How to start speaking Russian freely? Advice from a teacher

The connections within a phrase are provided by the grammatical structure of the language. Knowing words is not enough to express a thought, as you still need to understand the rules for combining them.

Foreigners who begin learning Russian are often surprised: The simplest Russian phrases still require careful analysis. That’s why starting to speak can be difficult.

“Alas, Russian is not a language you can master in one go. Speaking it is like putting together a mosaic, where each piece is connected to its neighbors. If you break that connection, the mosaic won’t come together and the statement or phrase will lose clarity,” says Natalia Polishchuk, senior teacher at the Department of Intensive Russian as a Foreign Language at the Pushkin Institute.

Here are a few tips Natalia suggests to help overcome the language barrier.

1. Memorize not separate words, but whole phrases or even dialogues

• Меня зовут Тео. А тебя? А вас? – My name is Theo. And you? (formal/informal)
• Мне 20 лет. А тебе? А вам? – I’m 20 years old. And you? (formal/informal)
• У меня всё хорошо. А у тебя? – I’m doing well. And you? (formal/informal)

Take at least one phrase from each lesson and from each topic you are currently studying. Accumulate these phrases, expand them and combine them into short texts.

• Летом я поеду отдыхать в Карелию. А ты куда поедешь отдыхать? – In summer, I’m going to Karelia on vacation. And where are you going on vacation?
• В Москве я научился кататься на коньках. А ты умеешь? – In Moscow, I learned to ice skate. Can you?
• Если бы я родился в России, я водил бы поезда. А ты кем бы стал? – If I had been born in Russia, I would be a train driver. Who would you be?

Stock up on a couple of Russian phrases for every situation in your life.

2. Just start speaking

Find opportunities to use what you’ve accumulated. Make it a rule to use at least one phrase every day. Don’t put it off and don’t be afraid of making mistakes!

Treat mistakes as necessary steps on the path to success.

3. Listen more

Listening comprehension helps develop speaking skills. Use dialogues from textbooks, movie clips, podcasts and short videos. First, listen to the dialogue or monologue several times and try to catch at least a few words. Then check yourself using the transcript or subtitles. Choose dialogues on topics relevant to you.

The more you listen, the easier it will be for you to speak.

4. Practice pronunciation & fluent speech

Work with audio texts: repeat after the actors, speak along with them. Turn off the sound and voice the characters on the screen. Write down and memorize expressions that might be useful to you. Ask a neural network to role-play a new dialogue with you.

Practice regularly and you’ll see the results in just a couple of months.

5. Copy native speakers

Pay attention to how native Russian speakers talk. Take note of the words and expressions they use. Here are some examples of Russian words often heard in everyday speech: 

• Давай – “davai” (come on/let’s do it), 
• Ничего – “nichego” (it’s okay/never mind), 
• Неважно – “ne vazhno” (it doesn’t matter),
• Ладно – “ladno” (okay/all right),
• Пойдём – “poydyom” (let’s go), 
• В общем – “v obshchem” (in short/anyway). 

Listen to the context in which Russians use them – and do the same!

Your speech will sound more natural and the language barrier will become lower.

6. Learn to clarify & ask for repetition

• Повторите, пожалуйста! – Please repeat!
• Говорите медленно. – Speak slowly.
• Скажите это по-другому. – Say that another way.
• Что значит …? – What does … mean?
• Вы хотите, чтобы я …, да или нет? – You want me to …, yes or no?

These expressions will help you in difficult situations.

We teach all of this (and much more!) in the intensive Russian language courses at the Pushkin Institute.

We wish you every success in learning and discovering the Russian language and culture!