Thread: Getting started

Hi all, I'm getting started with Russian, learning it from Nicholas Brown's New Penguin Russian Course. Unfortunately, it's just a book. I have no way of listening to Russian, or speaking it with anyone. I only know one native Russian speaker, but he and I don't like each other very much, and he certainly wouldn't want to help me with my Russian.

Anyway, is reading/writing the only proficiency I am ever going to achieve? If not, can anyone give me some tips for building up speaking and listening skills?

Thanks.

You can watch Russian movies, go to your local library, there are usually russian films you can rent and they have english subtitles. Listen to Russian music and radio http://russianinternet.com/radio/

That is for listening skills. To speak, you probably need to find someone to talk to. Maybe via the internet.

if u want, i can help u with all your questions,отвечу на любые вопросе, пиши

вопросы, конечно )), пиши, поболтаем

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

You can watch Russian movies, go to your local library, there are usually russian films you can rent and they have english subtitles. Listen to Russian music and radio http://russianinternet.com/radio/

That is for listening skills. To speak, you probably need to find someone to talk to. Maybe via the internet.

Which station would you recommend for someone who likes American Rock and Punk music? I also like Russian folk music, but I've been looking for Russian Rock/Punk/Ska music for a while now.

Originally Posted by umanwizard

Anyway, is reading/writing the only proficiency I am ever going to achieve? If not, can anyone give me some tips for building up speaking and listening skills?

Thanks.

Not sure he's ready to listen to Russian radio, to learn Russian. Without an initial foundation in listening/speaking, he'll be lost.
Listening and speaking, with native speakers, is essential. You can know the Penguin course inside-out...but drop you onto the streets of Petersburg, and you can forget it, you won't understand a word.

There are native speakers you can train with on the internet, using Skype or another net-phone service. This is the next-best alternative. But try to locate a native in your city, who can tutor you. One idea is to check if there's a Russian Orthodox church nearby.

My wife speaks Russian, and I've studied for 3 years. Does it help? A little.

But not much.

Really in the beginning, other than moving to Russia, the audio courses are your best bet.

I have all the CD's, Movies, Russian Channels on the Satellite dish... you aren't going to hear a word that you don't know, not at first. It's extremely difficult to hear a word and look it up in the dictionary. You have to train your ears for a long time, and if you are going to look up verbs...pick out the infinitive.

In my opinion, (admittedly, so far as a failure in my desire to learn Russian), you have to respect what the Universities have done in teaching Russian...its their business and they have a formula that works best. Read, study, and listen to tapes that are designed to complement your studies at the skill level you have currently.

With that said, Ruscico films have Russian subtitles, so listening and reading the russian, helps somewhat in training your ear.

Try this link. It has some (basic) audio.

http://www.waytorussia.net/WhatIsRus...an/Part1a.html

I think the penguin book is best, shame there is no CD.

Originally Posted by Dobry

Not sure he's ready to listen to Russian radio, to learn Russian. Without an initial foundation in listening/speaking, he'll be lost.

That's true, he'll be lost for a long time. But, eventually he'll figure it out and will speak/listen as well as a native speaker. This is a naturalistic approach taken to the extreme, but it works.