10 Useful Russian Words, and Other Advice for Travelers

(I had another day off, so like a good linguist-in-training, I spent the day thinking about words. These are my musings.)

Since the moment I landed in St. Petersburg, I have been collecting new words. Most of them are instantly forgotten in the overflow of impressions, but a few stick out in my mind as being especially useful. Here is a small piece of my collection, the words that I hear the most often or most often want to remember. The list is intended for beginner and intermediate language students who already know the basics, and it is by no means comprehensive. But I'm still going to write it like a countdown, because it's just more fun that way.


10. негазированная - negazirovannaya = still, uncarbonated
For whatever reason, Russians prefer to drink carbonated water. To me, carbonated water is an unwelcome assault on my nose and mouth. I hate accidentally buying газированная вода when all I want is a cold, normal bottle of water. Always check that what you are buying is негазированная, or ask for it без газа (without gas).

9. скидка – skidka = discount, sale
For obvious reasons, it's nice to know that you are getting a good deal on something. If you're visiting a museum, ask if there are student discounts (скидки для студентов). I recommend getting an ISIC card if you're going to St. Petersburg (probably useful in Moscow too), because they will want proof that you're a student, and your university I.D. may not be good enough.

8. просто так – prosto tak = just 'cause
I like this phrase simply because I get tired of explaining things. My Russian skills peak at about 3 pm and then plummet dramatically as the day goes on. Russians are very curious about why you're here, why you study what you study, why this and why that. By 9 pm, my answer shortens to просто так, just 'cause.

7. местный, местная - mestnyi, mestnaya = local (adjective or noun)
When I was asking for directions in Petersburg, I often got the cursory response, "Я не местный," and then the person I had asked would disappear. It means they're not a local and can't give good directions, so they're not going to waste your time or their own. So if someone asks you for directions, you only have to say "Я не местный / местная," and you're off the hook.

6. хватать / хватить - hvatat' / hvatit' = to be enough
I remember learning this verb in class, and then I promptly forgot how to use it. But it comes up in Russian conversation very frequently. "Соля хватит?" (Is there enough salt?), and so on. I believe it never takes a subject and always requires genitive case, but like I said, I forgot how to use it. I've been trying to learn by listening, which is difficult. Russians mumble. I'm at least sure this sentence is correct: "У меня денег не хватает" (I don't have enough money).

5. замерзать / замёрзнуть - zamerzat' / zamyorznut' = to freeze / to freeze to death
Often, Russians express themselves with a cold efficiency that hearkens of Soviet times. But when it comes to personal comfort, they get colorful and exaggerate. You're never just hungry; you're starving. Likewise, you're never just cold; you've frozen to death. If you are dressed too lightly by Russian standards, expect to hear the following sentence a lot: "Вы не замёрзли?" (Aren't you frozen solid?!)

4. Оставьте меня в покое. - Ostav'te menya v pokoe. = Leave me alone.
Okay, so it's a sentence, not a word, but it's still very useful. In Russian class, they tend not to teach you how to get rude. But sometimes you need to be, especially since Russians, by American standards, seem rather nosy. Even if you're trying to be a good sport about it, it's likely to wear on you after a while. When you've had enough, you need a way to ask for some space. This sentence isn't necessarily rude; it depends on your tone. If you really need to get your point across, like if a drunk person is following you home (it happens), try something like "Отойдите" (get away, back off), but be wary: this version is very rude. I've only used it once, and it garnered a strong reaction.

3. общаться / пообщаться – obschat'sya / poobschat'sya = to associate, to hang out
This word gets thrown around all the time, and the dictionary definition "to associate" doesn't quite fit, in my opinion. Russians will say it when asking you to hang out. Another common construction: "Мы по-русски общаемся?" (Can we converse in Russian?) I am occasionally asked this question after people find out I'm American, but before they find out I can speak Russian alright, usually when someone else (Venya) introduces me.

2. кушать - kushat' = to eat
I hear this word every day about a hundred times. It's not the word for "to eat" that we learned in class, but it might just be the most important word in the language. "Кушай, кушай," they tell me every couple hours: "Eat, eat." The word есть will work fine in all the same circumstances, but be prepared to listen for "кушай," especially if you go visit a babushka.

1. ой — oy = oops
This isn't even a word; it's a sound. It may seem strange or dumb to adopt a sound into your vocabulary, but imagine the following scenario. You are eating at someone's house, and while they're back is turned, you spill a glass of milk. You probably don't want to spend the time to construct a sentence like, "Lyudmila Aleksandrovna, I knocked the milk over!" And the American "oops" just doesn't quite cut it in Russia. Better just say "Oy!" like the Russians do. If you are especially upset, you can repeat it ad infinitum: oyoyoyoyoy.


Those are just a few words and expressions that have come in handy for me, but more important than words is how you approach the language. Don't just listen; talk, even if it's wrong. The best advice I can give to unloosen your tongue is to take advantage of the free word-order in Russian. It's your biggest ally. Get sloppy. Spit out words as they come to you, even if it seems like the wrong order. You'll get your point across much faster and much easier than if you try to phrase everything perfectly, the way you would if you were writing the sentence down.

I adopted this system after about a week in Russia, and suddenly, it was like the floodgates were opened. I started answering in complete sentences and telling full stories. Yes, sometimes it comes out as word salad ("To America friends I package to send can yes?"), and frequently it will sound to Russians rather off, but they understand that you're a foreigner, and most are quite patient with even the silliest mistakes. It's much better to take the risk than to stick to one-word answers. You'll make more friends that way.

And one final piece of advice: carry a small notebook and pen with you at all times. Write down new words when you hear them in Russian and look them up in the dictionary later when you have time. When there's a word you want to say but don't know in Russian, write it down in English to look up later. It's not practical to expect to write down everything new, but if you're getting 1 out of every 100 new words, you're doing yourself a huge favor. I try to remember to read through my list once every night before I fall asleep, and it's surprising how helpful it's been to me.

Also, such a notebook will make an interesting souvenir from your trip. My little collection of words reads almost like a diary. After ol' Uncle Venya took me on a surprise trek through a forest, my notebook acquired a cluster of words like, "mosquito," "bug spray," "bite," "to suck," "itch," "poisonous," "ivy," and "rash." More recently, I have come down with a cold, and my collection now includes, "to gargle," "contagious," "tissue," and "congested." Years from now I'll be able to read through these words and remember what a ridiculous time I had explaining to Venya why I didn't want to go on a boat before I knew how to say "I get seasick," or how confused I was when several women were cooing and gesturing toward my ears before I understood the word for "braids."

"Тесьма"

So that's what I can say, based on my experiences. I have good days and bad days in Russian still. Sometimes it seems like my tongue has a twenty-pound weight hanging from it. Sometimes I start talking too fast, and then my Russian comes out with English words randomly inserted (most often the word "like" slips in, a habit I've been trying to break in English). A couple times, I completely failed to make any sense or thoroughly embarrassed myself by confusing words (what I had wanted: "obmen valyuty" = currency exhange; what I actually asked for: "otmena valyuty" = abolition of currency). But I keep a good sense of humor about it, and for the most part, people have been impressed with my middling Russian skills.

So be brave and take chances. You'll probably do better than you expect.