Russian, from zero to B1A1

Week 5, Lesson 10, Thursday

Say what you have, and tell the time

Russian does not really say I have. It says by me there is: у меня́ есть. The time works with a rule you already know from ages.

In this lessonabout 70 minutes
New words9
Focusу меня́ есть, час, часа́, часо́в, times of day

1Recap 5 minutes

Three questions from Monday, before anything new.

2Goal 1 minute

I can say what I have, and ask and tell the time.

3The lesson 20 minutes

By me there is: у меня́ есть

Listen to how Russians talk about having things. There is no word for have in this dialogue; see if you can spot what replaces it.

У вас есть де́ти?Do you have children?БДа, есть.У меня́ есть сын.Yes. I have a son.АА у вас есть кот?And do you have a cat?БНет. Но у меня́ естьсоба́ка!No. But I have a dog!А
Notice: у меня́ есть, by me there is, does the work of I have.
RussianMeaning
У меня́ есть брат.I have a brother.
У тебя́ есть кот?Do you have a cat? (informal)
У вас есть де́ти?Do you have children? (polite)
Да, есть.Yes, I do.
PersonBy …
яу меня́
тыу тебя́
он, она́у него́, у неё
мыу нас
выу вас
они́у них

The thing you have keeps its dictionary form here. Saying you do not have something changes the ending; that comes later.

What time is it?

Telling the time reuses a rule you met with ages: one form after 1, another after 2 to 4, a third after 5.

RussianMeaning
Кото́рый час?What time is it?
Ско́лько вре́мени?What time is it? (also common)
Сейча́с час.It's one o'clock.
Сейча́с три часа́.It's three o'clock.
Сейча́с во́семь часо́в.It's eight o'clock.
Сейча́с три пятна́дцать.It's 3:15.

час after 1, часа́ after 2 to 4, часо́в after 5 to 12: the pattern of год, го́да, лет. With minutes, read it like a digital clock.

час1:00три часа́3:00во́семь часо́в8:00
One clock, three endings: час, часа́, часо́в.

Times of day

Four little words place anything in the day. They are fixed forms; they never change.

RussianMeaning
у́тромin the morning
днёмin the afternoon
ве́черомin the evening
но́чьюat night
у́тромmorningрабо́таюднёмafternoonрабо́таюве́черомeveningчита́юно́чьюnightдо́ма
Four parts of the day, each with something you can already say.
Week 5 on one plate. Lesson 9, Monday: мой брат, моя сестра, моё окно, мои родители; Это моя семья, this is my family. Lesson 10, Thursday: У меня есть брат, I have a brother; Который час, what time is it; Сейчас три часа, it's three o'clock; Сейчас восемь часов, it's eight o'clock.
Week 5 on one plate. This lesson is band L10.

4Listen and say 5 minutes

Sound of the lesson: ч is always soft

There is no hard ch in Russian: ч is always soft, like the ch in cheese.

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.

у меня́ есть

I have

у вас есть?

do you have? polite

кото́рый час?

what time is it?

сейча́с
час
у́тром
днём
ве́чером
но́чью

6Class exercises 15 minutes

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

In class. With Екатерина: ask each other У вас есть …? about family and things, then read clock times aloud for each other.

7Your turn 5 minutes

Write two things you have, and what time it is now.

See a model answer

У меня́ есть брат. У меня́ есть кот. Сейча́с во́семь часо́в.

Saved as you type. It goes to Екатерина together with Homework 10.

8Mini questionnaire required, 80% to pass

9Feedback 5 minutes

10Homework

Homework 10 on Friday: write what you have, and four clock times in words.

I can say what I have, and ask and tell the time.

Can you do this now?