# Forum General General Discussion  Why did you choose to learn Russian?

## ekaterinak

The Russian language is very difficult. It has many differences from the Latin group's languages. Why haven't you been scared of the difficulties? Please, tell me about it in more detail.

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## ski-ops

Один из причин, почему я учу русский язвык: эта трудность, о чём ты сказала. 
до учения на русском, я изучал испанский, но, после года я потерал интерес. Испанский казался не так делеко от английского: похожие слова и грамматика. Практически одинаковая азбука. Поэтому, мне был скучно. 
Русский язык - совсем разный.  
It's exotic    ::   
It also sounds a lot cooler than those romance languages to listen to and speak.

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## Оля

> Одна из причин, почему я учу русский язык - эта трудность, о которой ты сказала. 
> до изучения русского_ (still doesn't sound fine; better: до того, как начать учить русский) я изучал испанский, но_ через год я потерял к нему интерес. Испанский оказался не так уж далёк от английского: похожие слова и грамматика. Практически одинаковая азбука. Поэтому_ мне был скучно. 
> Русский язык - совсем другой.

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## Ken Watts

> The Russian language is very difficult. It has many differences from the Latin group's/the Latin group of languages. Why have you not/Why haven't you been scared of the difficulties? Please, tell me about it in more detail.

 Well I studied Russian for two years back in college. It was during the time of the Cold War and Bobby Fischer vs. Boris Spassky. After that I didn't use it and so forgot most of it. In recent years I have made some Russian friends but they all know English better than I could learn any Russian, so I haven't needed to do it. But it is nice to know the Russian alphabet and look up some words in the dictionary now and then.

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## strawberryfynch

I'm learning the Russian language to get in touch with my roots. It may be a hard language- and I've been learning it for a while- but I love it. It sounds cool in every way! When it is sung my heart leaps for joy. When it is spoken my soul stirs with happiness. I must say that I'm a bit of a slavophile.

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## kotlomoy

> Поэтому_ мне было скучно.

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## ekaterinak

> Originally Posted by ekaterinak  The Russian language is very difficult. It has many differences from the Latin group's/the Latin group of languages. Why have you not/Why haven't you been scared of the difficulties? Please, tell me about it in more detail.   Well I studied Russian for two years back in college. It was during the time of the Cold War and Bobby Fischer vs. Boris Spassky. After that I didn't use it and so forgot most of it. In recent years I have made some Russian friends but they all know English better than I could learn any Russian, so I haven't needed to do it. But it is nice to know the Russian alphabet and look up some words in the dictionary now and then.

 Thank you very much for your full-scale answer and repairing of my text. :+)

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## ekaterinak

> Один из причин, почему я учу русский язвык: эта трудность, о чём ты сказала. 
> до учения на русском, я изучал испанский, но, после года я потерал интерес. Испанский казался не так делеко от английского: похожие слова и грамматика. Практически одинаковая азбука. Поэтому, мне был скучно. 
> Русский язык - совсем разный.  
> It's exotic     
> It also sounds a lot cooler than those romance languages to listen to and speak.

 Приятно встретить человека, который увлечен изучением русского языка. Сегодня в России очень часто требуется знать английский язык. Конечно, в большей степени, иностранный язык нужен для работы, а не для повседневной жизни. Получается, что это - необходимость. Там где Вы живете говорят на английском? А требуется ли там знание других языков? Если да, то какой язык после английского востребован больше, а какой меньше?

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## Оля

> Там где Вы живете*,* говорят на английском?

 Насколько я знаю, в UK говорят именно на английском. Как ни странно.

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## sperk

> The Russian language is very difficult. It has many differences from the Latin group's languages. Why haven't you been scared of the difficulties? Please, tell me about it in more detail.

 Scared...hmm, I know I almost gave up about a million times but the difficulty is part of the attraction; it feels satisfying to not give up and achieve a certain level of success. Besides, I would hate to give up now and waste all the time that I've invested in learning Russian. For me, there's also the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow: being able to read Russian literature, understand songs, watch movies and also see into the people better, as I find Russians quite interesting and entertaining in their own way.

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## ski-ops

> Приятно встретить человека, который увлечен изучением русского языка. Сегодня в России очень часто требуется знать английский язык. Конечно, в большей степени, иностранный язык нужен для работы, а не для повседневной жизни. Получается, что это - необходимость. Там где Вы живете говорят на английском? А требуется ли там знание других языков? Если да, то какой язык после английского востребован больше, а какой меньше?

 Ну, я живу в Уэльсе. Здесь говоят наиболее по-английски, но несколько говорят по-валлийски. Можно увидеть валлийский язык везде - на каждом дорожном знаке (рядом с английским), и знания валлийского поможет найти работа. 
К сожалению, в Великобритании, иностранные языки не очень популярные. В школе учат Французский и немецкий, но не думают важные.

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## kamka

Back in the day, when I first became interested in Russian (think I might've been 15ish?) I just thought it'd be cool to be able to read the alphabet, plus I found it attractive that hardly anyone actually spoke the language (of my peers, I mean, for the obvious resons the older generation could speak it rather ok). Then, as I grew older, I sort of realised how much I liked the melody and sound of the language - that's also when I became serious about studying it and chose the major for my uni. 
Was I scared of the difficulties? No, on the contrary. I thought of it as a challenge. I think it's far more satysfying and rewarding if something requires a great deal of effort from you.

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## chaika

Я начал изучать русский язык, когда близкий друг уехал в далекий университет и сказал, что учит русский, а если б я тоже знал русский, то мы могли бы говорит друг с другом по радио (мы оба были радиолюбителями). Как ни странно, в моей высшей школе преподавал русский имигрант из Ленинграда, Николай Михайлович. Это было в течение моего 4-го года в высшей школе, мне было 16-17 лет. В то же время я ходил на курсы испанского языка (4-ый год занятий); и говорил свободно по-испански. У меня «дар языка» и без проблем спустя многих лет занимался русским языком, пока не стал преподавателем и переводчиком.

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## ekaterinak

> Originally Posted by ekaterinak  Приятно встретить человека, который увлечен изучением русского языка. Сегодя в России очень часто требуется знать английский язык. Конечно, в большей степени, иностранный язык нужен для работы, а не для повседневной жизни. Получается, что это - необходимость. Там где Вы живете говорят на английском? А требуется ли там знание других языков? Если да, то какой язык после английского востребован больше, а какой меньше?   Ну, я живу в Уэльсе. Здесь говоят наиболее по-английски, но несколько говорят по-валлийски. Можно увидеть валлийский язык везде - на каждом дорожном знаке (рядом с английским), и знания валлийского поможет найти работа. 
> К сожалению, в Великобритании, иностранные языки не очень популярные. В школе учат Французский и немецкий, но не думают важные.

 Ну, я живу в Уэльсе. 
Здесь говоят наиболее по-английски, но несколько говорят по-валлийски. 
(Исходя из Вашего рассказа (смотри ...валлийский язык везде...) лучше эту фразу выразить так: 
Чаще здесь говорят по-английски, но валлийский - тоже используется.)  Можно увидеть валлийский язык везде - на каждом дорожном знаке (рядом с английским), и знания валлийского поможет найти работа.
(Валлийский язык встречается повсеместно рядом с английским, например, надписи на дорожных знаках двуязычны. Знание валлийского поможет найти работу.)  
К сожалению, в Великобритании, иностранные языки не очень популярные/популярны.  
В школе учат Французский и немецкий, но не думают важные/не думают что они важные.

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## ekaterinak

> Originally Posted by ekaterinak  Там где Вы живете*,* говорят на английском?   Насколько я знаю, в UK говорят именно на английском. Как ни странно.

 А может, кто из участников форума живет в Канаде. Там тоже говорят на английском. Впрочем, как и на французском. А вообще интересно послушать мнение людей, проживающих в других странах от них самих.

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## Оля

> А может, кто из участников форума живет в Канаде. Там тоже говорят на английском. Впрочем, как и на французском. А вообще интересно послушать мнение людей, проживающих в других странах от них самих.

 Мне казалось, вы свой вопрос задавали ski-ops, а у него в профиле указано, что он из UK.   

> Ну, я живу в Уэльсе. 
> Здесь говоят наиболее по-английски, но несколько говорят по-валлийски. 
> (Исходя из Вашего рассказа (смотри ...валлийский язык везде...) лучше эту фразу выразить так: 
> Чаще здесь говорят по-английски, но валлийский - тоже используется.)

 Всё проще гораздо:
Здесь говорят *в основном* по-английски, но *некоторые* говорят (и) по-валлийски.

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## paulb

Не знаю. 
I enjoy learning languages. I've enjoyed my brief travels in Ukraine. I thought about moving there at one time, and I may still do so someday. I have a few Russian speaking friends. I enjoy confusing my American friends who wonder why I study Russian  ::  I also think learning a language has helped me tremendously in teaching English. I can understand what learners are going through. 
Also, I don't think Russian is especially more difficult than other languages. I studied French many years ago. Even thought it is similar to English in many ways, it is also quite difficult, and French speakers seem to speak entirely in idioms.

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## vox05

> Originally Posted by ekaterinak  Там где Вы живете*,* говорят на английском?   А может, кто из участников форума живет в Канаде. Там тоже говорят на английском. Впрочем, как и на французском. А вообще интересно послушать мнение людей, проживающих в других странах от них самих.

 Тогда "вы" с маленькой буквы.

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## ekaterinak

> Originally Posted by ekaterinak  А может, кто из участников форума живет в Канаде. Там тоже говорят на английском. Впрочем, как и на французском. А вообще интересно послушать мнение людей, проживающих в других странах от них самих.   Мне казалось, вы свой вопрос задавали ski-ops, а у него в профиле указано, что он из UK.     
> 			
> 				Ну, я живу в Уэльсе. 
> Здесь говоят наиболее по-английски, но несколько говорят по-валлийски. 
> (Исходя из Вашего рассказа (смотри ...валлийский язык везде...) лучше эту фразу выразить так: 
> Чаще здесь говорят по-английски, но валлийский - тоже используется.)
> 			
> 		  Всё проще гораздо:
> Здесь говорят *в основном* по-английски, но *некоторые* говорят (и) по-валлийски.

 Спасибо что разъяснили. Только в правилах форума не отмечена обязательность просмотра профайлов. И если уж на то пошло, то некоторые пользователи могут указать в своем профайле страну, где они работают сейчас и быть при этом из России или Австралии и т.д. Кстати, даже в UK оказалось не все так однозначно.    ::

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## Оля

> Спасибо что разъяснили. Только в правилах форума не отмечена обязательность просмотра профайлов.

 Вообще-то это слева от сообщения написано, в профиль идти не обязательно.  ::

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## Rtyom

Тогда, Оля, ты немка, временно проживающая в России. ж-)

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## Zaya

> Тогда, Оля, ты немка, временно проживающая в России. ж-)

  ::

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## Оля

> Тогда, Оля, ты немка, временно проживающая в России. ж-)

 Ну так это все равно не меняет того факта, что я _в России_!   ::   
Кстати, а вот итальянцы (сразу несколько) уверяют, что я говорю по-итальянски как немка, которая долго жила в Италии.   ::

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## Lampada

> Originally Posted by Rtyom  Тогда, Оля, ты немка, временно проживающая в России. ж-)   Ну так это все равно не меняет того факта, что я _в России_!   
> Кстати, а вот итальянцы (сразу несколько) уверяют, что я говорю по-итальянски как немка, которая долго жила в Италии.

 Я знала одну американку, которая долго учила русский, потом - чешский и заговорила по-чешски с русским акцентом.  В Чехословакии её принимали за русскую и были с ней неприветливы.

