(spahl’-nyeh) (bedroom)
туaлeт (tooh-uh-lyeht) (bathroom)
гapaж (guh-rahsh) (garage)
Chapter 6 introduces you to Russian words for common rooms, household items, and regular everyday activities such as eating, drinking, sleeping, and doing chores.
Using Russian in Social Scenarios
After practicing Russian at home, you can take it outside. Part 2 comes in handy in a lot of life scenarios: making small talk with new acquaintances, asking for directions, eating out and shopping, going out on the town, communicating and handling routine tasks at work, and enjoying hobbies. The following sections give you a sense of what to expect.
Starting conversations
Have you ever been on bus, plane, or some other public transportation and some stranger just tried to talk your ear off? Small talk makes some people really uncomfortable, but allowing yourself to get over those initial fears could mean making a new friend or feeling more comfortable in a foreign place. In fact, if you want to learn a new language, making small talk is a valuable skill. So we encourage you to take a risk and chat up someone yourself. Chapter 7 helps you initiate conversations with folks in Russian. You find out how to state where you’re from, talk about your nationality and ethnicity, give your age, and discuss your family.
You’ll also be armed with a battery of questions that are great icebreakers, such as the following:
Oткудaвы? (aht-kooh-duh vi?) (Where are you from?)
Cкoлькoвaмлeт? (skohl’-kah vahm lyeht?) (How old are you?)
Увacбoльшaяceмья? (ooh vahs bahl’-shah-yeh seem’-ya?) (Do you have a big family?)
Ктoвыпoпpoфeccии? (ktoh vi pah prah-fyeh-see-ee?) (What do you do?)
Finding your way around
Eating out and buying food
You can discover more Russian to use while eating out and buying food at a market in Chapter 9.
Going shopping
A couple of Russian phrases are especially useful when you go shopping. To ask how much something costs, use the phrase Cкoлькocтoит …? (skohl’-kah stoh-eet…?) (How much does … cost?), inserting the name of the item if you’re buying one thing. If you’re buying more than one thing, ask Cкoлькocтoят…? (skohl’-kah stoh-eet…?) (How much do … cost?), using the word for the items in plural form.
Chapter 10 features a lot more shopping vocabulary and phrases for getting help, trying on clothes, asking for specific colors, and paying for the merchandise you buy.
Exploring entertainment opportunities
Exploring new places and meeting new people are always fun. When you head out on the town, you may choose among a variety of activities. You might decide to check out a museum, a movie, or a play, for example.
Going out on the town often involves making plans, buying tickets, and finding the correct seating. Chapter 11 helps you navigate all these tasks in Russian.
Doing business and communicating
If you’re planning a business trip to Russia or need to speak to Russian colleagues in your home office, you should definitely see Chapter 12. There, you find common words and phrases used in an office setting. In addition, you find guidance to help you master the art of telephone conversations in Russian — and don’t forget about using computers and sending correspondence (and text messages, too)!
Enjoying sports, hobbies, recreation, and more
Hobbies can take many forms, and you may want to share information about yours with friends and acquaintances in Russian:
If you’re a sports fan, you’d better know how to talk about your favorite sports in Russian. (Also prepare to be converted into a fan of soccer or hockey — Russians’ two favorite games.)
Russians are avid readers and, for the most part, very well-read. So if you’re speaking Russian, be prepared to say at least something about books and literature genres you like
