Thread: New to Russian

Hi there! I'm new to this language and I was just wondering if any of you experienced Russophiles have any tips, pointers, shortcuts, reminders, or things you wished you knew in the beginning they would be willing to share with a new Russian learner.

Err . . . make sure you haven't committed to showing up every week for 8 months with fee in hand for class without getting a grace period first, in case you find that the teaching method doesn't jibe with your way of learning?

1) If you have to flip through a dictionary every minute to read something, it is most likely too difficult for you.

2) Do not translate word-by-word.

3) Nobody learns vocabulary competently by writing words onto a list and then memorizing them. You might actually remember the words, but good luck trying to use them when you need them.

4) Question everything you say and write, because it is most likely wrong.

5) A sentence may be grammatically correct, but that doesn't make it right.

6) In a nod to 4), recognize idioms and other expressions native to your own language and do not use them in the target language.

7) Native speakers most likely do not care that you speak their language and do not want to help you. Furthermore, they do not like you. So don't bother them for the sole purpose of bettering your language skills unless you can help them too.

Edit: Some people may object to 7), but I'm writing from personal experience.

Pravit-- #3?? That's how I learned Russian FGS!!!

Not to mention English. Don't you remember doing your spelling in grade school, I had to write down those spelling words ten times each.

But, sigh, maybe that's how it was in the 50's. I told you I was old.

But I agree about your last remark -- the last thing I would ever do would be to answer a request "I want correspond with English people, pls write me ICQ 999999." =:^)

Но если я когда-нибудь нахожусь в с. Хреновое /очепятка? а не должно быть "Хреново"?/ обязательно тебе позвоню.

Hmm, maybe it works for you. I personally can't remember tons of vocabulary words off of lists.

As for Хреновое, you can even find a конный завод here:
http://loshadi.ru/cgi-bin/maine.cgi?pag ... 058:0010NG

Originally Posted by chaika

Но если я когда-нибудь нахожусь в с. Хреновое /очепятка? а не должно быть "Хреново"?/ обязательно тебе позвоню.

окажусь

Originally Posted by chaika

Но если я когда-нибудь нахожусь в с. Хреновое /очепятка? а не должно быть "Хреново"?

Нет, не очепятка. Один из вариантов. Село может быть ХрЕново либо ХренОвое, деревня - ХрЕново или ХренОвая. В просторечьи как село так и деревню можно назвать ХрЕновка или ХренОвка, зависит от полного названия.