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## ekaterinak

> Originally Posted by ekaterinak  Спасибо что разъяснили. Только в правилах форума не отмечена обязательность просмотра профайлов.   Вообще-то это слева от сообщения написано, в профиль идти не обязательно.

 Кстати, если Вы немка, то, может про популярность языков в Германии расскажете?   ::

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## Coup

I love the language and I love the country - what other reason do I need? :P

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## ekaterinak

> I love the language and I love the country - what other reason do I need? :P

 I think, the people usual more like your own country and language. In addition, The Russian language  is not popular in West Europe and USA. Commonly, the people try to do something (especially something hard) if it is very need for them. According to this forum, the necessity is not exclusive reason. It is welcome news for me

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## ekaterinak

> Originally Posted by ekaterinak  А может, кто из участников форума живет в Канаде. Там тоже говорят на английском. Впрочем, как и на французском. А вообще интересно послушать мнение людей, проживающих в других странах от них самих.   Мне казалось, вы свой вопрос задавали ski-ops, а у него в профиле указано, что он из UK.

 Не, обычный Виндоус экс пи и шестая опера в качестве браузера.

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## gRomoZeka

> Originally Posted by Оля  Мне казалось, вы свой вопрос задавали ski-ops, а у него в профиле указано, что он из UK.   Не, обычный Виндоус экс пи и шестая опера в качестве браузера.

 Напоминает разговор глухого со слепым.  :P

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## Leushka

> Originally Posted by Coup  I love the language and I love the country - what other reason do I need? :P   I think, the people usual more like your own country and language. In addition, The Russian language  is not popular in West Europe and USA. Commonly, the people try to do something (especially something hard) if it is very need for them. According to this forum, the necessity is not exclusive reason. It is welcome news for me

 With that reasoning, people should learn no language at all - or English in some fields. With English you manage almost everywhere. Then if you move abroad you may, or may not, have to learn your new country's language. 
But people do many crazy things. They may learn Russian because they it is hard. They may learn Russian because its literature is the best in the world. They may learn Russian because they visited or intend to visit it and found it beautiful. They may learn Russian because it is spoken by some 300 million people and more learned it in school (former Soviet Union and Eastern block countries). They may learn Russian because they intend on learning Polish or Czech or Serbo-Croat or Bulgarian. They may learn Russian because they are, or were, in love with a Russian girl. They may learn Russian because their neighbour is Russian. They may learn Russian because their parents or grandparents are of Russian origin. 
Need more reasons?  :P

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## ekaterinak

> Originally Posted by ekaterinak        Originally Posted by Coup  I love the language and I love the country - what other reason do I need? :P   I think, the people usual more like your own country and language. In addition, The Russian language  is not popular in West Europe and USA. Commonly, the people try to do something (especially something hard) if it is very need for them. According to this forum, the necessity is not exclusive reason. It is welcome news for me   With that reasoning, people should learn no language at all - or English in some fields. With English you manage almost everywhere. Then if you move abroad you may, or may not, have to learn your new country's language. 
> But people do many crazy things. They may learn Russian because they it is hard. They may learn Russian because its literature is the best in the world. They may learn Russian because they visited or intend to visit it and found it beautiful. They may learn Russian because it is spoken by some 300 million people and more learned it in school (former Soviet Union and Eastern block countries). They may learn Russian because they intend on learning Polish or Czech or Serbo-Croat or Bulgarian. They may learn Russian because they are, or were, in love with a Russian girl. They may learn Russian because their neighbour is Russian. They may learn Russian because their parents or grandparents are of Russian origin. 
> Need more reasons?  :P

 Thanks for your answer. 
I prefer to think that study of the Russian is not crazy thing. The English is more popular and easier then the Russian. In this case it is amazement (except the case of Russian root) and interest. 
At once I read the textbook for studying Russian for foreigners. I have never thought about grammar of Russian and about explanation of its until that moment.  ::   It is difficult to keep all this rules in a head and make right Russian speaking and writing.   ::

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## ekaterinak

> Originally Posted by ekaterinak        Originally Posted by Оля  Мне казалось, вы свой вопрос задавали ski-ops, а у него в профиле указано, что он из UK.   Не, обычный Виндоус экс пи и шестая опера в качестве браузера.   Напоминает разговор глухого со слепым.  :P

 А может, просто разное ПО? Спасибо всем компьютерным компаниям, которые наразрабатывали такое многообразие.  ::  С ними - больше места для шуток.  ::

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## ekaterinak

> Я начал изучать русский язык, когда близкий друг уехал в далекий университет и сказал, что учит русский, а если б я тоже знал русский, то мы могли бы говорит друг с другом по радио (мы оба были радиолюбителями). Как ни странно, в моей высшей школе преподавал русский имигрант из Ленинграда, Николай Михайлович. Это было в течение моего 4-го года в высшей школе, мне было 16-17 лет. В то же время я ходил на курсы испанского языка (4-ый год занятий); и говорил свободно по-испански. У меня «дар языка» и без проблем спустя многих лет занимался русским языком, пока не стал преподавателем и переводчиком.

 Замечательная причина. Запросто может послужить основой для какого-нибудь фильма.   ::

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## sperk

> But people do many crazy things. They may learn Russian because they it is hard. They may learn Russian because its literature is the best in the world. They may learn Russian because they visited or intend to visit it and found it beautiful. They may learn Russian because it is spoken by some 300 million people and more learned it in school (former Soviet Union and Eastern block countries). They may learn Russian because they intend on learning Polish or Czech or Serbo-Croat or Bulgarian. They may learn Russian because they are, or were, in love with a Russian girl. They may learn Russian because their neighbour is Russian. They may learn Russian because their parents or grandparents are of Russian origin. 
> Need more reasons?  :P

 Are you saying these are crazy reasons?

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## Leushka

> Are you saying these are crazy reasons?

 "crazy" in this context meaning "not strictly necessary", as I was answering to:   

> Commonly, the people try to do something (especially something hard) if it is very need for them. According to this forum, the necessity is not exclusive reason.

 For me "crazy" is a quite positive word, as opposed to "mad".

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## JackBoni

Я начил изучать русский язык, потому что я очень интересуюсь русской исторой и литературой. У меня друзья, которые учили в школе русский. Они поощряли меня учить русский. Мне нельзя сейчас читать все по-русский, что я хочу, потому что длинные романы очень трудные. Я учил в школе французский и немецкий язык. Я думал, французский язык был очень трудый, хотя я любил звук и грамматику немецкого. Я думаю, склонение немецского и русского очень интересное, хотя в начале падежи довольно трудные. Мне кажется, падежи очень интересные, потому что в английском падежей нет. Я интересуюсь языками, которые отличаются от английского. Я люблю сложные языки. Например, я недавно начил читать о латинской грамматике, потому что я очень интересуюсь римской империей уже мне было очень молодой. Я надеюсь читать о русской истории без перевода, хотя мне нужно будет много времени, может быть много лет. 
Джек

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## translationsnmru

> Originally Posted by Оля  Мне казалось, вы свой вопрос задавали ski-ops, а у него в профиле указано, что он из UK.   Не, обычный Виндоус экс пи и шестая опера в качестве браузера.

   

> Originally Posted by gRomoZeka        Originally Posted by ekaterinak  
> Не, обычный Виндоус экс пи и шестая опера в качестве браузера.   Напоминает разговор глухого со слепым.  :P   А может, просто разное ПО? Спасибо всем компьютерным компаниям, которые наразрабатывали такое многообразие.  С ними - больше места для шуток.

 
Катя, ski-ops - это один из пользователей форума, который тоже оставил сообщение в этой ветке (а не название программы), а UK - это общепринятое в англоязычном мире сокращение от "United Kingdom" (Т.е. Великобритания). Так что многообразие ПО тут ни причём   ::

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## Zaya

> ни_при_чём

 Да, а насчет немки *Rtyom* пошутил.

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## Оля

> Я начал изучать (учить is better) русский язык, потому что я очень интересуюсь русской историей и литературой. У меня друзья, которые учили в школе русский. Они поощряли меня учить русский. Я не могу (мне нельзя = I'm not allowed) сейчас читать все по-русски________________, что я хочу, потому что длинные романы очень трудные. Я учил в школе французский и немецкий _. Я думал, французский язык _ очень трудый, хотя мне нравилось звучание и грамматика немецкого. Я думаю, склонение в немецком и русском очень интересное, хотя вначале падежи довольно трудные. Мне кажется, падежи очень интересные, потому что в английском их нет. Я интересуюсь языками, которые отличаются от английского (better: которые не похожи на английский). Я люблю сложные языки. Например, я недавно начал читать о латинской грамматике, потому что я очень интересуюсь римской империей с самого раннего возраста. Я надеюсь читать о русской истории без перевода, хотя мне нужно будет много времени, может быть, много лет.

 Jack, I think the first rule which should be remembered by a learner is that the adverb "*по-русски*" _has no "й" at the end_. Has no. No "й". Never. At all.

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## JackBoni

> Jack, I think the first rule which should be remembered by a learner is that the adverb "по-русски" has no "й" at the end. Has no. No "й". Never. At all.

 Спасибо, Оля. Как сказать по-русски (без й   ::  ) "to make a typing mistake"? По-немецки говорят "sich vertippen". Это не в словаре. 
Спасибо за исправления, я очень благодарен. 
Джек

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## translationsnmru

> ни_при_чём

 Эка я _habe mich vertippt_  ::

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## Zaya

*translationsnmru,* ты знаешь немецкий?   ::   ::    

> Этого нет в словаре.

 Лучше всего здесь подошло бы «Это опечатка», ИМХО. (: Как вариант, «Опечатка вкралась».
sich vertippen — допустить опечатку
Еще говорят «опечататься» («опечатываться»), хотя в словарях, по крайней мере старых, я такого слова [в значении «допустить ошибку при печатании»] что-то не нахожу.

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## Lampada

> Originally Posted by Оля  Jack, I think the first rule which should be remembered by a learner is that the adverb "по-русски" has no "й" at the end. *Has no*. No "й". Never. *At all*.   Спасибо, Оля. Как сказать по-русски (без й   ) "to make a typing mistake"? По-немецки говорят "sich vertippen". Это не в словаре. 
> Спасибо за исправления, я очень благодарен. 
> Джек

 Джек, do you think it would be a good thing if you'd corrected some of Olya's mistakes?  E.g. "Has no" .   ::

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## JackBoni

Lampada, I would, but I don't know how kindly people take to being corrected all the time... If you all want to be corrected, then I'll happily do that, however I'm not able to explain the mistakes.   ::   
Jack

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## Оля

> Lampada, I would, but I don't know how kindly people take to being corrected all the time... If you all want to be corrected, then I'll happily do that, however I'm not able to explain the mistakes.    
> Jack

 У некоторых пользователей даже в подписи написано "Please correct my mistakes", но я что-то не помню, чтобы их исправляли чаще, чем других. 
I, personally, do want very much to be corrected all the time (I thought it was obvious); and I always expect it form natives here, but they almost never do that.
I don't need any explanations; just correcting mistakes would be enough for me, and I would be happy with that. Actually it sounds like an unrealizable dream.

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## Lampada

> Lampada, I would, but I don't know how kindly people take to being corrected all the time... If you all want to be corrected, then I'll happily do that, however I'm not able to explain the mistakes.   
> Jack

   ::   Most likely no explanations will be necessary.  Just simple corrections would do. You'll soon find out if it is appreciated.

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## Zaya

> I don't know how kindly people take to being corrected all the time...

 Здесь в основном вменяемые собираются. )) А не те, кто в каждом, даже самом мелком исправлении, сопровожденном дружелюбным комментарием, видит желание самоутвердиться за его счет или его унизить. ) Тех, кто бросается на «обидчиков» (исправляющих), объявляя ошибившегося жертвой, тоже в последнее время не видно, тьфу-тьфу-тьфу. )))
To say it short, it were nice of you. ) Most of us would appreciate it.  ::  
Have you seen *gRomoZeka's* signature?  

