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Lesson 23 of 24

Word Order, Emphasis and Sounding Natural

The lesson that makes you sound Russian rather than translated: theme-and-rheme word order and inversion for emphasis, the particle kit (же, ведь, ну, вот, даже, всё-таки, ли, -то, -нибудь), the five intonation melodies ИК-1 to ИК-5, and the word-formation models that turn every root you know into a family of words — including the three registers of Russian names and the polite patronymic.

⏱ About 55 minutes 24 phrases 34 exercises
An opened envelope holding a formal letter addressed «Уважаемый Иван Петрович,» beside a pen, a coffee cup and a stack of folders, under the heading «Урок 23: Официальный стиль».

What you will learn

  • Put known information first and new information last, and use inversion — «Пришёл Иван» instead of «Иван пришёл» — to signal news, surprise or contrast
  • Deploy the particle kit — же, ведь, ну, вот, даже, всё-таки — so your Russian sounds natural rather than translated
  • Build the "someone or other" words with -то and -нибудь, say the difference between them, and form formal written questions with ли
  • Recognise and produce the five intonation melodies ИК-1 to ИК-5, and know which one carries the yes-no question
  • Run roots you already know through the productive formation models — -тель, -ница, -ск-, по-…-и, -ок, prefixes — to multiply your vocabulary
  • Navigate the Russian name system: full form, short form, diminutive, and the polite address with name + patronymic plus вы

Quick review

Say these aloud before you start. They come from earlier lessons.

  • Я живу в Москве. I live in Moscow.
  • Вчера я прочитал письмо. Yesterday I read the letter.
  • Не могли бы вы мне помочь? Could you help me?
  • Я думаю, что он уже дома. I think he is already at home.
  • Я хотел бы чашку кофе, пожалуйста. I would like a cup of coffee, please.
  • У меня болит голова. I have a headache.

Theory

Theme first, rheme last: how a Russian sentence is built

English signals what matters with sentence stress and with clefts like "it is you that I love". Russian signals it with word order. The neutral sentence puts the theme — what the sentence is about, usually information already on the table — at the front, and the rheme — the news — at the end, where the main sentence stress and the ИК-1 fall land. Ask «Где твоя сестра?» and the natural answer is «Сестра в университете»: "sister" is the theme, and where she is, is the news. You built sentences this way from Lesson 1 — now you get the name for it and the control over it.

That makes Russian word order freer than English, but not free. Every departure from the neutral order means something. Front the rheme and you get contrast: «Тебя я понимаю» — you, I understand (others, perhaps, not). Front the verb and the event itself becomes the news: «Пришёл Иван» reports an arrival, while «Иван пришёл» takes Ivan as the topic and says something about him. Neither version is a mistake; they answer different questions. The trick when you speak is to ask yourself what is new in your sentence — and put it last.

Two facts are genuinely liberating. A yes-no question moves nothing at all: it is the same sentence with the ИК-3 rise on the word in doubt, which you have been doing since Lesson 1. And negation moves nothing either: не simply slots in before the word it denies. So you never have to rebuild a Russian sentence to question it or negate it — but you should rebuild it whenever something other than the default is the point of your message.

  • Я читаю книгу. I am reading a book. (neutral: the news is at the end)
  • Где твоя сестра? — Сестра в университете. Where is your sister? — She is at the university. (theme first, rheme last)
  • Тебя я понимаю. You I understand. (fronted object: it is you — others, maybe not)
  • Пришёл Иван. Ivan has arrived. (verb first: the arrival itself is the news)
  • Иван пришёл. Ivan has arrived. (Ivan first: now we are talking about him)

The particle kit I: же, ведь, ну, вот, даже, всё-таки

Particles are short uninflected words that add attitude without touching the grammar. Russian leans on them far harder than English does, and a learner who deploys three or four of them correctly sounds markedly more natural than one who uses none. None of them changes the case of anything, and most can be removed without making the sentence ungrammatical — they change how a sentence lands, not whether it works.

The emphatic group. же (after a vowel, -ж) insists or reminds: «Я же тебе говорил!» — But I told you! ведь appeals to something both speakers already accept: «Ты ведь знаешь, где метро» — you DO know where the metro is. даже escalates to the extreme point of a scale: «Даже я это знаю» — even I know that. всё-таки holds a point against resistance: «Он всё-таки пришёл» — he came after all.

The conversational workhorses. ну prompts, hesitates or heats things up: «Ну, я не знаю», «Ну конечно!», «Ну, пойдём!». вот has pointed at things since Lesson 1 ("here is"), and it also completes an explanation or sums a situation up: «Вот и всё» — and that is that; «Вот почему я опоздал» — that is why I was late. только ("only, just") and уже ("already") have been with you since Lesson 14 and do exactly this limiting work in speech: «Я только дочитаю письмо».

