Ruff Guide to Russian Language

Granted Requests and Tourist Questions

Hello everyone! By the demand of some I return, this time to answer your question... how to ask questions?

I will start by saying that questions in Russian are largely based on tone of voice rather than vocabulary used, for example: Она красивая? / Is she beautiful? Reads as 'She is beautiful?' It is up to the speaker to modify their voice to indicate that they are asking something.

Without further ado: some vocab and phrases!

Где мои друзья? / Gdye-maiee-droozyah? - Where are my friends? Perhaps you are lost in Siberia? Perhaps you are in a crowded street in downtown Moscow? Either way, I'm sure you will find a use for this question (if you have friends that is.)

Куда ты идёшь? / Koodaah-ti-eedyosh? - Where are you going? Said the Russians regarding the value of the ruble... all jokes aside, this one is pretty easy to pronounce and very useful. We use 'kuda' instead of 'gdye' because the former means 'where to.'

Request time: Req: general questions like 'Where is the hotel?' or 'Where is the hospital?' I will tell you these along with some others!

Где больница? / Gdye-bal-neetsah? - Where is the hospital? Is the question you should ask when the Russian winter (or frosty mother in law) gives you frostbite.

Где гостиница? / Gdye-gostinitsah? - Where is the hotel? "Не знаю блин!" Replies the driver, not understanding English.

Extras: 

Где...

Mост? / Most - Bridge. The 'o' is like the one in 'goth.'

Это? / Eh-ta - Is it? Memorise this one for all your shakedowns and interrogations.

Наша команда? - Nasha-camanda? - Our team? Raise a glass to our fallen Russian brethren in the battlefields of CSGO.

Lastly: I would like to add some other more advanced phrases just for general communication or that would be useful for tourists.

Мне нужно такси / Mnye-noo-zhna-tak-see - I need a taxi. I think this one should be easy for most so I don't have much to add here.

Как ты думаешь? / Kahk-ti-doo-mai-yesh? - What do you think? Yes... I know that 'kak' means how but sometimes in Russian 'how' means 'what.' 

У нас недостаточно денег / Ooo-nas-nyedas-tatoch-nah-dyen-ek - We don't have enough money. Try and get your tongue over that one.

Я совсем не понимаю / Ya-sav-syem-nye-pon-eem-ai-yu - I don't understand a thing/I don't understand at all. Believe me: I've used this a few times.

Outro: I would like to take some time to explain myself everyone, to explain the gargantuan gaps between updates and things. Simply: life gets in the way. Since my last update I have learned a lot more Russian, made actual Russian speaking friends in college and have generally been busy writing the fabled novel that isn't readable here. I hope you have all had it good and stuck with your Russian studies: as someone who has gone from knowing little (and making some mistake sin the early chapters of this book) to being very nearly fluent, I can tell you it's worth it. I also beg you all to read my fictional works too; I actually never set out to teach Russian or write non-fiction I just thought others would be interested and they were, however, it would be nice to get the same appreciation for my other work!

Farewell my friends, thank you. Until the next time!