> *Please correct my mistakes.*

 If I am not mistaken *Olya* used to have a similar one. And I am sure that Olya, the person who corrects so many forum members' mistakes, expects the same of them. 
P. S. Please correct my mistakes.   ::

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## JackBoni

Well, ok, I have no problem with doing that, then. I shall do that from now on, Оля.   

> I don't need any explanations; just correcting *my* mistakes would be enough for me, and I would be happy with that

 Here, if you don't use a possessive pronoun, in this case "my", I can almost assume from your statement that you mean "don't just correct my mistakes, correct everyone else's as well". Also, the second part of your sentence - "I would be happy with that" - is already implied in what you have said in the clause directly before it, so can be left out entirely, in my opinion. Hope that all makes sense. 
Jack

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## JackBoni

В таком случае, я начну теперь исправлять ваши ошибки. Если бы вам нужно объяснения, я буду стараться, хотя они часто будут совсем по-английски, потому что я пишу очень плохо русский. 
Джек

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## Zaya

> В таком случае, я начну теперь исправлять ваши ошибки. Если_вам нужны объяснения, я буду стараться, но часто они будут написаны полностью по-английски (or будут полностью на английском), потому что по-русски я пишу очень плохо.

 писать (читать, говорить):
- на русском
- по-русски
Just "русский" doesn't work.

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## JackBoni

Спасибо за исправления, Zaya.   

> P. S. Please correct my mistakes.

 Конечно, я буду исправлять все ошибки, которые я вижу, но я не могу объяснять артикли. Они очень трудные. Мне кажется, они намного трудные русских падежей. Учите язык без артиклей! Учите латинский. Я буду думать об артиклях, потому что я хочу тоже понимать. 
Джек

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## ekaterinak

> Мне нельзя сейчас читать все по-русский, что я хочу, потому что длинные романы очень трудные.

 better to say: 
Я не могу сейчас читать в подлиннике те русские романы, которые мне хочется, так как они очень трудные. 
"читать в подлиннике" it means "read in the original" (The text is without any translation or adaptation for reduction of understanding)   
Спасибо, за Ваш подробный ответ на русском.

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## Ramil

> for reduction of understanding

  ::

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## JackBoni

Спасибо за помощь, *ekaterinak*. Мой русский будет очень часто казаться странным. Я буду вам очень благодарен за исправления, когда я плохо пишу - как сказать по-русски "to sound unnatural"? 
Джек 
P.S - *ekaterinak*:  

> (The text is without any translation or adaptation *for reduction of understanding*)

 Здесь, мне кажется, не нужно слова, которые я написал в красном. I can't say this in Russian  :: 
You don't need to say the highlighted clause, because it is already clear from your previous explanation what "читать в подлинники" means. Я знаю, английский очень трудный.

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## BappaBa

> как сказать по-русски "to sound unnatural"?

 Звучит неестественно.

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## ekaterinak

> Спасибо за помощь, *ekaterinak*. Мой русский будет очень часто казаться странным. Я буду вам очень благодарен за исправления, когда я плохо пишу - как сказать по-русски "to sound unnatural"? 
> Джек 
> P.S - *ekaterinak*:       Originally Posted by ekaterinak   (The text is without any translation or adaptation *for reduction of understanding*)   Здесь, мне кажется, не нужно слова, которые я написал в красном. I can't say this in Russian 
> You don't need to say the highlighted clause, because it is already clear from your previous explanation what "читать в подлинники" means. Я знаю, английский очень трудный.

 Thank for your elucidation. I will memorize these turns of speech. I will use either one or the other. 
Здесь, мне кажется, не нужно слова, которые я написал в красном.
Я буду вам очень благодарен за исправления, когда я плохо пишу - как сказать по-русски "to sound unnatural"? 
These are being in Russian 
Здесь, мне кажется, не нужны слова, которые я написал красным.
Я буду Вам очень благодарен за исправления моих слов, звучащих неестественно с точки зрения русского языка.

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## Zaya

> <...> но я *не умею* объяснять употребление артиклей. Они очень трудные. Мне кажется, они намного трудн*ее* (comparative) русских падежей.

  

> Учите язык без артиклей! Учите латинский.

 Поздно. )) Я, например, не собираюсь отказываться от английского и немецкого. А до латыни вряд ли до когда-нибудь дойдет очередь. )))  

> Я буду думать об артиклях, потому что я хочу тоже понять.

 Есть способ получше: почитать грамматику. Там можно найти ответы если не на все, то на большинство вопросов. Мне обычно помогает. )  

> Я буду вам очень благодарен за исправления, ...

 Возможные варианты: _Я буду вам очень благодарен за исправления, если напишу что-то, что звучит (the infititive is «звучать») неестественно, а вы это исправите.
Я буду вам очень благодарен, если вы будете исправлять то, что звучит неестественно._   

> Здесь, мне кажется, не нужн*ы* слова, которые я *выделил красным.* I can't say this in Russian 
> You don't need to say the highlighted clause, because it is already clear from your previous explanation what "читать в подлинник*е*" means. Я знаю, английский очень трудный.

 There is also "читать в оригинале" (as opposed to "читать в переводе").

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## Yazeed

Russian is too easy.  I don't see why people think it's difficult.   ::   
But Korean, now THAT's a difficult language.

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## timothycn

Hello, 
i am a chinese, i can't speak russian, but now i have to learn, because our company want to charge Russian market for our openbox digital satellite receivers, is there anyone can help me in this, teach me Russian, or if some one iterest do business with us is great. our products is very popular in Russian Market, they are Openbox730 PVR,openbox 810, openbox 820.

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## allaspbny

I live in NY and teach Russian to so called "heritage Russian speakers" - kids born to Russian-speaking parents. You may be surprised but the number of parents who want their kids to study Russian is very small. The overwhelming majority does not care about keeping the language. They themselves speak Runglish - a mixture of two languages, when people have not leanerd one but have already forgotten the other. (Например, в русском магазине в Бруклине продащицы предлагают сыр "слайсиками и писиком". Когда я однажды попросила нарезать лосося, мне гордо заявили, "мы лаксы не слайсаем". Я, конечно, тут же спросила: "А что вы с ними делаете?", коварно ожидая, что продащица их "писает", но она - какая жалость! - ушла от ответа). 
So what can you expect from their kids? They understand when their grannies call them to eat. If they answer in Russian, it is without gender, cases, agreement, etc. The majority of kids watch Russian animated cartoons, but what they get out of them is a big question. Between themselves and with their parents the kids speak only in English. Then, in colleges, some of the kids think that they may get an easy credit for the language that they have heard from their grandmas and choose Russian. They start struggling with letter, cases, gender, and all other features of Russian grammar and finish hating it.

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## Lampada

> I live in NY and teach Russian to so called "heritage Russian speakers" ...

 Аллочка, добро пожаловать к нам на форум!    ::

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## ekaterinak

> I live in NY and teach Russian to so called "heritage Russian speakers" - kids born to Russian-speaking parents. You may be surprised but the number of parents who want their kids to study Russian is very small. The overwhelming majority does not care about keeping the language. They themselves speak Runglish - a mixture of two languages, when people have not leanerd one but have already forgotten the other. (Например, в русском магазине в Бруклине продащицы предлагают сыр "слайсиками и писиком". Когда я однажды попросила нарезать лосося, мне гордо заявили, "мы лаксы не слайсаем". Я, конечно, тут же спросила: "А что вы с ними делаете?", коварно ожидая, что продащица их "писает", но она - какая жалость! - ушла от ответа). 
> So what can you expect from their kids? They understand when their grannies call them to eat. If they answer in Russian, it is without gender, cases, agreement, etc. The majority of kids watch Russian animated cartoons, but what they get out of them is a big question. Between themselves and with their parents the kids speak only in English. Then, in colleges, some of the kids think that they may get an easy credit for the language that they have heard from their grandmas and choose Russian. They start struggling with letter, cases, gender, and all other features of Russian grammar and finish hating it.

 Спасибо за ответ. Очень грустно, что некоторые люди решают не знать родной язык своих родителей. Впрочем, они сами отказываются от преимущества, так как знание нескольких языков означает более широкий круг общения и кругозор. Подразумевает другую степень свободы, наконец. Раз эти люди так не любят свое отечество, так может, это и к лучшему, что они не владеют русским.

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## sperk

> I live in NY and teach Russian to so called "heritage Russian speakers" - kids born to Russian-speaking parents. You may be surprised but the number of parents who want their kids to study Russian is very small. The overwhelming majority does not care about keeping the language. They themselves speak Runglish - a mixture of two languages, when people have not leanerd one but have already forgotten the other. (Например, в русском магазине в Бруклине продащицы предлагают сыр "слайсиками и писиком". Когда я однажды попросила нарезать лосося, мне гордо заявили, "мы лаксы не слайсаем". Я, конечно, тут же спросила: "А что вы с ними делаете?", коварно ожидая, что продащица их "писает", но она - какая жалость! - ушла от ответа). 
> So what can you expect from their kids? They understand when their grannies call them to eat. If they answer in Russian, it is without gender, cases, agreement, etc. The majority of kids watch Russian animated cartoons, but what they get out of them is a big question. Between themselves and with their parents the kids speak only in English. Then, in colleges, some of the kids think that they may get an easy credit for the language that they have heard from their grandmas and choose Russian. They start struggling with letter, cases, gender, and all other features of Russian grammar and finish hating it.

 I knew a Thai lady like this. She would come home from work and try to speak Thai to the kid but the kid would always respond in English, it's just natural to use the language that he hears in school and all around him. It's unreasonable to expect little islands of foreign language to survive  
in the big sea of the native tongue. Also American kids feel a great pressure to conform and to not seem different so they will be hesitant to use their parents' native tongue; when they get older some kids regret this. I know a Chinese who never learned Mandarin at home and now he's studying it in college.

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## dogchasingcars

In the past 5 years of my life i'v met a handful of Russian friends in Canada and i find them very intriguing. So I became compelled to learn Russian and study Russian history and I must say I am having fun doing it.   ::

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## Rtyom

> ... I am having fun doing it.

 Like chasing cars?  :P

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## dogchasingcars

> Like chasing cars?  :P

 Yes!   ::   You should try it sometime. Huge adrenaline rush !   ::

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## Zaya

> You may be surprised but the number of parents who want their kids to study Russian is very small. The overwhelming majority does not care about keeping the language. They themselves speak Runglish - a mixture of two languages, when people have not leanerd one but have already forgotten the other.

 Слыхали о таком...
А тяжело или легко будет сохранить у ребенка русский, от многого зависит.

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## nicholieeee

I sort of fell into it.  I dropped a class in college...my roommate was taking Russian as her foreign language and decided to join her.  However, I've always been interested in Russian history.  So it worked out for me, I guess  ::

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## sun_rat

i've been in love with the country for 30 years, first from the pictures i saw in school. my teacher had visited once. 
i want to go and visit someday, and how better to travel than as a person who can communicate in the language of the place you are seeing? 
german is also a bit of a difficult language. but i taught myself a little and then went to visit, alone. that is way to have a real adventure.

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## Sokolov

I am trying to learn Russian for several reasons, none of them reasonable.  :: 
Because I'm tired of English.
Because I don't like Spanish, French, or German. (not the people, the language)
Because the thought of being fluent in a language(s) that's not my mother tongue is attractive to me.
Because Russian sounds very musical and unique. To me, it sounds like a mix between Greek, Arabic, and German.
Because Игорь Фёдорович Стравинский was a great Russian composer to whom I can only aspire as a musician.
Other than that, Russian is awesome.

