Thread: Why did you choose to learn Russian?

I remember exactly when I decided I wanted to learn the language. I was up late, in bed, and looking at the funny words on the jacket of t.A.T.u.'s first CD.
I would listen to them sing and try to decipher each character; of course it didn't ever make any sense. So I decided that I would learn the alphabet so I could sing along. I had never heard Russian before so it was a completely new experience for me. I love the way it sounds, the emotion in it. That was years ago. I planned on going to college to learn in, but I haven't been able to do that just yet. This summer I do plan on taking a class in community college, but I've been teaching myself on and off again over the past couple of years. It is frustrating at times, but it's more fun than frustrating. I continue to try, even now, and I can read some sentences and I'm beginning to understand more and more of it. Teaching myself is not easy; I've had only books (Russian for dummies, etc) to rely upon. I've never even met a real Russian. ))) But I have made some Russian friends over the internet, and have started blogging (although in English for now) on a Russian blog site. I've been trying to throw myself in every way possible into Russian. TV, music, books, etc. I'm only more determined to learn and to succeed.

trying to get back to my roots. my friends always told me it's shameful not to know your origins and languages. I'm irish, russian, and lithuanian and well...russian seemed most logical to learn. It's the most popular language out of the three. I never run into anyone who speaks gaelic or lithuanian so it made sense to me.

I am learning Russian just because I like it and I want to know a language that not many people in the US know...

Хахахаха - Когда я начал учиться в новой средней школе, меня спросили "Какие языки ты хочешь учить?" Я сказал им испанский (потому что я уже учил его два года), немецкий и (последний) русский. Через две недели после этого я начал учить русский язык. Сейчас я уже учу его почти три года и я один из самых хороших студентов в классе. Я хочу учить русский язык и в университете. Я люблю русский язык!

Спасибо Оля! "Меня спросили," потому что я direct object, да?

Originally Posted by Автобус

Хахахаха - Когда я начал учиться в новой средней школе, [s:3b1xcs23]мне[/s:3b1xcs23] меня спросили "Какие языки ты хочешь учить?" Я сказал им - (no commas before a direct speech in Russian!!!) испанский (потому что я уже учил его два года), немецкий и (последний) русский _. Через две недели после этого_ я уже учил (or я начал учить) русский язык. Сейчас я уже учу его почти три года, и я один из самых хороших студентов в классе. Я [s:3b1xcs23]тоже[/s:3b1xcs23] хочу учить русский язык и в университете. Я люблю русский язык!

"Я тоже хочу учить русский язык в университете" means that someone else is learning Russian at a university, and you want to do the same, like this someone.

I studied Russian just because I could.

Thank you for your answers.

I first started to learn it for very selfish reasons, but my whole attitude and perception changed.

I got into ballroom dancing over a year and a half ago and most of the people I am around are all Russian, Ukraine or Belorussian. I so wanted to communicate with them and understand what was being said around me.

Then I started to get to know other dancers in others states and their willingness to open up, laugh, cry, etc ... I wanted to share as much back with them. Then as I got to know them, I wanted to be able to help others that have come here. Make the transition a bit easier. To let them know that some of us can be trusted and not want anything in return.

Then more recently, as I understand the "Russian Soul", I have realized it is MY SOUL too! Much of the Russian way of looking at things, has been the way I see them. Much of the humor, is the same. I, for the first time in my life, feel like I have found where I belong. Where home is. The genuine spirit and camaraderie.

Probably sounds funny to many ... but ah ... I love learning. I love the challenge. It is a need, a thirst to learn. To become good at it. To be apart of it.

Make sense?

Originally Posted by emeraldeyez

I first started to learn it for very selfish reasons, but my whole attitude and perception changed.

I got into ballroom dancing over a year and a half ago and most of the people I am around are all Russian, Ukraine or Belorussian. I so wanted to communicate with them and understand what was being said around me.

Then I started to get to know other dancers in others states and their willingness to open up, laugh, cry, etc ... I wanted to share as much back with them. Then as I got to know them, I wanted to be able to help others that have come here. Make the transition a bit easier. To let them know that some of us can be trusted and not want anything in return.

Then more recently, as I understand the "Russian Soul", I have realized it is MY SOUL too! Much of the Russian way of looking at things, has been the way I see them. Much of the humor, is the same. I, for the first time in my life, feel like I have found where I belong. Where home is. The genuine spirit and camaraderie.

