13 difficulties in learning Russian
More than once I have heard the statement that Russian is “the most difficult language to learn as a foreign language.” Is this really true?Sometimes my students tell me this statement. But if Russian is the most difficult, then maybe the best?
I will try to answer this question objectively, although I may not succeed. I have been teaching Russian to foreigners for more than 20 years and hundreds of my students already speak Russian fluently all over the world, and reach level A1 in just 2 months!
In this post I will write about the main 13 difficulties of learning the Russian language.
So, the difficulties:
1. It has its own alphabet.
Learning a new alphabet is the first reason to say “screw it!” Many students are terrified of it and walk around with a gloomy face, realizing that it will be impossible to write “vyechno napisat vsyo tak!”
2. Cases.
For those who do not have cases in their native spoken language, this is a problem. To learn how to say «кошки», you need to take several lessons in order to be able to say that you love «кошек». And why «кошек» and not «кошк» or «кошков»?
The same problem applies to the endings of adjectives. Wow, did you come to class expecting to come out and be able to say “I like small dogs”? No, you can't! Before this, several lessons will be held, including “genitive case in plural”. So learn, hang in there!
All this is not found, for example, in the English language. And this is all right at the very beginning and is like a shot in the student’s heart. Therefore, many people believe that Russian is more difficult than, for example, English.
3. Verb conjugation.
"Не понимаю, не понимаешь, не понимает, не понимаем, не понимаете, не понимают". Why is this? You just need to learn it. All three types of conjugations. And there are also exceptions like “хотеть”, which is differently conjugated. Whether you like it or not, you have to learn.
But everything will work out. Victory will be yours! Just don’t tell yourself that you will win alone. That's not how it works.
4. Word order.
For example, in English the rules are strict for everyone except poets. SUBJECT VERB OBJECT is everything for everyone. A different word order always means either sarcasm or that the person is drunk.
In German it’s the same, only they like to rearrange the verb at the end of the sentence in order to make a statement when they say that they ate the cake and didn’t cook it. Germans...
But in Russia for some reason they decided that a verb can be inserted anywhere. “"Надю любят все", " "Все любят Надю, "Любят все Надю", "Надю все любят". The shades change and, at the beginning of learning a language, it’s like distinguishing a black cat from a dark gray one in a dark room at night.
5. Shades, nuances, subtleties.
In Russian there are almost secret ways to convey shades. Intonation, word order, carefully chosen words.
«Я сидел на кровати с Надей» and ““я сидел в постели с Надей” are similar pictures for a foreigner, but in reality they are very different.
6. Short and long adjectives
"Надя великолепная", "Надя великолепна". Both statements are true! Ha ha! But how can a foreigner understand the difference between them?
And why is it possible to say: "Они сильные, они сильны", but not: "Они разные, они разны"?
7. Ellipsis
This is when you DO NOT say a word, but everyone understands that you mean this word.
For example,
“Возьми с полки пирожок”
“А я уже взял (пирожок)”
Here you don’t have to repeat the word “pie” because it *means*
8. Short sentences without a verb
Native speakers of Russian have the peculiarity of understanding each other with.
“А ты как?”
“Ну, так”
“Ой”
“Угу…”
“А этот…?”
“Да ну!”
“А что?”
“Просто никак”
“Ой. Печалька”
It is difficult to understand such conversations, but you can learn. You just need to want it.
9. Verbs of motion
Wow!
For example:
Идти / ходить, Гнать / гонять, Таскать / тащить
10. Verb conjugation
In English: Know, knows
In Russian: Знаю, знаешь, знает, знаем, знаете, знают, знай!
A significant number of forms!
11. Kind of verb
Example:
«И тут мой хмурый вид сурово помрачнел». What's it like?
12. Commas
How many commas are needed and where are they needed?
For example:
«Казнить, нельзя помиловать!»
«Казнить нельзя, помиловать!»
13. To be or not to be
"Есть поесть?"
"Есть есть. Пить нет."
Well, yes, «есть» is not an easy word for foreigners. Unlike all other verbs, it is not inflected. Я есть», «ты есть», «мы есть». A student’s brain may shout: "я естью, ты естьишь, мы естйим!".
If I missed something, please add me in the comments or write to me about it. I'm waiting for letters from you!
It would also be fair to look at why the Russian language is easy to learn and name the main reasons for this. How do you like this idea? Should I write a post about this?