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## Hadley

I decided to learn Russian because it seemed like a fun language to learn. Since I live in SoCal, Spanish would seem like a much wiser choice so I'm learning that one too. But I'm not too far in either one. If learning Spanish is like climbing a mountain, I've only taken my first steps. As for Russian, I'm still packing my bags. I seem to be getting a leg up on learning other (I almost wrote 'foreign' but considering where I'm from, Spanish isn't exactly foreign   ::  ) languages because since my mom is involved in the military she has access to the Rosetta Stone language programs. She has access, ergo, I have access. (Don't tell the government  ::  )  At this point, I'm heavily reliant on Google Translate for whatever Russian you throw at me (or Spanish for that matter). I've been coming here every once and a while and finally decided to sign-up. I like to help people with their English and explain idioms so fire away! Wait, that's a idiom right there! 
Well anyway, nice to introduce myself and happy to meet you!  ::

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## Zaya

Hi, Hadley!  

> I almost wrote 'foreign' but considering where I'm from

 If you meant San Diego it is Сан-Ди*е*го in Russian. And what you have written is hard to pronounce. (:
If I were you I would even write Сан-Диего, Калифорния.

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## Hadley

Yes, I did mean Сан-Диего. Thank you.  ::   I tried to build letter by letter using this site. Oh well, I came close though!

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## Zaya

> Yes, I did mean Сан-Диего. Thank you.   Oh well, I came close though!

 You are welcome!
Not very close but close enough for me to recognise it. ))   

> I tried to build letter by letter using this site.

 Don't do it with names of geographical locations, there are many nuances in *translating* them. ))) You don't need to reinvent the wheel. (: Use dictionaries, for example, this one: http://lingvo.yandex.ru/en?text=San%20D ... anslate=on 
By the way, what do you think about the topic's title? How would you change it?  

> Why have you decided to learn Russian?
> Why have you decided to learn the Russian language?

 Are these variants correct?

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## Hadley

> By the way, what do you think about the topic's title? How would you change it?    
> 			
> 				Why have you decided to learn Russian?
> Why have you decided to learn the Russian language?
> 			
> 		  Are these variants correct?

 They are both just fine. Other variants could be: 
"What made you decide to learn Russian?"
"Why did you decide to learn Russian?"
"Why did you choose to learn Russian? 
The possibilities are endless. 
The current title: "Why are you deciding to learn Russian languages?" has a *ing* at the end of decide which makes it sound like you are still in the possess of deciding. Also, I think that there is only one Russian language. Unless it's referring to Slavic languages in general. The Chinese language has many subdivisions such as Mandarin and Cantonese. But that's not what it's like in Russia I don't think.  

```
http://lingvo.yandex.ru/en?text=San%20Diego&st_translate=on
```

Thanks!

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## Zaya

Thank you for your help, *Hadley*! (:

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## Martin Miles

I started to learn Russian by accident. Before I knew anything about the language I bought an old Russian-English dictionary from a second hand bookstore for no obvious reason. A few years later in a similar shop I came across a teach yourself Russian manual written in Spanish, my other language, and decided to go for it. At first my motivation was to see how Russian was related to English since the question of relationships between languages has always interested me. I like to learn a language by seeing correspondences between my mother tongue and the target language rather than just memorising A means B, eventhough some of that is unavoidable.
 My other reasons are similar to the ones already  mentioned: the challenge, the exercise of the mind, the opportunity of seeing the world the way other people do. Also, since I like to follow current events, I enjoy being able to get information via the internet about things happening in the former Soviet Union. The web is a great resource for language learning.

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## Lampada

> .... The web is a great resource for language learning.

 You are right and we are happy to have you here.   ::

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## Martin Miles

Bol'shoye spasibo Lampada. Ya rad bit' zdyes' c drougimi slavofilami.

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## noheat

I've been tired/bored with only knowing one language (english), the alphabet has always fascinated me, i have a healthy obsession with old communist bloc countries and there is a sizable russian population in the city i work in (plenty of native speakers).. Plus i want to do a good amount of traveling in russian speaking countries within the next year or two. So far learning has been a blast.

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## Joshuac

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.

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## mcgovlau

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.   ::

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## whipback

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

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## Автобус

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?

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## Оля

> 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.

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## Yazeed

I studied Russian just because I could.

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## ekaterinak

Thank you for your answers.

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## 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?

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## Crocodile

> 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...   ::

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## sperk

> Russians tend to change overseas...

 for better or worse?

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## emeraldeyez

> 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?

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## ekaterinak

> 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.

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## ekaterinak

> 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.   ::

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## emeraldeyez

> Thanks for your answer.

 
Most welcome!   ::

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## Karlo

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. :"":

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## Crocodile

> So is the change good or bad overseas?

 What is good? And what is bad?   ::

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## Crocodile

> In this conditions the humans visualize own inward nature.

 That's probably another fancy expression for change.  ::

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## ekaterinak

> 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.

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## alexB

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

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## Crocodile

> 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.

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## sun_rat

i can come up with many valid reasons why a person should learn russian. 
but are those reasons my reasons? no. 
i desire to live there for a couple of years. whether i stay or leave to then live in europe for what is left of my life, who knows...

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## sun_rat

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

 no, it reads better as:
That's probably another fancy expression for "change". 
as in the word "change".

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## Winifred

Обо мне –  я выросла в Вирджинии, США. Мама - русская – но она не научила меня русскому языку, почему что в США тогда уже были сенатор Джозеф МакКарти и вторая «Красная угроза» .* Мама  боялась нас учить.  
когда-нибудь  я хотела бы говорить может быть не свободно, но неплохо. 
Я замужем много лет (2 июня = 30 лет!).  We lived together for 9 years before that. (How do I say that in Russian, and, is that often done among folks over there??)  
Y нас два сына (41 и 14!!) и внучка (12), а ещё много домашних животных! 
About me –  I grew up in Virginia, USA. My Mama was Russian, but she didn't teach me Russian, because, at that time, in the USA, Senator Joseph McCarthy headed the Second Communist Red Scare. Mama was afraid to teach us. 
Someday, I'd like to speak, maybe not fluently, but not badly. 
I've been married for about 30 years. We lived together for 9 years before that. We have two sons, aged 41 and 14 (the 41 year old is my stepson, but he has lived with us since he was 3 years old - now he and his family live in North Carolina), a 12 year old granddaughter and also many pets! 
*  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism или http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D1% ... 0%B7%D0%B0 
P.S. Thanks to Olya for helping with another version of this!  ::

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## alexB

> What is good? And what is bad?

  Bart: Um dad, what is the mind? Is it just a system of impulses or is it something tangible?
Homer: Relax. What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind

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## Оля

> Мама _ боялась нас учить.

 No dash.   

> Я замужем много лет (2 июня = 30 лет!).  We lived together for 9 years before that. (How do I say that in Russian, and, is that often done among folks over there??)

 _Мы жили вместе 9 лет до этого.
До этого мы уже жили вместе 9 лет._ (better) 
Yes, I think it's often done... Everywhere nowadays.   ::

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## Снежинка

Всем привет!  
Я еще в детстве познакомилась с русским языком. По телевидению часто шли русские сказки и невозможно было не влюбиться в такой мелодический язык. Я все ещё помню мультик про какого-то ежика, который говорил: "Ну, простудишься!"  ::  Спустя несколько лет, я начала изучать русский язык, но он мне казался очень трудным. Два года назад, я поняла, что меня как магнитом тянет к России, сердцу не прикажешь. Любовь к народу, что ли...  ::  Люблю сказать, что Бог мне, кроме моей настоящей Родины, подарил и духовную Матушку - Россию. Несмотря на то, что никогда не побывала в России, сильно переживаю за этим краем и очень хочется туда...  
Пишите, я всегда рада русским друзьям  :: .

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## Crocodile

Здравствуй,  Снежинка, и добро пожаловать!   ::

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## Снежинка

Спасибо за добрые слова, Crocodile!)

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## Lampada

> Всем привет!  
> Я еще в детстве познакомилась с русским языком. По телевидению часто шли русские сказки и невозможно было не влюбиться в такой мелодический язык. Я все ещё помню мультик про какого-то ежика, который говорил: "Ну, простудишься!"  Спустя несколько лет_ я начала изучать русский язык, но он мне казался очень трудным. Два года назад_ я поняла, что меня как магнитом тянет к России, сердцу не прикажешь. Любовь к народу, что ли...  Люблю говорить, что Бог мне, кроме моей настоящей Родины, подарил и духовную Матушку - Россию. Несмотря на то, что я никогда не бывала в России, я болею душой за этот край и очень хочется туда...  
> Пишите, я всегда рада русским друзьям .

 Привет, Снежинка! Какой хороший у тебя русский!  Добро пожаловать!    ::   
Не знаю, какой это был мультик, но вот здесь ежик говорит:  "Вы простудитесь!"   *Сергей Козлов* 
" *Осенняя песня травы   *  
Холодно, тихо стало в лесу. Заяц прислушался - ни звука. Лишь осинка на том берегу дрожала последним листом. Заяц спустился к реке. Река медленно уводила за поворот тяжелую, темную воду. Заяц встал столбиком и пошевелил ушами. 
- Холодно? - спросила у него Травинка. 
- Бр-р-р! - сказал Заяц. 
- Мне тоже, - сказала Травинка. 
- И мне! И мне! 
- Кто говорит? - спросил Заяц. 
- Это мы - трава. Заяц лег. 
- Ой, как тепло! Как тепло! Как тепло! 
- Погрей нас! И нас! И нас! Заяц стал прыгать и ложиться. Прыгнет - и прильнет к земле. 
- Эй, Заяц! - крикнул с холма Медвежонок. - Ты что это делаешь? 
- Грею траву, - сказал Заяц. 
- Не слышу! 
- Грею траву! - крикнул Заяц. - Иди сюда, будем греть вместе! 
Медвежонок спустился с холма. 
- Согрей нас! Согрей! Согрей! - кричали травинки. 
- Видишь? - сказал Заяц. - Им холодно! - Снова прыгнул и лег. 
- К нам! К нам! 
- Сюда! Сюда! - кричали со всех сторон. 
- Что ж ты стоишь? - сказал Заяц. - Ложись! И Медвежонок лег. 
- Как тепло! Ух, как тепло! 
- И меня погрей, Медвежонок! 
- И нас! И нас! 
Заяц прыгал и ложился. А Медвежонок стал потихоньку перекатываться: со спины - на бок, с бока - на живот. 
- Согрей! Согрей! Нам холодно! - кричала трава. Медвежонок катался. Заяц прыгал, и скоро согрелся весь луг. 
- Хотите, мы споем вам осеннюю песню травы? - спросила первая травинка. 
- Пойте, - сказал Заяц. 
И трава стала петь. Медвежонок кататься, а Заяц - прыгать. 
- Эй! Что вы там делаете? - крикнул с холма Ежик. 
- Греем траву! - крикнул Заяц. 
-Что? 
- Греем траву! - крикнул Медвежонок. 
- *Вы простудитесь!* - закричал Ежик. А травинки поднялись во весь рост и запели громкими голосами. 
Пел весь луг над рекой. И последний лист, что трепетал на том берегу, стал подтягивать. И сосновые иголки, и еловые шишки, и даже паутина, забытая пауком, - все распрямились, заулыбались и затянули изо всех сил последнюю осеннюю 
песню травы. "  http://mouse-911.narod.ru/lit16.html

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## Снежинка

Спасибо за исправление ошибок и за комплимент, Lampada! Считаю себя чайником в русском языке, но желаю говорить/писать по-русски как можно лучше)). 
Нет, к сожалению, это не тот мультфильм. Постараюсь найти (хотя до сих пор не удалось  ::  ) и потом выложу на форуме.

