Huibin from China: How to understand & love Russian without pain & boredom
Huibin Liu, our editor of the Chinese version of ‘Gateway to Russia’, shares his observations about the Russian language and advice on how to overcome the fear of cases, in order to learn how to speak like a native.
The author of this text was born and grew up in Harbin, China. His “affair” with the Russian language has lasted for 15 years. During this time, he has come a long way, from his first words to working full time in our editorial team. At first, he admits it was extremely difficult for him, but, over time, the Russian language revealed its secrets to this persistent student.
Pronunciation is music, not math
Lessons in phonetics are often incredibly boring: "Repeat the sounds 10 times, follow the articulation." But, language is not an experimental laboratory, it is living speech with its own rhythm. Russian is not just a set of sounds, but a melody, where the stressed syllable is always the main note. Many foreigners try to pronounce words, according to the textbook – uniformly, clearly and measuredly. But, this is soulless, just like rapping to a metronome.
Huibin Liu has graduated Faculty of Journalism of the Moscow State University
Listen to radio hosts, repeat whole phrases, not just fragments. Listen to Russians not only with your ears, but with your whole body. Repeat not just words, but entire phrases with intonation. Record yourself and you’ll hear where you stumble. And yes, the best way to grasp the rhythm is to sing along to Russian songs! Even if you sing worse than a cat at 2 am, you’ll still catch the melody of the language.
I once witnessed an Italian tourist ordering coffee in a Moscow café: "Я хОчУ кАпУчИнО" (“I wAnt a cAppUccInO”). The barista understood, but squinted, as it wasn’t "Russian-sounding". Russian speech is structured so that the stressed syllable is the king, while the unstressed syllables are its quiet, obedient entourage.
Cases: A scary story that turns out to be kind
The six cases frighten beginners like a scary neighbor in the stairwell, who, as it turns out later, is actually very nice and bakes delicious pies. Cases give you freedom and you can rearrange words without losing or altering their meaning. And let's whisper it: the Finnish language has over ten cases! After that, you’ll want to hug Russian for its modesty.
On a bus, I heard a girl with a strong accent telling her friend: "Я приду к ты завтра." (“I will come to you tomorrow.”). Her friend corrected her: "К тебе" (“To you”). And that was it! The mistake disappeared and the phrase sounded right.
Cases are like a system of road signs: intimidating at first, but helpful later. They allow you to move words around as you like without losing meaning. Want drama and poetry? Say: "Тебя я ждал." (“For you, I waited.”) Want it dry and neutral? "Я тебя ждал." (“I waited for you.”)
‘Maybe’ often means ‘yes’ in Russian
“Maybe we’ll go to the movies tomorrow?” A guy in a hat asks a girl in a Moscow coffee shop.
“Maybe,” she replies, smiling.
If you’re a foreigner, you’ve likely heard doubt in these words. And you’d be wrong. In Russian, ‘maybe’ often means ‘yes’, just softer, with an option to retreat. It’s like penciling a meeting into your calendar: it’s already a plan, but it can be erased.
In business negotiations, ‘maybe’ is a sign of flexibility. In friendly conversations, it’s a way to avoid sounding harsh or commanding.
Humor: A smile through words
Russian jokes often hide behind a serious face. Wordplay, irony and exaggeration are beloved.
Performing at the stage in MSU
“I’ve been waiting for you for 100 years!” This might be said about a five-minute delay.
Self-irony is another national pastime. But, remember: Russians love to laugh at themselves, but laughing at them, even jokingly, is a risk you better avoid.
How to talk to Russians without sounding rude?
In a supermarket, a tourist says to the cashier: “Дай пакет.” (“Give me a bag.”). The cashier stays silent, but their gaze is like that of a warehouse guard. In Russian, ‘дай’ (‘give’) sounds like an order or an intentional desire to put someone down.
The correct way to say it is: “Можно пакет?” (“Could I have a bag?”) or “Дайте, пожалуйста, пакет.” (“Please give me a bag.”). But, even then, the intonation decides everything: a flat, dry tone can be perceived as displeased, even if you’re just tired.
But, don’t go to the other extreme either, as smiling like a clown or expecting others to smile at you all the time. In Russia, a smile is not merely an automatic gesture of politeness, but most often a sign of personal favor.