  • Я же тебе говорил! But I told you! (же insists)
  • Ты ведь знаешь, где метро. You do know where the metro is. (ведь appeals to shared knowledge)
  • Даже ребёнок это знает. Even a child knows that. (даже escalates)
  • Он всё-таки пришёл. He came after all. (всё-таки: despite everything)

The particle kit II: ли, -то, -нибудь — and a note on fast speech

Two particles do real grammatical work. ли turns a statement into a yes-no question — the register of writing and formal speech — and sits immediately after the word being questioned: «Знаете ли вы, где остановка?» In an indirect question it means "whether": «Спроси, придёт ли она». In conversation you do not need ли at all: the ИК-3 melody does the same job, and that is what Russians actually use out loud.

The enclitics -то and -нибудь glue onto question words — and onto nouns — to build the "someone or other" family: кто-то, что-то, где-то, куда-то; кто-нибудь, что-нибудь, где-нибудь, куда-нибудь. The difference is real. -то points at a particular someone or something that the speaker cannot or will not name: «Кто-то звонил тебе вчера» — someone (one definite person, I am just not saying who) rang you. -нибудь keeps the choice wide open: «Купи что-нибудь к чаю» — buy something, anything will do. They decline through the base word, and the suffix rides along: кого-то, кому-нибудь, с кем-то. The base always keeps its own stress.

One warning about listening. Fast casual speech compresses all of this: particles get clipped, enclitics get swallowed, endings get eaten. You will hear it constantly, and you will understand more of it than you can produce. This course keeps the standard forms as the norm, because they are correct everywhere and with everybody; the compressed variants become transparent on their own once the full forms are automatic. Say the full forms, understand the fast ones.

  • Знаете ли вы, где остановка? Do you know where the stop is? (formal yes-no question with ли)
  • Спроси, придёт ли она. Ask whether she will come. (ли = whether, in an indirect question)
  • Кто-то звонил тебе вчера. Someone rang you yesterday. (-то: a particular, unnamed caller)
  • Купи что-нибудь к чаю. Buy something for tea. (-нибудь: anything at all)

The five melodies: ИК-1 to ИК-5

Russian writes its grammar into endings and its attitude into intonation. The patterns are numbered — интонационные конструкции, ИК-1 to ИК-5 — and you have been using the most important of them since Lesson 1. ИК-1 is the plain statement: the tone centre, the stressed syllable of the last meaningful word, falls, and everything after it stays low. «Это мой дом.» ИК-2 is the wh-question: a firm fall lands on the question word itself and the rest runs level — «Где ты живёшь?» A rise there would not sound curious, it would sound astonished or challenging.

ИК-3 is the yes-no question and carries the entire question system, because Russian has no auxiliary and no inversion: a sharp rise on the stressed syllable of the word actually in doubt, and a level tail. «Ты студент?» — the jump is on the -дент. Move the jump and you change the question: «Это твой билет?» asks whether the ticket is yours, «Это твой билет?» with the rise on билет asks whether the thing is a ticket at all. ИК-4 is contrast, usually announced by а: fall then rise — «А ты где живёшь?» ИК-5 is strong feeling — delight, admiration, amazement — and does the reverse: a big rise then a big fall. «Какая хорошая погода!»

None of this can be learnt by reading, which is why the same five melodies have their own section in the pronunciation reference — and why the speakNow block below asks you to sing them. The rule of thumb: statements fall, wh-questions fall on the question word, yes-no questions jump up, contrast falls and rises, feeling rises and falls. Exaggerate all five out loud today; by next week they will be automatic.

  • Это мой дом. This is my house. (ИК-1: the fall on the last word, then low)
  • Где ты живёшь? Where do you live? (ИК-2: a firm fall on the question word)
  • Ты студент? Are you a student? (ИК-3: a sharp rise on the word in doubt)
  • А ты где живёшь? And where do YOU live? (ИК-4: contrast — fall, then rise)
  • Какая хорошая погода! What lovely weather! (ИК-5: strong feeling — rise, then fall)

Root + model: the vocabulary multiplier — and the names Russians actually use

This is the best return on effort available to you at this stage. Your active vocabulary stays small for months, but Russian builds new words so transparently that one root plus a handful of models predicts three or four derivatives and unlocks dozens of words you were never taught. Install these models now. -тель names the person who does something: учить gives учитель, писать gives писатель, читать gives читатель; the feminine adds -ница: учительница. -ск- turns a place noun into its adjective: город gives городской. по- plus -и turns that adjective into the manner adverb: русский gives по-русски. -ок, -ик and -еньк- build the diminutives: город gives городок. And the prefixes of Lessons 13 and 15 keep manufacturing perfectives: читать gives прочитать, then перечитать "read again" and дочитать "read to the end".

One catch, and it is the catch this whole course keeps returning to: a derivative does not inherit the stress of its root. город stresses the first syllable, but городок pushes the stress onto the ending — and the -ок diminutive drops its own vowel before every ending (городка, городке, городки). The marked forms are in the matrix below and in the vocabulary. Learn every new derivative with its stress, as one sound, not as a spelling.