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## Crocodile

> Спасибо за исправление ошибок и за комплимент, Lampada! Считаю себя чайником в русском языке, но желаю говорить/писать по-русски как можно лучше)). 
> Нет, к сожалению, это не тот мультфильм. Постараюсь найти (хотя до сих пор не удалось  ) и потом выложу на форуме.

 И это пишет человек, который никогда не был в России?! Низкий поклон твоим родителям.   ::

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## Оля

> Всем привет!  
> Я еще в детстве познакомилась с русским языком. По телевидению часто шли русские сказки*,* и невозможно было не влюбиться в такой [s:16rox6m6]мелодический[/s:16rox6m6] мелодичный язык. Я все ещё помню мультик про какого-то ежика, который говорил: "Ну, простудишься!"  Спустя несколько лет_ я начала изучать русский язык, но он мне казался очень трудным. Два года назад_ я поняла, что меня как магнитом тянет к России, сердцу не прикажешь. Любовь к народу, что ли...  Люблю [s:16rox6m6]сказать[/s:16rox6m6] говорить, что Бог мне, кроме моей настоящей Родины, подарил и духовную Матушку - Россию. Несмотря на то, что никогда не [s:16rox6m6]по[/s:16rox6m6]бывала (или "ни разу не побывала") в России, сильно переживаю за [s:16rox6m6]этим краем[/s:16rox6m6] этот край, и очень хочется туда...  
> Пишите, я всегда рада русским друзьям .

 Привет!
А откуда ты и какой у тебя родной язык?
(твой русский просто супер!   ::  )

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## Sivodna

I always thought it was the coolest language.  
I suppose that's not a very profound reason. I'm glad I found this site, it will come in useful I'm sure. 
Also, I never learned another language in school, which I regret. 
Starting Pimsleur now, and have completed some other Russian conversation CD and some of a Teach Yourself Russian booklet.

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## Zaya

Hi, *Sivodna*! Welcome to our forum!
BTW, there is also another topic, which our newcomers like. (: http://masterrussian.net/mforum/view...php?f=1&t=1654   

> Also, I never learned another language in school, which I regret.

 Do you mean you didn't have the subject "Foreign Language" in school?   

> Starting Pimsleur now

 There are many unnatural sentences in Russian Pimsleur. But in case you still want to use it, I would recommend you to read our members' comments: http://masterrussian.net/mforum/view...=148177#148177
Оля and Lampada are native speakers.  http://masterrussian.net/mforum/view...=148178#148178
Level 2  http://masterrussian.net/mforum/view...=148179#148179
Level 3
gRomoZeka and Rtyom are also native speakers. 
P. S. Насколько я помню, туда и другие носители заглядывали. Извините, кого не упомянула. )

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## Chanil

I just started learning it recently and the reason I started was because I've always had a huge interest in the Russian culture and wanted to finally try and learn the language.

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## devochka

Привет всем! 
Как я рада, что здесь так много людей, которые любят русский язык. Живу в Бельгии, а здесь люди как-то странно смотрят на меня, когда я им говорю, что я учила русский язык (конечно ещё учу, только не в школе). 
Я всегда знала, что хочу учить иностранные языки, только не знала какие. Однажды встретилась с белгийскими студентами, которые учили русский язык. Мне это тогда казалось настолько интересно, что я сразу решила и сама учить русский язык. Никогда не жалела о решении. 
Всего хорошего, 
Мике

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## Crocodile

> Привет всем! 
> Как я рада, что здесь так много людей, которые любят русский язык. Живу в Бельгии, а здесь люди как-то странно смотрят на меня, когда я им говорю, что я учила русский язык (конечно ещё учу, только не в школе). 
> Я всегда знала, что хочу учить иностранные языки, только не знала какие. Однажды встретилась с белгийскими студентами, которые учили русский язык. Мне это тогда казалось настолько интересно, что я сразу решила и сама учить русский язык. Никогда не жалела о решении. 
> Всего хорошего, 
> Мике

 Ого! Ты хочешь сказать, что русский язык не является для тебя родным?!   ::

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## Zaya

Привет, Мике!
Совсем недавно сюда заглядывал еще один человек, живущий в Бельгии.  ::   

> Я из Бельгии, и я недавно ездил на 6 месяцев в Россию

 http://masterrussian.net/mforum/view...210122#p210122

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## devochka

@ Crocodile: Родной язык у меня - нидерландский. Начала учить русский язык 6 лет тому назад. 
@ Zaya: Ого, ещё бельгиец? Вот здорово!

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## Оля

> Родной язык у меня - нидерландский. Начала учить русский язык 6 лет тому назад.

 Твой русский просто потрясающий, как у носителя. Ни одной ошибки.  ::  
P.S: Ой, нашла:   ::    

> Вот здоро*в*о!

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## devochka

Спасибо, Оля, за комплимент и за исправление. Я рада, что я наконец-то решила написать первый пост на форуме. Часто здесь читаю, только никогда ничего не писала.

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## Оля

> Спасибо, Оля, за комплимент и за исправление. Я рада, что я наконец-то решила написать первый пост на форуме. Часто здесь читаю, только никогда ничего не писала.

 Молодец.   ::

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## Mujin

For me, as Thai people, I think Russian is the most easiest language. I had learned some languages such as Japanese, French. Russian is my best language, but I have to learn more and more. 
Для меня, как тайский народ, я думаю, русский является самым простым языком. Я узнал несколько языков, таких как японский, французский. Русский язык в моих силах, но у меня есть, чтобы узнать больше и больше.

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## Crocodile

> For me, as Thai people, I think Russian is the most easiest language. I had learned some languages such as Japanese, French. Russian is my best language, but I have to learn more and more. 
> Для меня, как тайский народ, я думаю, русский является самым простым языком. Я узнал несколько языков, таких как японский, французский. Русский язык в моих силах, но у меня есть, чтобы узнать больше и больше.

 If you don't mind: 
=> Я думаю, что для меня, как тайца, изучение русского языка не представляет сложности. Я уже знаю несколько языков, например японский и французский. Я немного знаю русский, но мне ещё предстоит многому научиться.

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## Mujin

Thank you, Crocodile. My Russian is not good. I have been trying to refresh it. 
Спасибо, Crocodile. Мой русский не является хорошим. Я пытаюсь обновить ее.   ::

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## kiwix

Come on, i keep reading over and over that Russian is a difficult language...I can't believe what i am reading here. 
Russian is considered an 'Indo-European' language, just as English, German or even Ukrainian is... 
Now if you'd take a look at the English language back a thousand years ago, it would look like somekind of odd german-like language, probably not too far away from Dutch-Pensylvannian or something.  
The English language, as i have often heard, is easy to speak but very difficult to master. 
To me learning Russian isn't anymore difficult than learning English.  
As a matter of fact, this is all psychological, meaning that, it's like people who claim they can't send a sms because mobile phones are from a newer generation.. 
Russian people tend to easily pick up new languages such as the English language, well, to me it's only because they are more serious about learning a new language than we folks are. 
It's true to say that people don't necessarily share the same abilities when it comes to learning a language, but i will tell that, if you are serious about doing something and do everything that it takes to achieve your goal, then, you will get to the level you intended in the first place.

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## Matroskin Kot

> To me learning Russian isn't anymore difficult than learning English.

 Are you done bragging? Because "to me", that's all you are doing.

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## Karras

@ Kiwix, 
I think that writing it off as psychological is not very fair. Good for you that you find it so easy but that does rather belittle the time and effort required by the rest of us. 
To use your mobile phone analogy, it is not so much like learning how to send an SMS because just about everybody can speak and/or read in their native language. It would be more accurate to compare it to learning how to send an SMS from an unfamiliar phone, perhaps with a different type of predictive text as well. 
If you have never used a phone before, you might find any of them as easy as another to learn. If you switch to another phone from the same manufacturer, the differences may be few and you will learn it quicker. If on the other hand, you switch to a completely different make/model, the learning curve may be steeper as you have to disregard much of what you have already learnt. 
To me, Russian is like that different make/model. It has some words that sound similar (and a whole lot of borrowed words as well, but then so does English) but I've seen enough of it to say that the grammar is very different. I feel I'm progressing quite well with the materials I am using (though I realise they can only take me so far) but I still find it challenging as I have to disregard much of what I have spent most of my life learning. 
I don't really see as the Indo-European connection makes all that much difference to be honest. If you spend your life studying this group of languages, maybe you can spot patterns and trends that help you learn them. Otherwise, languages can change rather a lot over a thousand years or so and English and Russian look to me to have developed in very different ways.

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## bitpicker

I'd say that the difficulty of learning a given language is relative to how different it is from languages you already know, especially your native language. I don't think that any language is objectively more difficult than another; all languages have their areas of complexity. For instance, my native language is German, so I only have to deal with two more cases when learning Russian; whereas, if my native language was English I would have to deal with the concept of cases as such first. On the other hand verb aspect is more alien to me than to a native speaker of English, as the difference between simple and progressive verb forms in English is at least conceptually similar to the Russian verb aspects, though not the same. In German, neither feature exists. 
And on-topic: I am learning Russian because it's fun. And I have Russian-speaking neighbours whom I visit every now and then, and when their family and friends are there the language everyone speaks is Russian. So if I learn the language they don't have to translate all the time. And they cannot speak behind my back as easily.  ::  
Robin

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## Aimak

> And they cannot speak behind my back as easily.  
> Robin

 Боюсь что в любом языке есть такая возможность иносказаний, что поймут только только посвященные. Попробуй-ка понять язык чиновников...

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## GreenLarry

Well I'm not sure really but many years ago I had a friend at school(i didn't have many friends) and he could speak russian. I must have got curious and asked him to teach me. Unfortunately we lost contact shortly after and I've not seen him since. But that planted a seed I think and years later,when I got internet,I got curious. I first found a guy on ICQ who would teach me,even emailed me a sound file of him saying Zdrastvyetse which I'll never forget! I then found someone on msn from Siberia( Eugene,a DJ at Radio Boomerang) and he taught me a few words and phrases,many of which I've forgotten. We still talk occasionally but I am hardly on msn(too busy with my kids) and he is busy with other things. 
Is a good man!

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## kiwix

First of all, it happens that, prior to learning Russian, i have learned the Ukrainian language which is about the same in structure and difficulty. Now, as far as i am concerned a huge amount of Ukrainian words, especially Russian words too, have similarities with the Latin an Greek languages, ancient of course. 
Take a look at words such as телефон, or even жить, работать
телефон clearly is of greek origin,
жить sounds just like the word gîte in French, which meanings are close enough
работать reminds of the word rabot, in French, a tool to work with wood 
Every in life, i find dozens of new words, either Russian or Ukrainian words which are obviously similar to their French or English equivalents, not to mention when they do sound exactly the same, like фасад/façade, for example. 
Those are just examples on their own, but there are hundreds like this. 
Now their are only words, and grammar is a different topic, i agree.  
To be able to learn a language properly, one needs to have a serious approach towards it,helped by a teacher or not, that's a fact, but then, not only one should be interested in doing it, learning a language has to be, to me, an addictive passion of some sort, and one must whatever it takes to speak this language fluently, not to say perfectly.

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## sperk

> First of all...

 Do a few posts in Russian and demonstrate your easily gleaned mastery of that language.

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## bitpicker

> Боюсь что в любом языке есть такая возможность иносказаний, что поймут только только посвященные. Попробуй-ка понять язык чиновников...

 Sure. I just spent about a quarter of an hour figuring out what you said there, so that shows how little I know.  ::  But hush, don't tell my neighbours.   ::   
Robin

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## Aimak

> Sure. I just spent about a quarter of an hour figuring out what you said there, so that shows how little I know.  But hush, don't tell my neighbours.    
> Robin

 I shall be mute as a tomb
Я буду нем как могила   ::

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## Crocodile

> 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.

