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Russian for Beginners
Language Learning

Russian for Beginners

Beginning with the Cyrillic alphabet, this study guide helps you read Russian words with confidence before introducing everyday vocabulary and core grammar. You will learn about noun gender, the first cases, verb conjugation and stress, and practise forming simple sentences about yourself, your surroundings and routine situations such as shopping and asking directions.

Levels
4
Starting from
250 credits
Category
Language Learning
Choose a level

About this study guide

The Cyrillic alphabet looks unfamiliar at first, but many of its letters are easier than they appear. This guide groups them into familiar, misleading and new letters, explains the sound of each, and shows how unstressed vowels change in speech. By the end of the opening part, reading printed Russian words should feel far less daunting.

The grammar sections take a patient approach to the features that make Russian distinctive. You will read about masculine, feminine and neuter nouns, the nominative, accusative and prepositional cases, the two main verb conjugations, and the idea of verb aspect. Vocabulary is drawn from ordinary situations, including greetings, family, food, the home, shopping and transport, and each topic comes with example sentences.

The material is set out in four levels, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert, so that each new grammatical idea arrives only after the groundwork is in place.
Each level is unlocked separately

Choose a level

Compare the levels below and add the one that suits you to your cart

01
Level 1

Beginner

250 credits

What this level includes

  • Covered in this level

    Covers the Cyrillic alphabet grouped into familiar, misleading and new letters, stress and vowel reduction, greetings, numbers and everyday nouns. Grammar introduces masculine, feminine and neuter gender, the nominative and prepositional cases, personal pronouns and first- and second-conjugation verbs in the present tense.

  • Suited to

    This level suits complete beginners in Russian who want to conquer the Cyrillic alphabet before anything else. It is a sensible choice for readers who have found Russian intimidating and would like a patient, well-organised start that builds confidence quickly.

  • What you will be able to apply

    You will be able to read printed Russian words aloud with reasonable accuracy, introduce yourself and describe where things are. You should feel ready to write short sentences in Cyrillic about your home, family and daily activities.

02
Level 2

Intermediate

450 credits

What this level includes

  • Covered in this level

    This stage introduces the accusative, genitive and dative cases, the past tense, perfective and imperfective aspect, unidirectional and multidirectional verbs of motion such as idti and khodit, and possessive pronouns. Vocabulary covers shopping, transport, food and time.

  • Suited to

    Meant for readers who can read Cyrillic and handle the first cases, but want to talk about movement, the past and everyday transactions. It suits those who find verbs of motion and aspect confusing and want them explained step by step.

  • What you will be able to apply

    After this level you should be able to say where you are going and how, describe completed and ongoing past actions, and ask for items in shops. You will be able to read short Russian texts and write simple paragraphs with reasonable case accuracy.

03
Level 3

Advanced

750 credits

What this level includes

  • Covered in this level

    The material covers the instrumental case, full plural declension, prefixed verbs of motion, aspect in the future and imperative, conditional sentences with by, participles and verbal adverbs, and relative clauses with kotoryi. Longer passages show these structures in context.

  • Suited to

    Designed for readers with a solid foundation in Russian who want precision with all six cases and the finer points of aspect. It suits those who read simple Russian texts but want to write and speak with fewer errors and more complexity.

  • What you will be able to apply

    You will be able to use all six cases with growing confidence, choose aspect deliberately and build complex sentences. You should feel ready to read articles on familiar topics and write connected Russian texts expressing opinions and hypotheses.

04
Level 4

Expert

1,050 credits

What this level includes

  • Covered in this level

    Explores idioms and proverbs, emphatic word order, stylistic uses of participles in formal writing, features of colloquial speech, diminutives and their emotional shades, and the language of classic and modern prose. Extracts from essays, journalism and fiction illustrate how writers create tone.

  • Suited to

    This is the most refined stage, for confident users of Russian who want nuance and style. It suits readers interested in Russian literature, the press or formal correspondence who wish to master subtle word order, idioms and register.

  • What you will be able to apply

    You should feel ready to read demanding Russian texts with attention to nuance, adjust register between colloquial and formal speech and use idioms naturally. You will be able to write polished pieces that reflect a personal command of the language.

Levels are unlocked with credits from your balance. You can add more credits at any time.