The same diminutive engine runs the Russian name system, which is a cultural code worth mastering early. Most names come in three registers: the full official form (Иван, Мария, Александр), the everyday short form (Ваня, Маша, Саша — sometimes two, as Саша and Шура both come from Александр), and the affectionate form (Ванечка, Машенька, Анечка). Friends, family and colleagues on ты terms use short forms; documents and ceremonies use full ones; children and sweethearts get the affectionate ones. On top sits the patronymic — the father's name plus -ович/-евич for a man, -овна/-евна for a woman: Иванович, Ивановна. Given name plus patronymic is THE polite address for teachers, officials, doctors and older colleagues, and it always travels with вы: «Здравствуйте, Иван Иванович». Short form with a stranger is cheeky; full name plus patronymic with a close friend is a joke. Neither mistake is fatal, and both mark you as a foreigner.

  • учить — учитель — учительница to teach — teacher (m) — teacher (f): the -тель and -ница models
  • город — городской — городок city — city (adj.) — little town: -ск- and -ок
  • Иван — Ваня — Ванечка the three registers of one name
  • Здравствуйте, Иван Иванович. Hello, Ivan Ivanovich. (the polite address: name + patronymic, always with вы)
Theme → rheme: the same words, two different messages
neutral: theme first, rheme last emphatic: rheme first
Answering «Кто пришёл?» Ива́н пришёл. Пришёл Ива́н.
Answering «Где сестра́?» Сестра́ в университе́те. В университе́те сестра́.
Answering «Ты меня́ понима́ешь?» Я тебя́ понима́ю. Тебя́ я понима́ю.
Reporting an event Дождь пошёл. Пошёл дождь!

Same words, same grammar, two different messages. The rheme — the news — normally stands last and carries the sentence stress and the ИК-1 fall. Front it, or front the verb, and the sentence reports news, surprise or contrast instead. Neither column is ever "wrong"; they answer different questions.

The particle kit
what it adds example
же / -ж insistence: you knew this, or forgot it Я же тебе́ говори́л!
ведь appeal to what we both accept: "after all, you know" Ты ведь зна́ешь, где метро́.
ну prompting, hesitating, or heating things up Ну, я не зна́ю.
вот pointing: "here is"; summing up: "and that is that" Вот и всё.
да́же "even" — the extreme case on a scale Да́же я э́то зна́ю.
всё-таки "still, nevertheless" — despite expectation Он всё-таки пришёл.
то́лько "only, just" — a limit (Lesson 14) Я то́лько дочита́ю письмо́.
уже́ "already" — sooner than expected (Lesson 14) Он уже́ до́ма.
ли formal or written yes-no question, right after the word in doubt Зна́ете ли вы, где остано́вка?
-то "some-": someone or something particular, unnamed Кто́-то звони́л тебе́ вчера́.
-нибу́дь "any-, some-": the choice stays wide open Купи́ что́-нибудь к ча́ю.

None of these inflects, and none changes the grammar of the sentence — they change how it lands. Drop a particle and the sentence stays correct but loses its tone. In -то and -нибу́дь compounds the base word keeps its own stress: кто́-то, куда́-нибудь.

Root + model: four productive chains
го́род "city" учи́ть "to teach" ру́сский "Russian" чита́ть "to read"
the root you already know го́род учи́ть ру́сский чита́ть
+ -ской → adjective "of the …" городско́й — — —
+ -тель → the person who does it — учи́тель — чита́тель
+ -ница → its feminine — учи́тельница — —
+ -ок → the little one (stress jumps to the ending) городо́к — — —
по- … -и → the manner adverb — — по-ру́сски —
+ prefix → a new perfective — вы́учить — прочита́ть · перечита́ть · дочита́ть

Every cell is the root of its column put through the model of its row — that is the whole trick, and it runs on hundreds of other roots: писа́ть → писа́тель, дом → до́мик. A dash means this root does not take this model. Watch the stress: a derivative never inherits it automatically (го́род, but городо́к).

Name forms: three registers and the patronymic
full official name everyday short form affectionate patronymic built from it
a man called Ива́н Ива́н Ва́ня Ва́нечка Ива́нович (son) · Ива́новна (daughter)
a woman called Мари́я Мари́я Ма́ша Ма́шенька —
a man called Алекса́ндр Алекса́ндр Са́ша · Шу́ра Са́шенька · Шу́рик Алекса́ндрович · Алекса́ндровна
a woman called А́нна А́нна А́ня А́нечка —

Patronymics are built from the FATHER's name, so they come from men's names only: Ива́н gives Ива́нович (his son) and Ива́новна (his daughter). Name + patronymic plus вы is the polite address for adults in formal settings; the short form is the default in daily life; the affectionate forms belong to family. Addressing a stranger by a short form is too familiar, and a close friend by name + patronymic is either a joke or a rebuke.

Vocabulary

Learn each word with its stress mark and its pronunciation. Nouns are given with their gender, animacy and their full six-case declension; verbs are given with their aspect and, where one exists, their partner verb.

