What is the most popular word in the modern Russian language?
That’s OBVIOUSLY the word ‘DavAj’ (or politely: ‘DavAjte’) – it means ‘OK’, ‘gimme’, ‘here we go’, ‘come on’, ‘see ya later’. All at once! Then open a dictionary and add any verb in the infinitive: ‘DavAj govorIt’ (let’s talk!), ‘DavAj pit’ (let’s drink!), ‘davAj dElat’ (let’s make…). Now add a noun to your taste: ‘DavAj pit’ pIvo’ (let’s drink beer!), ‘davAj dElat’ dEn’gi' (let’s make money!).
Here is more info about this magic word:
But the word ‘Davaj’ is not the only one. You need some more! Remember the words (just reading them in Latin script): ‘nAdo’ (should/need) and ‘mОzhno’ (can). Add words in the same as with ‘Davaj’: ‘nAdo koupIt’ bilet’ (I need to buy a ticket), ‘mOzhno poznakOmitsja?’ (can we meet?).
To make a negative sentence, put ‘NE’ before a verb: ‘Ne nAdo dElat’ Eto!.. SpasIbo…’ (you should not do that!.. Thank you…).
Remember also such essentials as:
IzvinIte, pozhAlusta (sorry, please!) - zdrAvstvujte (hello) – dosvidAnija (goodbye);
KAK delA? (how are you?)
HoroshO (good) – PlOho (bad) – Uzhas (OMG/Horrible!);
MnOgo (a lot) – mAlo (few);
mOzhet byt’! (maybe!)
Da (yes) – Net (no);
sejchAs (now) – potOm (later);
Vot/Tut (here) – Tam (there);
I (and), NO (but), A (but, also, while),
V (in, inside);
Then! Remember the construction of a question word + a noun/pronoun/verb, which is very effective too:
CHTO Eto? ChijO Eto? (What is it? Whose?);
KTO vy, KTO ja, otkUda on? (Who are you, who I’m, where is he from?);
ETO MOJ mUzh (this is my husband) /
ETO mojA zhenA (this is my wife)
KAK idtI v hostel’? (how to get to the hostel?);
MNE (I/me) choroshO, MENJA (I/me) tam net (I’m not there);
GDE den’gi? (where is the money?);
PochemU platit’? (why I should pay?);
PotomUchto ja inostraneс/inostranka?! (m/f; because I’m a foreigner?!).
SkOlko bilet? (How much is the ticket?);
Even with just these words you’ll be smart enough to express your intentions and to understand some everyday Russian conversations, especially between young people (they always choose the easy way). So, let’s try to read and understand two emotional dialogues:
1. - kto tut? Chto nAdo?
- davAj dEn’gi!
- pochemU?
- potomUchto ja manjAc!
- Tut dEn’gi! SkOlko?
- DavAj MnOgo!
- HoroshO! Vot!..
(- Uzhaaaas!..)
2. - zdrAvstvujte! IzninIte, mOzhno poznakOmitsja?
- da, davAj!
- Kto vy?
- Ja Sveta. Ja studentka. Otkuda ty?
- Kanada. DavAj pit’?
- HoroshO! No Gde? I chto?
- Tut! PotomUchto tut choroshO! A chto pit’? Davaj Pivo!
- Net, izninI, potom! SejchAs nAdo idtI! Tut moj muzch!..
I hope I have given you the feeling that even ten minutes is enough to start learning Russian well, with an understanding of colloquial speech and making correct sentences, which are useful in any situation!
https://www.digitaldialects.com/Russian/Russian_alphabet.htm - play this game to practise more.
Here is an alphabet video:
From this point, you need to learn three basic Russian intonations. The first intonation is a statement intonation and your voice goes down: choroshO (all right! good!). The third intonation is a question intonation and your voice goes up: choroshO? (all right? good?). The fifth intonation is exclaim intonation, when you adore something, and your voice goes up, sustains the highest pitch (as you sing one sound) and then goes down: choroshO! (all right!!! very very good!!!).
The second intonation (ИК-2) is close to the third, but it’s compressed and marks the question-words. Now you can sing a part of Russian folk song (‘romance’):
- Где эта улица, где этот дом, где эта барышня, что я влюблён?
- Вот эта улица, вот этот дом, вот эта барышня, что я влюблен!
(ИК-2, then ИК-1 in each sentence)
- Where is that street, where is that house, where is that lady, that I’m fell in love?
- Here is that street, here is that house, here is that lady, that I’m fell in love!
(Is not it in a Shakespearian way?)
+ Tenses: there are just three tenses in Russian. Not so much to learn!
The Future tense (будущее время) can be made in two ways:
(a) putting a word ‘буду’ + a verb of the Simple aspect (буду читать = I’ll be reading).
(b) by using a verb of the Perfect aspect + У/Ю (u/ju) as ending (прочитаю = I’ll read it).
The Present tense (настоящее время) is made by putting a verb of the Simple aspect + У/Ю (u/ju) as ending (читаю – I’m reading).
The Past tense (прошедшее время) is made by putting a verb of any aspect + Л (l) as the ending (читал – I read in the past).
+ Pronouns (we’ve talked about it already!)
+ Reduction law and the Stress: the sounds in Russian words differ from writing because of position of the stress. For example, the letter ‘O’ without stress reads like… A! (In the same way ‘E’ transforms to [И]). So please buy a dictionary with the stresses!
LET'S take a phrase "ДО СВИДАНИЯ, МОЙ ЛЮБИМЫЙ ГОРОД" - GOODBYE, MY FAVOURITE CITY. THAT READS LIKE -- DASVIDANIJA MOJ LUBIMIJ GORAD. You see that all unstressed O become A! There is the mentioned song (looped):
Try to read this simple text with international words --
For learning some more basic expressions those check those videos --