 I recently came across a nice story. I think it somewhat explains ... 
In Russian: http://lleo.aha.ru/arhive/fan2006/sirius.shtml 
Translation to English: http://lleo.aha.ru/e/sirius_e.htm

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## basurero

> Sure. I just spent about a quarter of an hour figuring out what you said there, so that shows how little I know.  But hush, don't tell my neighbours.    
> Robin
> 			
> 		  I shall be as mute as a tomb
> Я буду нем как могила

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## Karras

> телефон clearly is of greek origin,

 To be honest, I strongly suspect that this is borrowed from English of French, which in turn is no doubt derived from an older language. I had always assumed Latin but I could be wrong. 
Anyway, on topic, I offer my sincerest apologies for any butchery I might be about to inflict on you Russian folk's fine language but here goes: 
Я изучаю русскии язьик потому что мне он очен интересно.  
К сожалению, я никто не знаю из России, так я должен говорить со мной. 
I hope at least it is clear what I am trying to say but please correct any inevitable mistakes.

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## Оля

> To be honest, I strongly suspect that this is borrowed from English of French, which in turn is no doubt derived from an older language. I had always assumed Latin but I could be wrong.

 No, it is Greek.  :P    

> Я изучаю русски*й* язык*,* потому что мне он очень интересен.

 *И и* and *Й й* are different letters! *Й* is a consonant, and *и* is a vowel.   

> К сожалению, я [s:2jwe3fub]никто[/s:2jwe3fub] никого ([s:2jwe3fub]accusative[/s:2jwe3fub] genitive) не знаю из России, так что я должен говорить [s:2jwe3fub]со мной[/s:2jwe3fub] с самим собой.

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## Karras

Спасибо, Оля. 
Not as bad as I feared then. I was worried it might be complete gibberish. 
I know и and й are different letters, I just goofed and picked the wrong one   ::  . I appreciate the correction though.  
I had a feeling никто was wrong after I wrote it. I was guessing genetive but I think I understand now. 
I am a little confused about the tendency to say "one's self" instead of "myself". The Penguin book I have seems to suggest this is optional when refering you yourself. Is this not correct then?   

> No, it is Greek.

 Fair enough. Greek it is then. The point I was trying to make was simply that borrowed words are not always a sign that a language is easy to learn. I come across a lot of words I recognise instantly when reading them, but would not think to use them myself prior to that. I suppose it does at least mean the stereotypical tourist who thinks everyone will understand them, if they JUST SPEAK LOUDER, might have a fighting chance though.

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## Оля

> I had a feeling никто was wrong after I wrote it. I was guessing genetive but I think I understand now.

 Oops, sorry, it really is the genitive, since the sentence contains a negation.   

> I am a little confused about the tendency to say "one's self" instead of "myself". The Penguin book I have seems to suggest this is optional when refering you yourself. Is this not correct then?

 Sometimes, maybe. But not in this case. You can say both " я люблю _своего_ брата" and "я люблю _моего_ брата" (the latter still sounds a bit unnatural to me anyway). But "я разговариваю _со мной_" sounds wrong.

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## Martin Miles

Concerning parallels between Russian and other languages with respect to some of the words mentioned above, my opinion is that 
работать is the relative (cognate) of Latin laborare (to work) which gives our 'labour'. At first sight, this may sound far fetched, until you remember that r, l  and t are all produced in a similar way with the tongue and teeth.  L and r often confused by Spanish speakers. 
Telephone is Greek tele 'far' and phone 'voice'. To me tele is a relative of  даль  and далеко while phone is cognate with words like звонить, звон, звук. 
I am pretty sure about these but I would not try to ram them down anyone else's throat. I do know that there are many real relationships  between Russian and English vocabulary that can make learning a little less difficult.

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## Der Doktor

I believe I decided to start learning Russian because I view it as significantly different to the European languages I know/have knowledge of. So it isn't that it attracts me more than "those Romance languages" - which I find interesting for other reasons (though I do prefer Russian). Needless to say, languages such as Arabic and Mandarin Chinese are even more different to the languages I know, but I would like to start learning them at a later date. 
My interest in the language may well have partially stemmed from studying Russian history several years ago. I found it very interesting, and best of all, the school organised a trip to Russia - Moscow and St Petersburg to be precise. The trip was certainly unforgettable, and by touring each city, I feel I developed my interest for the language. I also recall on the first day that I lost my passport, and now realise how much better I would be able to deal with the situation today with my improved knowledge of the Russian language, for I simply did not communicate what I wanted to say in English at all. Of course, this applies to any language in any situation, but something about Russia, particularly how little I knew about modern day Russian, prompted me to take it up.

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## ekaterinak

Thanks to everybody for your opinions/

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## mikke

I started learnig it because of my work and the girlfriend.

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## badwolf

Well I decided to learn Russian because its part of my heritage its just that no one alive in my family speaks Russian so I find it my duty to learn it and pass it on to my kids.Lots of people have tried scaring me by telling me it's crazy hard but that doesn't phase me so far I've been having a lot of fun learning.I also wanna get a beautiful Russian girlfriend.

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## ekaterinak

> Well I decided to learn Russian because its part of my heritage its just that no one alive in my family speaks Russian so I find it my duty to learn it and pass it on to my kids.Lots of people have tried scaring me by telling me it's crazy hard but that doesn't phase me so far I've been having a lot of fun learning.I also wanna get a beautiful Russian girlfriend.

 Thanks for your answer. Very nice to hear your attitude to Russian language as "it my duty to learn it and pass it on to my kids". Thank you so much.
I have one question. You wrote that you are from Honolulu,Hawaii. Are there many Russian speakers tourists in Hawaii?

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## badwolf

> Originally Posted by badwolf  Well I decided to learn Russian because its part of my heritage its just that no one alive in my family speaks Russian so I find it my duty to learn it and pass it on to my kids.Lots of people have tried scaring me by telling me it's crazy hard but that doesn't phase me so far I've been having a lot of fun learning.I also wanna get a beautiful Russian girlfriend.   Thanks for your answer. Very nice to hear your attitude to Russian language as "it my duty to learn it and pass it on to my kids". Thank you so much.
> I have one question. You wrote that you are from Honolulu,Hawaii. Are there many Russian speakers tourists in Hawaii?

 I run into tourist at my work that speak Russian once every blue moon but it's hard to find someone that speaks Russian.From what I have herd there is a Russian community here in Hawaii you just need to look hard which I haven't tried yet once I get more advanced in my Russian then I'll make friend so on.

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## ekaterinak

> Originally Posted by ekaterinak        Originally Posted by badwolf  I run into tourist at my work that speak Russian once every blue moon but it's hard to find someone that speaks Russian.From what I have herd there is a Russian community here in Hawaii you just need to look hard which I haven't tried yet once I get more advanced in my Russian then I'll make friend so on.

 I am looking for English pen pal. Would you like to change e-mails with me?

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## badwolf

Sure I sent you a message

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## ROVERSFAN

Because I have been some of the fantastic countries where Russian is spoken / understood: Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine.....
The people are fantastic
The food is great
The language is Beauuuuuuuuuuuutiful
The culture and history are interesting
None of these countries are full of Western Europeans behaving badly, or just being boring. (I am a Western European myself!!).  Eastern Europe is great.
I like to speak to people in their own language.
I love the Russian language.....but I can (so far) only speak a tiny amount. But I'm trying to improve / learn more words and phrases.
I have friends in Russia and Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan (the problem is they all speak quite good English).

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## ROVERSFAN

I forgot to add....Russian pop music. It's brilliant.

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## delog

> I forgot to add....Russian pop music. It's brilliant.

 Yeah, it is true until you will not try to translate them. Beforehand I am sorry for my clumsy translation, but I will try anyway.   

> Ты - стебелёк, а я пестик
> Мы навсегда с тобой вместе.
> -----
> You are a small stalk, and I am a pestle
> We for ever, with you together.

 Я даже не буду и говорить о том, что пестик это женский "орган" (а песню поет мужчина).   

> И её изумрудные брови колосятся под знаком Луны
> -----
> And her emerald eyebrows beginning to ear under sign of moon.

 Что-то эзотерическое.   

> Ты далеко, тебя рядом нет, но смотрит на тебя мой палец пистолет
> -----
> You are so far, you are not beside me, but my finger as pistol looks at you

 Хэнди хох!   

> Гуляй Россия, танцуй Европа, а у меня самая красивая попа
> -----
> Go for a walk Russia, to dance Europe, and I have the most beautiful buttocks.

 Не понимаю, как такое вообще можно показывать по телевизору. Нормальные песни даже по радио не крутят, ибо - "неформат", а вот это пожалуйста.   

> Теплая вода 
> Золотой песок 
> К северу лицом 
> Сердцем на восток
> -----
> Warm water
> Gold sand
> Face to the north
> And heart to the east.

 Типа голова на 180 градусов поворачивается или певица на голове стояла  ::    

> У меня губки бантиком, попка краником...
> -----
> My lips as little bow, my buttocks as little faucet...

 Губы бантиком - понятно, а вот насчет краника...   

> Твои зелёные лосины...
> забуду с ними всё и вся
> Твои зелёные лосины...
> во мне самом родят лося!
> -----
> Your green buckskins...
> I'll forget with them everything and all
> Your green buckskins...
> In me will give birth to the elk!

 Безоговорочный шедевр  ::

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## Lampada

> И её изумрудные брови колосятся под знаком Луны
> -----
> And her emerald eyebrows beginning to ear under sign of moon. ...

 http://ellkina.livejournal.com/9928.html

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## Feeler

Because to me it taught at school ::

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## ekaterinak

Согласна, что тексты некоторх песен действительно странноваты, но далеко не все таковы.  ::  Лично я их воспринимаю как шутку, и конечно, в свой хит-парад я такие песни не включаю.  :: ))) 
Но наши песни бывают очень метафоричны. Вот например:    

> Теплая вода 
> Золотой песок 
> К северу лицом 
> Сердцем на восток
> -----
> Warm water
> Gold sand
> Face to the north
> And heart to the east.
> ...

 
Дословно переведено верно. Но тут можно представить такую картину:
Любуется человек морем в южной стране. А в голове тревога об оставленных делах. Смотрит он в сторону работы (на север), а сердце тянет его на родину (на восток).  Человек может быть из России, а работать может в Англии.
А можно еще пофантазировать на эту тему и еще что-нибудь придумать. 
В этих строках говорится о внутренней тревоге человека, о его исканиях.   ::

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## Zubr

> I forgot to add....Russian pop music. It's brilliant.

 Ты, наверное, шутишь? Русская поп-музыка -- просто ужас. Хуже её нигде на свете не услышишь. Зачем мучить себя ей, тогда как хороших русских певцов есть так много?

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## studyr

> Originally Posted by ROVERSFAN  I forgot to add....Russian pop music. It's brilliant.   Ты, наверное, шутишь? Русская поп-музыка -- просто ужас. Хуже её нигде на свете не услышишь. Зачем мучить себя ей, тогда как хороших русских певцов есть так много?

 There are no friends in tastes and colours.

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## DestinationMoscow

Cuz, fate of my country was tight connected with fate of Russia many times through the history.
And, also,
we have some important economics relations now and, perhaps, russian will be important in my future job.

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## ekaterinak

> Cuz, fate of my country was tight connected with fate of Russia many times through the history.
> And, also,
> we have some important economics relations now and, perhaps, russian will be important in my future job.

 DestinationMoscow, Could you say us where you are from? 
Serbia !!! I have guessed about it before studying of your profile.