Russian English Gender / aspect Pronunciation Audio
же particle but, (emphatic) — insists on what the listener knows or forgot particle /ʐɨ/ ZHEH
ведь particle after all, you know — appeals to shared knowledge particle /vʲetʲ/ VYET
ну particle well, well then, come on particle /nu/ NOO
вот particle here is, here you are, there particle /vot/ VOHT
да́же particle even particle /ˈdaʐɨ/ DAH-zhih
всё-таки particle still, nevertheless, after all particle /ˈfsʲɵtəkʲɪ/ FSYOH-tuh-kih
то́лько particle only; just particle /ˈtolʲkə/ TOHL-kuh
уже́ adverb already; any longer (with не) adverb /ʊˈʐe/ oo-ZHEH
ли particle whether; (turns a statement into a formal yes-no question) particle /lʲi/ LEE
-то particle the enclitic -то: makes "someone or other" words for a particular but unnamed someone/something particle /tə/ TOH
-нибу́дь particle the enclitic -нибудь: makes "anyone/anything at all" words particle /nʲɪˈbutʲ/ nih-BYUT
Ива́н masculine · animate Ivan (full official male name) masculine · animate /ɪˈvan/ ih-VAHN
Ва́ня masculine · animate Vanya (everyday short form of Иван) masculine · animate /ˈvanʲə/ VAH-nyuh
Ма́ша feminine · animate Masha (everyday short form of Мария) feminine · animate /ˈmaʂə/ MAH-shih
Ма́шенька feminine · animate Mashenka (affectionate diminutive of Маша) feminine · animate /ˈmaʂɨnʲkə/ MAH-shin-kuh
Са́ша masculine · animate Sasha (everyday short form of Александр or Александра) masculine · animate /ˈsaʂə/ SAH-shih
Шу́ра masculine · animate Shura (a further short form of Александр/Александра) masculine · animate /ˈʂurə/ SHOO-ruh
го́род masculine · inanimate city, town masculine · inanimate /ˈɡorət/ GOH-rut
городско́й adjective of the city, city (adj.), urban adjective /ɡərɐtˈskoj/ guh-rut-SKOY
городо́к masculine · inanimate a little town, a small city masculine · inanimate /ɡərɐˈtok/ guh-ruh-DOHK
учи́ть imperfective to teach (someone); to learn, to memorise (something) imperfective /ʊˈtɕitʲ/ oo-CHIHT
учи́тель masculine · animate teacher (male, or generic) masculine · animate /ʊˈtɕitʲɪlʲ/ oo-CHIH-til
учи́тельница feminine · animate teacher (female) feminine · animate /ʊˈtɕitʲɪlʲnʲɪtsə/ oo-CHIH-til-nih-tsih
писа́тель masculine · animate writer (male; also the neutral professional term) masculine · animate /pʲɪˈsatʲɪlʲ/ pih-SAH-til
писа́ть imperfective to write imperfective /pʲɪˈsatʲ/ pih-SYAT
ру́сский adjective Russian; a Russian man adjective /ˈruskʲɪj/ ROO-skiy
по-ру́сски adverb in Russian adverb /pɐˈruskʲɪ/ puh-ROO-skih
чита́ть imperfective to read imperfective /tɕɪˈtatʲ/ chih-TYAT
прочита́ть perfective to read through, to finish reading perfective чита́ть /prətɕɪˈtatʲ/ pruh-chih-TYAT
перечита́ть perfective to reread, to read again perfective /pʲɪrʲɪtɕɪˈtatʲ/ pih-rih-chih-TYAT
дочита́ть perfective to finish reading, to read to the end perfective /dətɕɪˈtatʲ/ duh-chih-TYAT
Full six-case declension of the 11 nouns in this lesson

Each case is listed with the question word that selects it. Find the question you are answering and the ending follows.

Singular
Ива́н (m) Ва́ня (m) Ма́ша (f) Ма́шенька (f) Са́ша (m) Шу́ра (m) го́род (m) городо́к (m) учи́тель (m) учи́тельница (f) писа́тель (m)
nom · Кто? Что? Ива́н Ва́ня Ма́ша Ма́шенька Са́ша Шу́ра город городо́к учи́тель учи́тельница писа́тель
gen · Кого? Чего? Ива́на Ва́ни Ма́ши Ма́шеньки Са́ши Шу́ры города городка́ учи́теля учи́тельницы писа́теля
dat · Кому? Чему? Ива́ну Ва́не Ма́ше Ма́шеньке Са́ше Шу́ре городу городку́ учи́телю учи́тельнице писа́телю
acc · Кого? Что? Ива́на Ва́ню Ма́шу Ма́шеньку Са́шу Шу́ру город городо́к учи́теля учи́тельницу писа́теля
instr · Кем? Чем? Ива́ном Ва́ней Ма́шой Ма́шенькой Са́шой Шу́рой городом городко́м учи́телем учи́тельницой писа́телем
prep · О ком? О чём? Ива́не Ва́не Ма́ше Ма́шеньке Са́ше Шу́ре городе городке́ учи́теле учи́тельнице писа́теле
Plural
Ива́н (m) Ва́ня (m) Ма́ша (f) Ма́шенька (f) Са́ша (m) Шу́ра (m) го́род (m) городо́к (m) учи́тель (m) учи́тельница (f) писа́тель (m)
nom · Кто? Что? — — — — — — города́ городки́ учи́тели учи́тельницы писа́тели
gen · Кого? Чего? — — — — — — городо́в городко́в учи́телей учи́тельниц писа́телей
dat · Кому? Чему? — — — — — — города́м городка́м учи́телям учи́тельницам писа́телям
acc · Кого? Что? — — — — — — города́ городки́ учи́телей учи́тельниц писа́телей
instr · Кем? Чем? — — — — — — города́ми городка́ми учи́телями учи́тельницами писа́телями
prep · О ком? О чём? — — — — — — города́х городка́х учи́телях учи́тельницах писа́телях

Ready-to-use phrases

Я же тебе́ говори́л!

