How to Say Dates in Russian
Teaching Russian, I meet all kinds of students—historians, travelers, and folks just curious about the language. One thing they all […]
Language learning
My articles about language learning – tips and tricks, personal experience, observations, case studies and more.
Russian Idioms: Going into the Depths of the Mind
Ever wondered why we use colorful phrases to describe our mental struggles? Dive into the fascinating world of Russian idioms that paint a picture of the labyrinthine workings of the human mind!
What is Basic?
Why do language learners struggle with “basic” vocabulary like cooking or small talk? Explore the gap between classroom learning and real-life Russian skills. Learn tips to master everyday words through immersion, fun activities, and personalized projects. Boost your fluency with practical strategies—check out this insightful guide for all learners!
Eight Things Wiktionary Teaches for Free
Wiktionary, a multilingual dictionary by Wikimedia, is my daily go-to for language learning and teaching. Beyond translations, it offers pronunciation (IPA and audio), grammar tables for Russian words, stress markers, multiple meanings, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, etymology, and categorized word lists. Explore these features to deepen your Russian vocabulary and understanding effortlessly.
Language as a Performing Art
A few years ago, I explored one of the popular online learning platforms, and found two music courses. I don’t
Studying in Russia: Part I Learning Russian in Russia
According to the official Russian statistics, in the academic year 2019-2020, the number of international students in Russia was slightly
How to Improve Your Russian Using Online Tools
Learning a new language is always a demanding task. There are so many things you need to cover, from grammar
Suddenly Dumb
Embarrassing Story When I moved to Canada, my fluency in English was confirmed twice by IELTS. I had been studying
Synonyms: How to Tell the Difference
Synonyms are a blessing and a curse for language learners. How can a language learner know the difference between two words that mean the same thing? How do you know when to choose one word, and when to choose the other? Can they be used interchangeably, or does each word have a specific niche and belong to a certain context? I will try to answer those questions in this article, and I will share a few practical tips on how to make synonyms your friends.
What Makes Russian So Hard: Perfective and Imperfective Verbs
In the previous two articles, I talked about Russian cases and how words agree in a sentence according to their
What Makes Russian So Hard: Cases
Speaking a language is a practical skill, almost like driving a car or cooking. Understandably, most language learners want to
What I Learned Using Duolingo
Duolingo is undoubtedly one of the most popular language learning applications, if not the most popular one. Cute and simple