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## Hanna

Primarily work related reasons - I am in IT and Russia is quite big in software.
But plenty of secondary reasons -  E.g  
I am Swedish, Russia is more or less a neighbouring country, fascinating and massively big.  
Sweden has identified that Russian is a very important language for Swedes to learn, yet students rarely choose it and there is also a serious shortage of teachers. Government is at its wits end trying to get citizens to learn Russian. Same situation in Finland. I thought I'd set an example for others, lol...  
Political/Economic - the anti-Russian paranoia that sometimes grips Western Europe is ridiculous and counter-productive and not in the interest of regular people. The best way to stop it  is for people to be able to communicate with each other and have good relationships. Russia is playing well below its league financially; things can only improve on this front and it won't be long until Russia has a lot more dealings with Europe than just selling gas.  That's when those who made the effort will be able to reap some career related benefits.  
Apparently Russian is the most commonly spoken mother tongue on the European continent and one of the most common second languages. Fascinating country of contrasts and interesting people. Not to forget ex USSR countries where it seems that most people still quite happily speak Russian.  Is that enough reasons?  
The way I see it, it makes more sense for most Europeans to learn Russian than Spanish or perhaps even French.  
The negative thing is that it is a lifelong work. Even native speakers of other Slavic languages (Poles for instance) think Russian is hard and that they can't speak it well. So this is discouraging... But I'll see how far I can get in a year before I jump to any conclusions.  
Oh I forgot to say that I had a brief brush with Russian at school but dropped it because I thought it was too hard. I've never quite recovered from this defeat and now I want to prove to myself that I CAN in fact learn Russian.

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## Оля

It's a very interesting and pleasant (for us Russians) opinion, Johanna  ::    

> Even native speakers of other Slavic languages (Poles for instance) think Russian is hard and that they can't speak it well.

 Well, I agree that Russian is very difficult, but I must say that Poles speak Russian quite well... Although they still have a noticeable accent. But I recall at least two Bulgarians I've seen on TV who spoke Russian fantastically well (*no accent*, but some grammatical mistakes from time to time).

----------


## Hanna

Oh I forgot one completely illogical reason why Russian attracts me:  
I have always loved Russian folk songs! There is something about Russian melodies: Beautiful, 'catchy' and a bit melancholic, all at the same time. Just like life itself.  
I used to sing in a choir and we sang lots of them, translated into Swedish, but usually called "Russian song The Birch Tree" or something like that. ...  
One of these days I will see if I can't find the real Russian versions of the songs I liked the best. Maybe I could even understand some of the lyrics and see if the translations were good!

----------


## Zaya

> but usually called "Russian song The Birch Tree" or something like that

 This one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSSFS159XpY&

----------


## ekaterinak

> Primarily work related reasons - I am in IT and Russia is quite big in software.
> But plenty of secondary reasons -  E.g  
> I am Swedish, Russia is more or less a neighbouring country, fascinating and massively big.  
> Sweden has identified that Russian is a very important language for Swedes to learn, yet students rarely choose it and there is also a serious shortage of teachers. Government is at its wits end trying to get citizens to learn Russian. Same situation in Finland. I thought I'd set an example for others, lol...

 Thanks, Johanna for your  opinion. You told us very interesting details. I think you will know Russian very well. 
Here are some links with Russian folk music : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-PKKfK74Sc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oriTjBYY-q0
and here are some another texts and .mp3 files for download http://music.lib.ru/c/coffeeshop/alb1.shtml

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## Hanna

Thanks Zaya and EkaterinaK!  Yes, Zaya was right -- that song was exactly the one I thought of!  The arrangement was similar too.  I also loved the guitar version and the vocals from katerina's links. The Swedish version has the same "lioli, lioli" words in the refrain, even though it doesn't mean anything at all in Swedish.   
After I checked the links from both of you I did some more research. Very interesting and a bit nostalgic! I haven't heard these since I was quite young. *Here are my top Russian folk songs*:  
-Во поле береза стояла - The Birch tree
-Две Гитары  -  Two Guitars
-Казачья колыбельная песня  - Kossack Lullaby 
-Из-за острова на стрежень - "Stenka Rasin"
-Очи Черные -Dark Eyes   _Probably lots more, but it's hard to find out what they might be called! _ 
Plus, I also have to mention: 
-Smugljanka  (has a Swedish version about a gypsy girl)
-Partisans from Amur (Socialist song I think, but I actually sang it in school in Sweden..) 
-Katjusha (changed in Swedish to be about a Viking sailing on the Russian rivers in his ship   ::  *
If anybody reading this does not know about Russian folk songs - check them out!* They are amazing! Particularly the lyrics are very poetic and/or action packed.  
There were two Russian songs which were quite popular when I was a kid in the 1980s, that my childrens' choir often sang. They were  featured in old Russian adventure films for children. One was about swinging on a swing and thinking about the joys of childhood. The other was something like  "A voice calling from far away" - mainly about friendships. Does anybody remember those songs and their names?

----------


## Lampada

> ...There were two Russian songs which were quite popular when I was a kid in the 1980s, that my childrens' choir often sang. They were  featured in old Russian adventure films for children. One was about swinging on a swing and thinking about the joys of childhood. ...

 viewtopic.php?f=61&t=5264&p=86610&hilit=%D0%9A%D0%  B0%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B8#p86610   

> ...There were two Russian songs which were quite popular when I was a kid in the 1980s, that my childrens' choir often sang. ... The other was something like  "A voice calling from far away" - mainly about friendships

  viewtopic.php?f=61&t=5264&p=206062&hilit=%D0%9F%D1  %80%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B  5+%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%91%D0%BA%D0%BE#p206062

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## Lampada

http://www.russiandvd.com/store/album_a ... Fnumber=09 
 Исполняет Николай Сличенко  
О, говори хоть ты со мной,
             Подруга семиструнная!
Душа полна такой тоской,
             А ночь такая лунная! 
Вон там звезда одна горит
             Так ярко и мучительно,
Лучами сердце шевелит,
            Дразня его язвительно. 
Чего от сердца нужно ей?
             Ведь знает без того она,
Что к ней тоскою долгих дней
             Вся жизнь моя прикована... 
И сердце ведает мое,
             Отравою облитое,
Что я впивал в себя ее
             Дыханье ядовитое... 
Я от зари и до зари
             Тоскую, мучусь, сетую...
Допой же мне - договори
             Ты песню недопетую. 
Договори сестры твоей
             Все недомолвки странные...
Смотри: звезда горит ярчей...
             О, пой, моя желанная! 
И до зари готов с тобой
             Вести беседу эту я...
Договори лишь мне, допой
             Ты песню недопетую!

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## Lampada

> -Казачья колыбельная песня  - Kossack Lullaby

 http://www.russiandvd.com/store/album_a ... Fnumber=15 
Поёт Александр Донских Фон Романов  
КАЗАЧЬЯ КОЛЫБЕЛЬНАЯ ПЕСНЯ  
Слова Михаила Лермонтова 
Спи, младенец мой прекрасный, 
Баюшки-баю. 
Тихо смотрит месяц ясный 
В колыбель твою. 
Стану сказывать я сказки, 
Песенку спою; 
Ты ж дремли, закрывши глазки, 
Баюшки-баю.  
По камням струится Терек, 
Плещет мутный вал; 
Злой чечен ползет на берег, 
Точит свой кинжал; 
Но отец твой старый воин, 
Закален в бою; 
Спи, малютка, будь спокоен, 
Баюшки-баю. 
Сам узнаешь, будет время, 
Бранное житье; 
Смело вденешь ногу в стремя 
И возьмешь ружье. 
Я седельце боевое 
Шелком разошью... 
Спи, дитя мое родное, 
Баюшки-баю.  
Богатырь ты будешь с виду 
И казак душой. 
Провожать тебя я выйду — 
Ты махнешь рукой... 
Сколько горьких слез украдкой 
Я в ту ночь пролью!.. 
Спи, мой ангел, тихо, сладко, 
Баюшки-баю.  
Стану я тоской томиться, 
Безутешно ждать; 
Стану целый день молиться, 
По ночам гадать; 
Стану думать, что скучаешь 
Ты в чужом краю... 
Спи ж, пока забот не знаешь, 
Баюшки-баю.  
Дам тебе я на дорогу 
Образок святой: 
Ты его, моляся богу, 
Ставь перед собой; 
Да готовясь в бой опасный, 
Помни мать свою... 
Спи, младенец мой прекрасный, 
Баюшки-баю.

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## Lampada

> -Из-за острова на стрежень - "Stenka Rasin"

 viewtopic.php?f=61&t=14222&p=178475&hilit=%D0%BD%D  0%B0+%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1  %8C#p178475

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## Lampada

> -Очи Черные -Dark Eyes

 http://www.russiandvd.com/store/album_a ... Fnumber=04 
Поёт *Фёдор Шаляпин* 
Очи черные, очи страстные !
Очи жгучие и прекрасные !
Как люблю я вас! Как боюсь я вас !
Знать, увидел вас я в недобрый час ! 
Ох, недаром вы глубины темней !
Вижу траур в вас по душе моей,
Вижу пламя в вас я победное:
Сожжено на нем сердце бедное. 
Но не грустен я, не печален я,
Утешительна мне судьба моя:
Все, что лучшего в жизни бог дал нам,
В жертву отдал я огневым глазам !

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## Hanna

*Thanks for posting the great arrangements of the folk songs!* Right now I can only understand some of it, half at the most... The "Two guitars" and "Kosack lullaby" arrangement were awesome. I'll make a Russian folk song playlist on my iPod. These songs will go on the playlist.  
About the video clips:   Wow! (Exactly the songs I meant!)  Nostalgia overload!  I had completely forgotten the titles and the plots -  but now I remember!  "The Guest from the future" was very good.  Funny to see the "young pioneer" school uniforms, I guess you had something like that yourself, lol!  *The childrens' choir in the video is truly outstanding...*  
I also remember really liking another, older film about some kids that became cosmonouts and flew off to other planets... I think it was called *"Moscow to Cassiopeia"*.  I love space, so I adored this film. Cool detail:  The girl cosmonauts sported the famous Russian-style white & fluffy hair ribbons while wearing their cosmonout outfits!  Oh yeah, Russian *"Three Musketeers"* was another film that I liked as a kid. And *"Snow Queen!"* 
Actually, when I grew up we got quite a lot of Russian programs for children. I remember watching some old but great Russian cartoons too. And there a Swedish kids' "talk-show" that was hosted by Crocodile Gena (as a puppet). Sometimes he travelled 'home' to Russia and visited interesting people and places, like the Samis (they live in Scandinavia too), the "BAM" railway,  a 'sanatorium', a childrens' holiday camp.  A lot of this stuck on my mind and some of it really caught my imagination. To this day I'd really like to travel the "BAM" railway!  (In a light-blue train car...)   
Sweden had a very mixed/conflicting view of the USSR. Media and intellectuals mostly liked it, apart from a few things. But the military and business couldn't stand it. But there was an incident which changed Sweden's view of the USSR and unfortunately meant that *Russian films/music practically disappeared from Swedish TV and radio*. It has never really returned:     

> _Around 1985-86 Sweden (wrongly) came to believe that USSR sent submarines to spy along Sweden's East coast... Very detailed spying. The Navy, as well as regular people started seeing foreign submarines everywhere on the coast, almost like ghosts. Traces of submarines on the seabed were discovered too. A submarine was even spotted right in the middle of Stockholm, and several times near my own house which was on an island east of Stockholm. Some people saw 'frog men' snooping around near military installations. It was very confusing and people got worried and very angry.  
> USSR completely denied being responsible. They said that the descriptions in fact matched NATO submarines, but Sweden did not believe them and Nato kept quiet. But recently, in 2006 or so, it was discovered that the "ghost submarines" actually WERE from NATO! Exactly as Russians had said from the beginning. Sending submarines to Sweden was either a strange Nato exercise, or a psychogical trick...  But if the intention of Nato was to make regular Swedes dislike and fear the USSR (Russia), then they succeeded, this incident really changed peoples minds._

 Because of the submarine suspicions Swedish TV and radio virtually stopped broadcasting all Russian films. After that I have not seen a lot of Russian films, only some really big hits. Unfortunately here in England most people don't even know that there are good films made in Russia.   *Well, after this nostalgia trip I can't wait to catch up with MODERN Russian cinema and use it to improve my Russian!*   ::  
Great inspiration / motivation!  Thanks Lampada!   ::

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## rockzmom

> *After that I have not seen a lot of Russian films, practically none.* Unfortunately here in England most people probably don't even know that there are good films made in Russia.