Probably sounds funny to many ... but ah ... I love learning. I love the challenge. It is a need, a thirst to learn. To become good at it. To be apart of it.

Make sense?

It does. The human souls are the same everywhere. The "genuine spirit and camaraderie" is unfortunately not. Just as a word of caution (and you might as well perceive me as another 80 year old), Russians tend to change overseas...

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Russians tend to change overseas...

for better or worse?

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Originally Posted by emeraldeyez

I first started to learn it for very selfish reasons, but my whole attitude and perception changed.

I got into ballroom dancing over a year and a half ago and most of the people I am around are all Russian, Ukraine or Belorussian. I so wanted to communicate with them and understand what was being said around me.

Then I started to get to know other dancers in others states and their willingness to open up, laugh, cry, etc ... I wanted to share as much back with them. Then as I got to know them, I wanted to be able to help others that have come here. Make the transition a bit easier. To let them know that some of us can be trusted and not want anything in return.

Then more recently, as I understand the "Russian Soul", I have realized it is MY SOUL too! Much of the Russian way of looking at things, has been the way I see them. Much of the humor, is the same. I, for the first time in my life, feel like I have found where I belong. Where home is. The genuine spirit and camaraderie.

Probably sounds funny to many ... but ah ... I love learning. I love the challenge. It is a need, a thirst to learn. To become good at it. To be apart of it.

Make sense?

It does. The human souls are the same everywhere. The "genuine spirit and camaraderie" is unfortunately not. Just as a word of caution (and you might as well perceive me as another 80 year old), Russians tend to change overseas...

I think people tend to change period. LOL

And no I do not "perceive" you as another 80 year old. Hahaa.

So is the change good or bad overseas?

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Russians tend to change overseas...

Russians who left Russia find oneself in unusual life. They meet other language, other traditions, other culture and valuables, other lifestyle, other friends and job....... It is extreme situation for any adult human (not for only Russian). In this conditions the humans visualize own inward nature. They don't tend to change.

Originally Posted by emeraldeyez

I first started to learn it for very selfish reasons, but my whole attitude and perception changed.

I got into ballroom dancing over a year and a half ago and most of the people I am around are all Russian, Ukraine or Belorussian. I so wanted to communicate with them and understand what was being said around me.

Then I started to get to know other dancers in others states and their willingness to open up, laugh, cry, etc ... I wanted to share as much back with them. Then as I got to know them, I wanted to be able to help others that have come here. Make the transition a bit easier. To let them know that some of us can be trusted and not want anything in return.

Then more recently, as I understand the "Russian Soul", I have realized it is MY SOUL too! Much of the Russian way of looking at things, has been the way I see them. Much of the humor, is the same. I, for the first time in my life, feel like I have found where I belong. Where home is. The genuine spirit and camaraderie.

Probably sounds funny to many ... but ah ... I love learning. I love the challenge. It is a need, a thirst to learn. To become good at it. To be apart of it.

Make sense?

Thanks for your answer.

Originally Posted by ekaterinak

Thanks for your answer.

Most welcome!

Hi I am new. I want to learn Russian because its close to my native language.I m from Croatia and if I learn Russian I will know chyrilic. Russian language is the best not English or french. :"":

Originally Posted by emeraldeyez

So is the change good or bad overseas?

What is good? And what is bad?

Originally Posted by ekaterinak

In this conditions the humans visualize own inward nature.

That's probably another fancy expression for change.

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Originally Posted by ekaterinak

In this conditions the humans visualize own inward nature.

That's probably another fancy expression for change.

Вам крупно не повезло в жизни с окружением, если Вы убеждены что мое высказывание - фантазия.
Your human environment is your misfortune if you think about my expression like fancy expression.

That's probably another fancy expression for a change. = Это вероятно то же самое, но причудливо выраженное другими словами.
fancy is not a fantasy

Originally Posted by ekaterinak

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Originally Posted by ekaterinak

In this conditions the humans visualize own inward nature.

That's probably another fancy expression for change.

Вам крупно не повезло в жизни с окружением, если Вы убеждены что мое высказывание - фантазия.
Your human environment is your misfortune if you think about my expression like fancy expression.

Hey, I've never meant to take your opinion for fantasy. "Fancy expression" just means "a long way to express the same thing", so alexB is absolutely correct. Что касается моего окружения ... well ... perhaps I changed too.