Thread: Help with a simple phrase please

Hi,

I have been trying to learn Russian for a few weeks now, mainly using Pimsleur (though reading this forum has shaken my faith in it somewhat). I have more recently start to try and get my head around reading and writing in Russian, with some just about legible cursive cyrillic to show for it. I've also got a book on order that will hopefully help me.

Anyway, I'm just trying to think of phrases that apply to what i am doing, rather that just trying to ask if some imaginary person wants to drive to Moscow, to have coffee (or something like that). I'm in a disgruntled employee kind of frame of mind and was wondering if this says what I think it does:

я работаю здесь уже слишком долго.

I'm aiming for something like "I have been working here too long".

Спасибо

Originally Posted by Karras

я работаю здесь уже слишком долго.
I'm aiming for something like "I have been working here too long".

That's a perfect translation!

Sarcastic: " Что-то я здесь слишком заработался"

Originally Posted by Karras

Hi,

I have been trying to learn Russian for a few weeks now, mainly using Pimsleur (though reading this forum has shaken my faith in it somewhat). I have more recently start to try and get my head around reading and writing in Russian, with some just about legible cursive cyrillic to show for it. I've also got a book on order that will hopefully help me.

Don't let people undermine your commitment. There's no such thing as a perfect program for everybody, so you'll always get critics. Plus, practically all of them have mistakes of one kind or another. The main key to success is not which course you choose, but how much effort you put into it.

Work hard on Pimsleur and it will pay off, but again, there's no "be all and end all" course. You will be using other resources, as well.

For example, the Russkiy Mir course is free and has some very cool aspects, especially with vocabulary building, and comprehensive explanations of the grammar.

Mist,

Thanks for that. I'm glad I got it right. I know it's a pretty simple phrase but it is the first time I have written anything for anyone else to read, so it is a small milestone for me. I'm afraid I don't fully understand your alternative suggestion though.

Matroskin Kot,

It has not put me off using it, I'm just more concious of the fact that it does make mistakes. I'm still working my way through Pimsleur in spite of this. I find it quite useful and the teaching method does cause a lot of it to stick, even though I have repeated quite a few lessons (does not help that I listen whilst driving and that does tend to take priority for my attention). I keep meaning to learn how to say things relevant to my nationality though, and say this instead when Pimsleur wants to to say I'm American.

One thing I do really find useful is the threads on this forum, where much of it has been transcribed and some of the mistakes highlighted. Massive thanks to those who took the time to do that.

The book I'm getting is the New Penguin one I've seen a few people recommend round these parts. I'm hoping that will help fill in the grammar stuff that Pimsleur does not get into. I also keep trying to listen to music and read stuff in Russian, just to see how much I can understand.

I'm really just doing this for the challenge, and because Russia is interesting to me (especially the history), as well as the desire to learn a more unusual language than the usual suspects, such as French. It's nice just working at my own pace, with no pressure, although it is sometimes daunting how much there is to learn. It would be nice if my interest in it lasts though. I am far too easily distracted and give up on far too many things before mastering them.

Hello, I am a new member to this forum and ths is my first post. I have moved to Russia from the U.K and have been trying to learn Russian with the help of various text books, web sites (and my very patient girlfriend). Im just writing for any advice on revision techniques or texts which i may not be aware of that may be of some use to me, Im a firm believer that if you surround yourself with little tasks on a day by day basis with language, then eventually the hard work will pay off ( i hope!).I would say that my Russian is at a basic level, i can go to the shops on my own and answer some basic questions but that is about it, what is the most effective way for me to build up a wider vocabulary and be more confident in my approach? Any help would be greatly welcomed

Originally Posted by matthewbaker

Hello, I am a new member to this forum and ths is my first post. I have moved to Russia from the U.K and have been trying to learn Russian with the help of various text books, web sites (and my very patient girlfriend). Im just writing for any advice on revision techniques or texts which i may not be aware of that may be of some use to me, Im a firm believer that if you surround yourself with little tasks on a day by day basis with language, then eventually the hard work will pay off ( i hope!). I would say that my Russian is at a basic level, i can go to the shops on my own and answer some basic questions but that is about it, what is the most effective way for me to build up a wider vocabulary and be more confident in my approach? Any help would be greatly welcomed

Привет, Matthew! You are totally welcome here!
I wish you much happiness, unending love and I hope that your life is and will be wonderful in Russia!

Our forum has a lot to offer, just browse it.
E.g. viewforum.php?f=61
viewforum.php?f=23
viewforum.php?f=47
viewforum.php?f=45

Спасибо, cкоро вы увидите! My main problem is getting stuck with grammer and tenses, but i will get there in the end. The next hurdle is work and how i will adapt and people will adapt to me, its's a bit of a learning curve and also slightly scary!! but i love it in Russia, it is a place which has won my heart

Originally Posted by matthewbaker

Спасибо, cкоро вы увидите! My main problem is getting stuck with grammer and tenses, but i will get there in the end. The next hurdle is work and how i will adapt and people will adapt to me, its's a bit of a learning curve and also slightly scary!! but i love it in Russia, it is a place which has won my heart

My question is: if you are in Russia, why bother with a self-study program? You could hire a trained Russian teacher to give you private lessons for the equivalent of 2 or 3 quid per hour. If you've got a local university, ask if there is a подготовительный факультет (ПодФак for short). They have a 9-month study program for foreign students coming to study in Russian universities. I've been through it, and they were very flexible with schedules and teachers. I literally went from being baffled by the grammar to knowing all the cases and conjugations in six weeks. I felt like Neo: "I know Kung Fu." Even if you just did that, it would be worth it. Everything else is just vocabulary and practice.

If nothing else, get a book called "Russian in Exercises". It's a book published in Russia (Russkiy Yazik publishing -- somewhat hard to find outside of the ex-USSR), and used to teach Russian as a foreign language. It's brilliant. If you just had a competent tutor go through that book with you, it would probably be plenty, since you live in the country and deal with it all day.

Final piece of advice: don't be tempted to hire only a teacher who can speak English. In fact, you'll be much better off if he/she can't speak a word. It'll be hard at first, but if you're both patient, it will really help you.

Post if you have questions.

Thanks for the advice, i did go to a tutor initially, she was a school teacher who was use to teaching enlish to russian students so it was a new experience for her to be teaching an englishman russian. Likewise from my point of view, i have never really studied any language before so find it difficult to draw comparisons.but after three months of lessons we kind of hit a brick wall with what i should be taught. My main problem was that up until recently i have been here for only three months at a time so just as i start to get to grips with the language i have had to leave for england and had time out of russia, so my progress has been a bit stop/start. Now however i am able to stay here longer my main priority is finding a job, which im sure will only improve my russian. It's just a new environment for me which i adapting to, i know it will be difficult at times and i cant expect everything to slot into place right away but there just seems so much to learn and take in that i feel a bit overwhelmed. Practice and patience will preveil

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