But I told you!

IPA /ja ʐɨ tʲɪˈbʲe ɡəvɐˈrʲil/

Say it YAH ZHEH tih-BYEH guh-vuh-REEL!

же adds pure insistence — the listener knew this and acted as if they had not. The ты form; the polite version is «Я же вам говорил». No word moved: the particle did all the work. говорил governs the dative — тебе, never *тебя (Lesson 9).

informal particles communication

Ты ведь зна́ешь.

You know that perfectly well.

IPA /tɨ vʲetʲ ˈznajɪʂ/

Say it TIH VYET ZNAH-yish.

ведь appeals to common ground: what follows is something you already accept. Compare the plain question «Ты знаешь, где метро?» — same words, no particle, a neutral request for information.

informal particles communication

Ну, я не зна́ю.

Well, I am not sure.

IPA /nu ja nʲɪ ˈznaju/

Say it NOO, YAH NYEH ZNAH-yoo.

ну here buys thinking time — the classic Russian shrug. The same ну can push («Ну, пойдём!» — Come on, let us go!) or heat up agreement («Ну конечно!»).

informal particles communication

Ну коне́чно!

Well, of course!

IPA /nu kɐˈnʲeʂnə/

Say it NOO kuh-NYESH-nuh!

ну intensifies; конечно on its own already means "of course". Note the spelling trap: the ч is never pronounced — the word sounds [kɐˈnʲeʂnə] — but it is always written.

informal particles communication

Вот и всё.

And that is it. There — all done.

IPA /vot i ˈfsʲɵ/

Say it VOHT EE FSYOH.

The summing-up вот: one chunk that closes a job, a story or an explanation. вот has pointed things out since Lesson 1 ("here is"); this is its other job. No acute anywhere: two monosyllables and a ё.

neutral particles communication

Вот почему́ я опозда́л.

That is why I was late.

IPA /vot pətɕɪˈmu ja əpɐˈzdal/

Say it VOHT puh-chih-MOO YAH uh-puh-ZDAHL.

«Вот почему» = "that is why", with вот completing the explanation. опоздал is masculine; a woman says «я опоздала» (Lesson 14). почему keeps its Lesson 2 meaning and its ending stress.

neutral particles time

Да́же я э́то зна́ю.

Even I know that.

IPA /ˈdaʐɨ ja ˈetə ˈznaju/

Say it DAH-zhih YAH EH-tuh ZNAH-yoo.

даже escalates to the extreme point of a scale: if even I know it, everybody does. It sits right before the word it intensifies and changes no grammar.

neutral particles study

Он всё-таки пришёл.

He came after all.

IPA /on ˈfsʲɵtəkʲɪ prʲɪˈʂol/

Say it OHN FSYOH-tuh-kih prih-SHOHL.

всё-таки says it happened despite every expectation. Not one acute in this sentence: он is a monosyllable, and the ё of всё and пришёл is always stressed (§13). пришёл is the perfective past of прийти (Lesson 15).

neutral particles motion

Кто́-то звони́л тебе́ вчера́.

Someone rang you yesterday.

IPA /ˈkto-tə zvɐˈnʲil tʲɪˈbʲe ftɕɪˈra/

Say it KHTOH-tuh zvuh-NEEL tih-BYEH fuh-chih-RAH.

кто-то = a particular someone the speaker is not naming. The stress stays on the base: кто́-то. звонить takes the dative — тебе (Lesson 9). Declined, the case lands on the base word: «кого-то», «кому-то».

neutral particles time

Что́-то я не понима́ю.

Something is not right — I do not quite understand.

IPA /ˈʂto-tə ja nʲɪ pənʲɪˈmaju/

Say it SHTOH-tuh YAH NYEH puh-nih-MAH-yoo.

что-то in front of a sentence shades into "somehow, something is off" — a soft complaint, not an accusation. понимать + accusative as always (Lesson 2).

informal particles communication

Купи́ что́-нибудь к ча́ю.

Buy something for tea.

IPA /kʊˈpʲi ˈʂto-nʲɪbutʲ k ˈtɕaju/

Say it koo-PEE SHTOH-nih-byut k CHAH-yoo.

-нибудь keeps the choice wide open: anything will do. купи is the ты imperative of купить (Lesson 13); «к чаю» is чай in the dative after к (Lesson 9) — the stress stays on the stem: ча́ю.

informal particles food shopping

Пойдём куда́-нибудь ве́чером.

Let us go somewhere in the evening.

IPA /pɐjˈdʲom kʊˈda-nʲɪbutʲ ˈvʲetɕɪrəm/

Say it puy-DYOHM koo-DAH-nih-byut VYEH-chih-rum.