 Johanna, I have read a number of your posting and you have had a most interesting life! I want to let you know about three threads here on MR that you may be interested in and may also help you with your dream to quickly learn Russian. 
The first one is a thread I started back in late December about movies. When I began the thread it was for a different purpose and now it has morphed into a thread about all films (both live action and animated), TV and a little book talk. Mostly to do with Russian; however, we do talk about non-Russian as well. I also have links to the movies and most of them have English subtitles; however, we can help you find them without the subtitles if you don't want them. We have reviews and comments and questions about the movies that have been watched as well. You are most welcome to post your questions/reviews as well! Here is the link to that thread:  viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16413 
The second thread that is much newer is the music thread. There you will find music of all sorts all the way from the 60's to just released and in languages including Russian, French, Spanish, and English. We have the lyrics for all of the songs posted to help you learn! Here is that link:  viewtopic.php?f=1&t=18854 
The last one is also a music thread and is to help with your translation skills (maybe once you get a little better or a little bolder). You pick a song and then translate it into Russian (it does not have to be from the other thread; however, that is what people have been doing so far). Then someone comes after you and corrects your Russian and in exchange you will correct their English. You can also discuss the meaning of the song as well. Here is the link for that thread: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=18978 
I wish you much luck in your studies and everytime I see your name I mentally correct myself to pronounce it correctly and as you said it "should" be pronounced and not as "we" Americans would normally butcher it! 
RockzMom.

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## Hanna

Thanks for explaining Rockzmom.. The threads seem interesting!* The film thread is perfect for me, I have over two decades of Russian film to catch up with.*  I'll come back and check it soon.  
Lampada is a woman too! Haha, are there ANY guys on this forum??  It's a real Ladies club!   ::   ::   
Re translations -- Unfortunately, right now I am not good enough at Russian to translate any songs though... I'm just learning the basics right now, like simple verbs, nouns and adjectives.   
Also: Sorry if  jumped straight in without checking the other forums properly.  In fact, I ought to study really, not write long posts in a forum, even one as great as this one....  
As for my life being interesting... Hehe, it's *incredibly* boring right now! Studying Russian is probably the most exciting thing happening in my life.  *I bet your life is a lot more exciting!* 
Being an author must be wonderful....  (It's a dream of mine...)

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## alexB

*Johanna*, what you told us about Russian movies and not only that being known in Sweden back in the USSR times amazed me a lot. What I knew of Sweden then was ABBA, Olof Palme and that you had a great hockey team that I very much admired for their playing of course but mostly for their having beaten Czechs more often than not whereas to us they had always been hard nuts to crack. There was one more thing known of Swedes, but I can’t pin-point the moment when and how it came to be known, their liberal views on relations between the sexes. Too bad those submarines broke the infatuation, I’ve never heard a Russian saying anything bad about Sweden, there might be others who disagree though. Let’s hope their numbers are few.

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## studyr

> I’ve never heard a Russian saying anything bad about Sweden, there might be others who disagree though. Let’s hope their numbers are few.

  

> Но близок, близок миг победы.
> Ура! мы ломим; гнутся шведы.
> О славный час! о славный вид!
> Еще напор — и враг бежит.

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## alexB

My memory is a little fuzzy now. Let me see. Oh, yeah! 
But I was too young back then to remember.

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## Hanna

@Alex --- Actually, Swedish people who travel to Russia always say how very similar Russians are to Scandinavians in many way. Finns say the same thing. Similar climate and personality / looks of people. Then there is the similar bad habit of crazy drinking...   ::   _(By the way, to clarify: Most people in Sweden did NOT view the USSR as a lovely socialist paradise.  But the view was a bit more balanced than elsewhere in Europe. Because of being "neutral" Sweden supported nobody in the Cold War, and there was also more sympathy for socialism. The view of state TV / Radio was basically that Russian films and childrens programs were of a high artistic quality and that Western media should not be allowed to dominate. Hope this wasn't a sensitive topic?!  But this is all just history now, anyway, right? )_  *Haha, I guess your icehockey comment shows that there are some guys on the forum after all!*  
Never even mention the USSR icehockey team to a Swedish or Finnish man! They will never stop talking! I have heard this so many times:   

> _"Makarov, Pavel Bure,  blah, blah blah........ World Championship..... blah, blah....   biased  judges,   blah blah.......    "   
> 2 hours later:  
> "Fedorov was surely the greatest player that ever lived!"     "No, it was xxxxx"
> "Well it was all down to Tikhanov, he was a GOD!"
> "If Tikhanov had run the USSR instead of Gorbatjov, then it would still be around...  "_ 
> ...  etc, etc, (sorry I might have miss-spelled the names!)

 In fact, if the USSR had ever wanted to conquer the Nordic countries, then they should sent the icehockey team to do it!  The men would have given up voluntarily out of respect, I suspect...   ::  
And I also don't know why the USSR team would be so superior to Russia's present team?   The same people and skills are still around. Or maybe they aren't (?) I don't watch icehockey much though!

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## translationsnmru

> And I also don't know why the USSR team would be so superior to Russia's present team. The same people and skills are still around. Or maybe they aren't (?) I don't watch icehockey much though!

 The stars of those times are too old now to play, and new one haven't been found and trained. One of the reasons of the decline of Russian ice hockey is that the huge networks of chidren's sports clubs and specialized schools was all but ruined during 1990s due to lack of financing. It is being restored now, but it takes a long time to rebuild what was destroyed in a moment. In the USSR, every city and most smaller towns had several (sometimes many) sports clubs ("спортивная секция" in Russian) for schooldkids. Boxing, soccer, ice hockey, judo, track and field athletics, you name it. Anyone who showed a promice of becoming a decent athlete had a chance to take part in city contests, and then in regional, republican, and all-Union contests in their respective age group. The best athletes were invited to special boarding schools with a heavy focus on sports. Nearly all sports-related activities for children were paid for by the government. And our star athletes (including hockey players) were a return on the state's investment into this chidren's sport system.

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## alexB

> ...Haha, I guess your icehockey comment shows that there are some guys on the forum after all!

 You are slightly unfair to the men on this forum. Their name is plenty, their nicks maybe are a little confusing. Look for instance at that happy character above, with a sense of humor and a piggy tail. Isn’t he man enough?  ::

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## Hanna

TranslationsMRU - Thanks for explaining that, it sounds like a very efficient system! I hope you can get it back on track. It's getting irritating to see China and the US winning all the medals in the Olympics...  
Alex - Oh, I just made that comment because I mixed up several of the girls nicks, and thought they were guys! I didn't understand that "Оля" is nick for Olga for example.. But now I know!  
Look what I found!  Here is Gena's Swedish "talk-show" for children which ran for many years... and Shappoklack's song in Swedish! 
[video:31q2sk2t]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EgbByB4DdU[/video:31q2sk2t]  *"I'm naughty, I'm nasty and my name is Shapoklack!"*  She was very cool!   ::  
[video:31q2sk2t]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c88EQbLNvPw[/video:31q2sk2t]

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## it-ogo

> I'm naughty, I'm nasty and my name is Shapoklack!

 Following the very origin this name probably should be written in latin as Chapeauclaque.  ::

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## Hanna

_Yes, you are probably right about that. (I don't know how they did it in Swedish books about these figures.)  In my defense, I probably couldn't even read at the time , let alone understand French..._ 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Transliteration of Russian words and the names of people and places is a real pest and can be confusing!*  
For instance; The names of people are spelled differently depending on which European language you are reading in!   
Some Russian city names are not even recognisable between different European langauges. I can read Swedish, English and easy German plus easy French. The translation of Russian names between these four are really varying.   Composer Пётр Ильич Чайковский
German   Tschaikowski 
English   Tchaikovsky
Swedish   Tjajkovskij
French   Tchaïkovski 
There are probably some much better examples, but this was the first that sprung to mind.   _And anyway, the English transliteration appears "wrong" 
It ought to be "Chaikovsky"  The T in the current English transliteration is actually only adding confusion for a regular English speaker who is just trying to read the name, with no previous knowledge._   *Another one*:  Chodorkovskij  =  Khodorkovsky =  Ходорко́вский

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## Wishes

Hi, 
I started to learn Russian, because I live in Moscow for three months and you can't just get around in Moscow without any knowledge of the language is, I am afraid, not possible. Most of the taxi drivers I met dont know any English words like "hotel".
After three weeks I am finally able to read a menu card in a restaurant and order what I want.   ::  
When I got here, I was just able to read the signs and had no experience in talking at all. Now, I atleast can ask people for locations and stuff. Now I have decided to keep learning the language, when I get home because it's beside Chinese, Spanish Hindu one of the most important languages regarding the economical development of the next 50 years. 
best regards 
Tim

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## NuBoseTHX

Because I am Russian :\
lol
I always wonder if i refused to be adopted?
Where would I Be?

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## jjjiimm

My wife is Ukranian and I'd like to be able to speak with my mother-in-law in her native language. Her stepdad doesn't understand English and I'd like to be able to converse with him. 
I work with mostly Slavic people that speak in Russian. I am constantly exposed to the language. 
The Soviet Union has produced some of the most beautiful films and I'd love to be able to understand them fully. Same with the songs and literature.

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## Mandy

In the UK you need strong motivation and inspiration to learn languages because they are seen as trivial by most parents and in most schools.  The real challenge is to motivate yourself because there is little serious language teaching available.  Other countries put the UK to shame over language learning. 
I started learning Russian in 1981 when I was 16 because it seemed exciting, exotic and mystical.  But I wasn't interested in learning Chinese or Japanese!  Because the Russians were hidden from us during the Cold War I imagined that they were totally different to us, in a magical way and so therefore much more interesting than other nationalities.   
My teacher was over retirement age and full of enthusiasm and taught us the basics well for 2 years but after that I tried learning it at university and there was no proper teaching there at all.  You cannot learn a language by yourself.  Russian grammar is hard for English speakers because of all the different cases but the words and the things people say is not so very far from English.  
 It is a challenge worth doing ....   Achievements take time and only you know what you have achieved when you have put real effort into something because what might be easy for some people is not easy for everyone.

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## A.S.

> *Transliteration of Russian words and the names of people and places is a real pest and can be confusing!*

 Русская буква "Ч" звучит схоже с английской "ch" в слове "chest", например. Русская "Х" - как "h", как в словах "hot". Так что Ваш вариант очень даже неплох. А приведенные вами особенности, скорее связаны с историей перевода: первый переводчик имени вероятно очень любил согласные буквы   ::  
Русские переводы тоже "can be confusing":
Почему, имя "William the Conqueror" перевели как "Вильгельм"? Это немецкий вариант? Или "Hudson Bay" - как "Гудзон"? Еще ужасно _режет ухо_ произношение "лондОн", хотя, в оригинале звучит "ландэн". Это просто примеры _навскидку_.
Вообще в языках я профан, зашел сюда из любопытства, перед тем, как начать изучать English   ::

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