Russian, from zero to B1A1

Week 4, Lesson 7, Monday

Introduce yourself for two minutes

Everything from the month fits into one short speech. Today you build yours, and learn the four phrases that save any conversation you cannot follow.

In this lessonabout 70 minutes
New words7
Focusa two-minute introduction, rescue phrases

1Recap 5 minutes

Three questions from Week 3, before anything new.

2Goal 1 minute

I can introduce myself for two minutes, ask four questions back, and rescue a conversation when I am lost.

3The lesson 20 minutes

A model introduction

A good introduction is four moves: greeting and name, job, where you are from, languages. Each move is a sentence you already know; together they make two confident minutes.

RussianMeaning
Здра́вствуйте! Меня́ зову́т Ба́йрон.Hello! My name is Byron.
Я из Ме́ксики, я живу́ в Ме́хико.I am from Mexico; I live in Mexico City.
Я ме́неджер.I am a manager.
Я говорю́ по-испа́нски и по-англи́йски.I speak Spanish and English.
Я немно́го говорю́ по-ру́сски.I speak a little Russian.
Я чита́ю по-ру́сски ме́дленно.I read Russian slowly.
Спаси́бо!Thank you!

живу́ means I live; ме́дленно means slowly. Swap in your own details.

1Здра́вствуйте!Меня́ зову́т …Hello! My name is …2Я ме́неджер.I am a manager.3Я из Ме́ксики.I am from Mexico.4Я говорю́по-испа́нски.I speak Spanish.
Four moves, in this order. Add one detail to each and you have two minutes.

Four questions to ask back

Asking back turns a speech into a conversation. These four questions mirror your four moves.

RussianMeaning
Как вас зову́т?What is your name?
Отку́да вы?Where are you from?
Кто вы по профе́ссии?What is your job?
Вы говори́те по-англи́йски?Do you speak English?
Отку́да вы?Where are you from?БЯ из Москвы́. А вы?From Moscow. And you?АЯ из Ме́ксики.I'm from Mexico.Б
А вы? turns any answer into a question: the cheapest way to keep a conversation going.

Phrases that save you

Every learner gets lost. These phrases keep the conversation going in Russian instead of switching to English, and Russians notice the effort.

RussianMeaning
Повтори́те, пожа́луйста.Please repeat.
Говори́те, пожа́луйста, ме́дленно.Please speak slowly.
Я не понима́ю.I don't understand.
Как по-ру́сски …?How do you say … in Russian?
Повтори́те, пожа́луйста.Please repeat.Говори́те, пожа́луйста, ме́дленно.Please speak slowly.Я не понима́ю.I don't understand.Как по-ру́сски …?How do you say … in Russian?
Your lifebuoy. Learn these four by heart before Thursday.
Week 4 on one plate. Lesson 7, Monday, your two-minute introduction: Здравствуйте, меня зовут, hello, my name is; Я из Мексики, I am from Mexico; Я говорю по-испански, I speak Spanish; Повторите, пожалуйста, please repeat; Я не понимаю, I don't understand. Lesson 8, Thursday, the month test: 20 questions, 14 to pass (66%), 7 topics.
Week 4 on one plate. This lesson is band L7.

4Listen and say 5 minutes

Sound of the lesson: Questions rise on the key word

A yes-or-no question keeps normal word order. Your voice jumps up on the word you are asking about, then drops.

  • Вы говори́те по-ру́сски? [rise on РУС]
  • Вы из Москвы́? [rise on the end of Москвы́]

Listen to the textbook

The book's own recordings for this topic, free on the publisher's site. Listen once for the gist, then again with the book open.

5Phrases and words 5 minutes

Phrases to learn whole

Learn each one as a single unit, the way you would learn a word. They come back in your Daily 10.

Words to read aloud

Read each one aloud, then open it to check.

Повтори́те, пожа́луйста.

Please repeat.

Говори́те, пожа́луйста, ме́дленно.

Please speak slowly.

Я не понима́ю.

I don't understand.

Как по-ру́сски …?

How do you say … in Russian?

живу́
ме́дленно
пожа́луйста

6Class exercises 15 minutes

Checked instantly. Get one wrong and you can try it again.

In class. With Екатерина: give your introduction; she asks you three questions back and answers yours.

7Your turn 5 minutes

Write the first four sentences of your two-minute introduction.

See a model answer

Здра́вствуйте! Меня́ зову́т Ба́йрон. Я из Ме́ксики. Я ме́неджер.

Saved as you type. It goes to Екатерина together with Homework 7.

8Mini questionnaire required, 80% to pass

9Feedback 5 minutes

10Homework

Homework 7 on Tuesday: write your own introduction and three questions for Екатерина.

I can introduce myself for two minutes, ask four questions back, and rescue a conversation when I am lost.

Can you do this now?