пойдём is "let us go" on foot (Lessons 7 and 16); куда-нибудь is "somewhere, anywhere". вечером (Lesson 10) needs no preposition.

informal particles motion time

Зна́ете ли вы, где остано́вка?

Do you know where the stop is?

IPA /ˈznajɪtʲə lʲɪ vɨ ɡdʲe əstɐˈnofkə/

Say it ZNAH-yih-tyuh LEE VIH, guh-DYEH uh-stuh-NOH-fkuh?

ли right after the verb makes this the formal, written kind of yes-no question — polite and slightly bookish. On the street the same words without ли, said with the ИК-3 rise, do the job: «Вы знаете, где остановка?» остановка is Lesson 15.

formal particles questions city transport

Спроси́, придёт ли она́.

Ask whether she will come.

IPA /sprɐˈsʲi prʲɪˈdʲot lʲɪ ɐˈna/

Say it spruh-SEE, prih-DYOHT LEE uh-NAH.

In indirect questions ли means "whether" and is the only natural choice. придёт is the perfective future of прийти (Lessons 13 and 15); спроси is the ты imperative of спросить (Lesson 13).

neutral particles questions

Пришёл Ива́н.

Ivan has arrived.

IPA /prʲɪˈʂol ɪˈvan/

Say it prih-SHOHL ih-VAHN.

Verb first, name last: the arrival itself is the news. Say «Иван пришёл» instead and Ivan is the topic — we already know about him and are now told what he did. Same words, same grammar, two different messages.

neutral word-order communication

Э́ту кни́гу я уже́ прочита́л.

This book I have already read.

IPA /ˈetu ˈknʲiɡʊ ja ʊˈʐe prʲɪtɕɪˈtal/

Say it EH-too kuh-NEE-goo YAH oo-ZHEH pruh-chih-TAHL.

The fronted object carries the contrast: THIS book — as opposed to the others. уже (Lesson 14); прочитал is the perfective past of прочитать (Lesson 13); a woman says «прочитала».

neutral word-order reading

Здра́вствуйте, Ива́н Ива́нович.

Hello, Ivan Ivanovich.

IPA /ˈzdrastvʲɪtʲə ɪˈvan ɪˈvanəvʲɪtɕ/

Say it ZDRAH-stvuy-tyuh, ih-VAHN ih-VAH-nuh-vich.

The polite address formula: given name + patronymic, used with teachers, officials and senior colleagues — and always with вы. Ivan here is the man's own name; Иванович says his father was Иван. His sister, whose father was also Иван, is «Ивановна».

formal politeness greetings introductions

Э́то Ма́ша, моя́ подру́га.

This is Masha, my friend.

IPA /ˈetə ˈmaʂə mɐˈja pɐˈdruɡə/

Say it EH-tuh MAH-shih, muh-YAH puh-DROO-guh.

Introductions among friends use the short name form — Маша, not Мария. подруга is specifically a female friend (Lesson 4); the zero copula of Lesson 1 does all the "is" work.

neutral introductions family

Ма́шенька, иди́ пить чай.

Mashenka, come and have tea.

IPA /ˈmaʂɨnʲkə ɪˈdʲi pʲitʲ tɕaj/

Say it MAH-shin-kuh, ih-DEE PEET CHAY.

The affectionate -еньк- form belongs to family and very close friends — a parent to a child, as here. иди is the ты imperative of идти (Lessons 4 and 7); the purpose infinitive пить needs no preposition and no conjunction.

informal family food

Э́то но́вый городско́й парк.

This is the new city park.

IPA /ˈetə ˈnovɨj ɡərɐtˈskoj park/

Say it EH-tuh NOH-viy guh-rut-SKOY PAHRK.

городской is built from город with the -ск- model — the "of the city" adjective. It agrees with парк: masculine, nominative. The same model will give you the adjective from almost any place noun.

neutral word-formation city

Мой друг — писа́тель.

My friend is a writer.

IPA /moj druk pʲɪˈsatʲɪlʲ/

Say it MOY DROOKH — pih-SAH-til.

писать (Lesson 13) + -тель = the person who does it. The dash before a noun profession is the zero copula's signature (Lesson 1). About a woman: «Моя подруга — писательница».

neutral word-formation professions

Она́ рабо́тает учи́тельницей.

She works as a teacher.

IPA /ɐˈna rɐˈbotəjɪt ʊˈtɕitʲɪlʲnʲɪtsəj/

Say it uh-NAH ruh-BOH-tuh-yit oo-CHIH-til-nih-tsiy.

The profession goes in the instrumental after работать (Lesson 10). учительница — учитель + -ница — was already a word-formation success story back in Lesson 3, before you knew the model.

neutral work professions word-formation

Я хочу́ перечита́ть э́ту кни́гу.

I want to reread this book.

IPA /ja xɐˈtɕu pʲɪrʲɪtɕɪˈtatʲ ˈetu ˈknʲiɡʊ/

Say it YAH khuh-CHOO pih-rih-chih-TYAT EH-too kuh-NEE-goo.

пере- "again" + читать: перечитать = to read through again. хотеть + infinitive is the Lesson 4 pattern — я хочу (never *я хотю). эту книгу: the accusative of эта книга (Lesson 12).

neutral word-formation reading aspect

Он не дочита́л письмо́.

