Thread: Native Russian needs native English.

My English is bad. So, your Russian is not good too. But I believe that if you put a Britisher and a Russian in a closed room for a few week (month, year), they learn a foreign language. 

No-no, I dont offer to lock yourself with me in a cellar C:. Ill just be happy to talk with you in Skype.

For me is not important your Russian level, gender, age or religion. You just must be a native English speaker and have a steel nerves to explain a simple things step by step (as I am) and try to speak Russian. 

Do not be afraid to use the voice chat with me. I learn a second language too and understand your fears. Im ready to hear the WORST Russian and help you :3.
It will be difficult, but fun.

If you are intrested write me to Skype. My login: egor_patlusov, nickname: Егор (Джованни). 

Sorry fo mai engrish. 

With a honor, Egor P.

I'm afraid it wont work =(

Wow, that's hilarious. I've exact encounters like that too – where I was simply unable to describe something because I take it for granted in everyday speech. It goes both ways though. I was speaking to a younger Russian guy who couldn't really explain much of anything to me. He would resort to talking about learning things through movies and how the meaning behind it all isn't that important. I beg to differ, but that ship has sailed and won't be coming back...

Another problem with these is becoming too comfortable in your language and not actually trying that much to speak the language you're trying to learn due to self-consciousness... at least it was with me. I think you need to have a thorough understanding of the language first in order to really practice with someone else, or it will pretty much fail miserably. It doesn't have to perfect or you wouldn't need the practice, but you should be able to express yourself in more than one way for most thoughts and ideas relevant to the topic at hand.

Originally Posted by Hoax

I'm afraid it wont work =(

This is when some knowledge of linguistics can be really helpful. The difference between "behind" and "beyond" is particularly tricky, since Russian uses за+творительный падеж in phrases like "behind that tree" and "beyond the river" (за этим деревом, за рекой). It seems that one would use behind if the object is something you can hide behind. There is also an element of distance. Phrases such as "beyond the river," "beyond the horizon," and "beyond those mountains" all involve a location that is a very long ways to walk to, and is also quite some distance beyond the object of the preposition. A sentence like "go hide behind that rock" implies that the rock is close enough to walk or run to within a short amount of time.

Wow, that one got away from me.

EDIT: Actually, on second thought, I wonder if that explanation would even make sense to people.