tense.
By foot
By transport
пойти
* я пошёл – I went (by foot) * я пойду – I will go (by foot)
поехать
* Я пое́хал – I went (by transport) * Я пое́ду – I will go (by transport)
The Russian verbs of motion conjugate irregularly:
Идти – To go on foot in one direction.
Present tense
Past tense
Я иду
Он шёл (masc. sing)
Ты идёшь
Она шла (fem. sing)
Он идёт
Оно шло (neu. sing)
Мы идём
Они шли (plural)
Вы идёте
Они идут
Ходить – To go on foot, in more than one direction, or repetitively.
Present tense
Past tense
Я хожу
Он ходил (masc. sing)
Ты ходишь
Она ходила (fem. sing)
Он ходит
Оно ходило (neu. sing)
Мы ходим
Они ходили (plural)
Вы ходите
Они ходят
Ехать – To go by transport, in one direction.
Present tense
Past tense
Я еду
Он ехал (masc. sing)
Ты едешь
Она ехала (fem. sing)
Он едет
Оно ехало (neu. sing)
Мы едем
Они ехали (plural)
Вы едете
Они едут
Ездить – To go by transport, in one direction.
Present tense
Past tense
Я езжу
Он ездил (masc. sing)
Ты ездишь
Она ездила (fem. sing)
Он ездит
Оно ездило (neu. sing)
Мы ездим
Они ездили (plural)
Вы ездите
Они ездят
Ready to learn Russian Grammar step-by-step?
Bootstrap Russian Grammar
A 535-page book and accompanying mobile app. ● Step-by-step introduction to French grammar in 200 topics. ● Over 3,000 annotated examples. ● High-quality audio pronunciations via the app.
The length of time it takes to become fluent in Russian can vary greatly depending on a number of factors, such as the individual’s aptitude for language learning, the amount of time dedicated to both studying and practicing the language, and previous experiences with language learning.
According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), a US government organization that provides language training to diplomats, Russian is considered a “Category III” language, which means that it is considered one of the most difficult languages for native English speakers to learn. FSI estimates that it takes about 2200 hours of study, or about 44 weeks of full-time study, for an English speaker to become proficient in Russian.
However, it’s worth noting that these are just estimates, and many people may become fluent in a shorter or longer period of time depending on their learning style, resources and motivation. It’s also worth noting that fluency is a complex and multi-dimensional concept, it’s not only about speaking and understanding the language but also about being able to use it in a wide variety of situations. Reading and writing are also important aspects of fluency.
It’s important to remember that learning a new language is a long-term commitment and it’s important to be patient with yourself and set realistic goals. With consistent practice and a good study plan, you can make progress towards fluency in Russian.
Ready to learn Russian Grammar step-by-step?
Bootstrap Russian Grammar
A 535-page book and accompanying mobile app. ● Step-by-step introduction to French grammar in 200 topics. ● Over 3,000 annotated examples. ● High-quality audio pronunciations via the app.
1. один – one 2. два – two 3. три – three 4. четыре – four 5. пять – five 6. шесть – six 7. семь – seven 8. восемь – eight 9. девять – nine 10. десять – ten
Play this video below for the pronunciation of each of the numbers.
A 535-page book and accompanying mobile app. ● Step-by-step introduction to Russian grammar in 200 topics. ● Over 3,000 annotated examples. ● High-quality audio pronunciations via the app. ● Fun and challenging exercises to ensure retention.
Are you interested in learning Russian and want to start from scratch? Look no further. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of learning Russian.
Step 1: The Russian Alphabet
The first step in learning Russian is to familiarize yourself with the Russian alphabet. The Russian alphabet consists of 33 letters and is based on the Cyrillic script. This is pretty straightforward except for a couple silent letters and the infamous ы which has no equivalent sound in any other European language. But you’ll get the hang of it pretty quickly with lots of practice.
Step 2: Basic Grammar
After you have learned the Russian alphabet, the next step is to start with the basics of Russian grammar. This includes learning basic sentence structures, verb conjugations, and noun declensions. We recommend focusing on present tense verbs and basic vocabulary to get started.
BOOTSTRAP RUSSIAN GRAMMAR will help with this! And progress styep-by-step to the advanced grammar too.
Step 3: Building Vocabulary
One of the most important parts of learning any language is building a strong vocabulary. We recommend starting with the most commonly used words in Russian and gradually adding to your vocabulary. One useful resource is the 1000 most common Russian words list. Additionally, reading Russian literature and listening to Russian music can help you pick up new words and phrases.
BOOTSTRAP RUSSIAN GRAMMAR will help with this!
Step 4: Practicing Listening and Speaking
As you build your vocabulary, it is important to practice listening and speaking skills. One great way to do this is by finding a language partner or tutor who can help you practice speaking and listening.
The BOOTSTRAP RUSSIAN GRAMMAR app will help with this!
Step 5: Reading and Writing
As you progress in your Russian language learning, it is important to start practicing reading and writing skills. One way to do this is by reading Russian texts, such as news articles or books, and practicing writing in Russian. We recommend starting with simple texts and gradually increasing the difficulty.
Step 6: Immersion
Finally, the best way to become proficient in Russian is to immerse yourself in the language and culture. This can include watching Russian movies and TV shows, listening to Russian music, and even traveling to Russia to practice your language skills. There are loads of free resources on the internet to help with this.
In conclusion, learning Russian step-by-step takes time and dedication. However, by following these six steps, you can gradually build your language skills and become proficient in Russian. Good luck (Удачи!) on your Russian language learning journey!
We are delighted to announce the release of Bootstrap Russian Grammar – a book and mobile app combo.
Bootstrap Russian Grammar is a new way to learn Russian grammar. Starting from the beginning, the idea is progress in small self-contained steps (called ‘topics’). Each topic builds on the last, by incrementally adding new grammatical patterns, new vocabulary and lots of useful examples.
In total there are 200 grammar topics and over 3,000 examples phrases.
Each topic includes a thorough explanation of the grammar and then lots of examples that illustrate the grammar. Each example includes an English translation, as well as notes highlighting how each example illustrates that topic’s grammar, as well as the meanings of new Russian words.
A companion mobile application is now available called “BootStrap Russian Grammar“. The app contains all the content contained in this book – including 200 grammar topics and over 3000 example phrases. And in additional, there is high quality Russian native-speaker audio for every example.
The book and mobile app are easy to coordinate using QR codes. Just scan the QR code at the beginning of any chapter in the book with the app and it will take you straight to the topic where you will find all the examples with the high-quality audio matching the chapter in the book.
So if you prefer to have the grammar set out in book form but would also like to be able to listen to the example sentences, then the book/app combination is perfect for you.