He did not finish reading the letter.

IPA /on nʲɪ dətɕɪˈtal pʲɪˈsʲmo/

Say it OHN NYEH duh-chih-TAHL pih-SMOH.

до- "up to the limit" + читать: дочитать = to read to the end. The same до- sits in дойти "to walk as far as" (Lesson 15). не before the verb negates it and moves nothing; the imperfective past here states the bare fact that he did not finish (Lesson 13).

neutral word-formation reading aspect

Dialogues

Two friends on the phone

Masha rings Vanya. They are close friends, so both use ты — and the particles quietly do all the work that tone of voice does in English.

  1. Masha

    Привет, Ваня! Ты где?

    Hi Vanya! Where are you?

  2. Vanya

    Привет! Я уже дома. А ты?

    Hi! I am already at home. And you?

  3. Masha

    А я в городском парке. Приходи!

    I am in the city park. Come along!

  4. Vanya

    Ну, я не знаю... Я ещё не дочитал письмо.

    Well, I do not know... I have not finished reading the letter yet.

  5. Masha

    Ты же обещал!

    But you promised!

  6. Vanya

    Хорошо, приду через час.

    All right, I shall come in an hour.

  7. Masha

    Вот и хорошо! Возьми что-нибудь к чаю.

    There, good! Bring something for tea.

  8. Vanya

    Конечно, возьму. До свидания!

    Of course I shall. Goodbye!

At the office

Irina needs the new colleague, Maria Sergeevna, and asks Nikolai Ivanovich at the next desk. People who work alongside each other but are not friends use name + patronymic and вы.

  1. Irina

    Здравствуйте, Николай Иванович!

    Hello, Nikolai Ivanovich!

  2. Nikolai Ivanovich

    Здравствуйте, Ирина. Вы ко мне?

    Hello, Irina. Are you here to see me?

  3. Irina

    Нет. Скажите, знаете ли вы, где Мария Сергеевна?

    No. Tell me, do you know where Maria Sergeevna is?

  4. Nikolai Ivanovich

    Не знаю. Она была здесь утром.

    I do not know. She was here in the morning.

  5. Irina

    Я уже звонила ей. Она не ответила.

    I already rang her. She did not answer.

  6. Nikolai Ivanovich

    Ну вот, а я не знал. Спросите Ивана — он работает с ней.

    Well, there you are — and I did not know. Ask Ivan, he works with her.

  7. Irina

    Хорошо, спрошу. Спасибо!

    All right, I shall ask. Thank you!

  8. Nikolai Ivanovich

    Пожалуйста.

    You are welcome.

Evening tea at home

Mama calls Masha to the table; Masha is deep in a letter. At home the register is ты plus the affectionate name form.

  1. Mama

    Машенька, иди пить чай!

    Mashenka, come and have tea!

  2. Masha

    Сейчас, мама! Я только дочитаю письмо.

    In a minute, Mum! Let me just finish the letter.

  3. Mama

    Ты читаешь это письмо уже час!

    You have been reading that letter for an hour already!

  4. Masha

    Ну мама, ещё одну минуту!

    Oh Mum, one more minute!

  5. Mama

    Даже Ваня уже пьёт чай, а ты ещё читаешь.

    Even Vanya is already drinking his tea, and you are still reading.

  6. Masha

    Всё, иду!

    All right, I am coming!

Exercises

Answer actively — try to recall the Russian before you look at any hint.

Multiple Choice Exercise 1

Choose the best answer.

What does «же» add to «Я тебе говорил»?
Fill Gap Exercise 2

Fill the gap with one particle.

Ты ____ знаешь, где метро. (after all — you know as well as I do)
Fill Gap Exercise 3

Fill the gap with one particle.

____ он это знает! (Even HE knows that!)
Fill Gap Exercise 4

Fill the gap.

Complete the summing-up phrase: «Вот ____ всё.» ("And that is that.")
Fill Gap Exercise 5

Fill the gap with one particle.

Мы долго спорили, но он ____ остался. (We argued for ages, but he stayed after all.)
Fill Gap Exercise 6

Fill the gap with one particle.

____, я не знаю… (Well, I am not sure…)
Multiple Choice Exercise 7

Choose the right particle suffix.

You want to say "I shall buy something — anything at all, I do not care what". Which suffix?
Fill Gap Exercise 8

Fill the gap.

Пойдём куда-____ вечером. (Let us go somewhere in the evening — anywhere you like.)
Translate To Russian Exercise 9

Translate into Russian.

Someone rang you yesterday.
Translate To Russian Exercise 10

Translate into Russian.

Even I know that.
Word Order Exercise 11

Put the words in order.

Say it so that the ARRIVAL is the news: "Ivan has arrived."
Word Order Exercise 12

Put the words in order.

Put the emphasis on the book: "THIS book I have already read."
Sentence Transform Exercise 13

Rewrite the sentence.

Make it insistent with a particle: «Я тебе говорил.»
Sentence Transform Exercise 14

Rewrite the sentence.

Rewrite as a formal written yes-no question with ли: «Вы знаете, где остановка.»
Stress Choice Exercise 15

Choose the correctly stressed form.

Where does the stress fall in «куда-нибудь»?
Stress Choice Exercise 16

Choose the correctly stressed form.

Where does the stress fall in «городок»?
Stress Choice Exercise 17

Choose the correctly stressed form.

Where does the stress fall in «Машенька»?
Multiple Choice Exercise 18

Choose the right form of address.

Your teacher is called Николай; his father was called Иван. How do students address him in class?
Match Pairs Exercise 19

Pair the names.

Match each official name with its everyday short form.
Translate To English Exercise 20

Translate into English.

Ты ведь знаешь, где метро?
Translate To English Exercise 21

Translate into English.

Он всё-таки пришёл.
True False Exercise 22

True or false?

To turn a Russian statement into a yes-no question you must change the word order.
True False Exercise 23

True or false?

«Кто-то звонил» means the speaker knows who rang.
Conjugation Exercise 24

Give the present-tense form for "ты".

учить — ты (present)
Fill Gap Exercise 25

Fill the gap with the derived noun.

писать → писатель; читать → ____ ("reader")
Translate To Russian Exercise 26

Translate into Russian.

I live in a little town. (use городок)
Translate To Russian Exercise 27

Translate into Russian.

I want to reread this book.
Listen And Type Exercise 28

Play the audio and type what you hear.

Listen and type the sentence.
Listen And Choose Exercise 29

Play the audio and pick the match.

Listen and choose the sentence you hear.
Multiple Choice Exercise 30

Choose the right melody.

Which intonation construction carries the yes-no question?
Flashcard Self Rating Exercise 31

Recall what the particle means, then rate how well you knew it.

всё-таки
Word Order Exercise 32

Put the words in order.

Mum is calling: "Mashenka, come and have tea!"
Ending Choice Exercise 33

Choose the ending.

The prepositional of городок: «Я живу в городк____».
Ending Choice Exercise 34

Choose the right form.

The accusative of Иван: «Вчера я видел ____».

Speak now

Say each line aloud three times: slowly, at normal speed, then from memory — and put real feeling into the particles, because they live or die on delivery. Then sing the five melodies on one sentence of your own: statement (fall), wh-question (fall on the question word), yes-no question (sharp rise), contrast with а (fall-rise), exclamation (rise-fall).

  • Я же тебе говорил! But I told you!
  • Ну, я не знаю… Well, I am not sure…
  • Вот и всё. And that is it.
  • Даже я это знаю. Even I know that.
  • Купи что-нибудь к чаю. Buy something for tea.
  • Пришёл Иван. Ivan has arrived — the arrival is the news.

Lesson checkpoint

Before you move on, make sure you can do all of this without looking:

  1. Take any simple sentence you know and say three versions aloud — neutral, object fronted, verb fronted — naming each time what your version implies
  2. Retell one small thing that happened today twice: first with no particles at all, then with at least four of же, ведь, ну, вот, даже and всё-таки
  3. Build the -то and -нибудь forms of кто, что, где, куда and когда, and say aloud the difference between «Кто-то звонил» and «Кто-нибудь звонил?»
  4. Run three roots you know through the formation matrix out loud — adjective, person, feminine, diminutive, prefixed perfective — and accept "does not exist" as an answer where the model does not fit
  5. Say one statement with ИК-1, one wh-question with ИК-2, one yes-no question with ИК-3, one contrast with ИК-4 and one exclamation with ИК-5, exaggerating each melody shamelessly
  6. Explain aloud, in English, when Russian uses the full name, when the short form, when the diminutive and when name + patronymic — with one example of each

Remember this

  • Russian word order is free but never random: the theme — what the sentence is about — comes first, and the rheme — the news — comes last, carrying the main sentence stress and the ИК-1 fall. «Иван пришёл» talks about Ivan; «Пришёл Иван» reports the arrival.
  • Questions and negation move nothing. A yes-no question is the statement plus the ИК-3 rise; не stays where it was. Moving a word is always an act of emphasis, never of grammar.
  • Particles change how a sentence lands, not whether it is correct: же insists, ведь appeals to shared knowledge, ну prompts or heats up, вот points or sums up, даже escalates, всё-таки holds its ground, только limits, уже marks earliness.
  • ли turns a statement into a formal or written yes-no question and sits right after the word in doubt: «Знаете ли вы это?»; in indirect questions it simply means "whether".
  • -то and -нибудь build the indefinite words — кто-то, что-нибудь, куда-то — and the base always keeps its own stress. -то points at a particular unnamed someone; -нибудь leaves the choice wide open.
  • Word formation is the vocabulary multiplier: -тель and -ница name people, -ск- builds "of the city" adjectives, по-…-и builds manner adverbs, -ок and -еньк- build diminutives, prefixes build new perfectives — and the same diminutive engine runs the three registers of Russian names, crowned in formal speech by the patronymic: Иван Иванович.

Go deeper: Theme, rheme and what moving a word does · The particle kit in full · Intonation: ИК-1 to ИК-5 · Word formation: root + model · ты and вы: the two registers · Questions without moving a word