Russian, from zero to B1A1

Week 12, Lesson 23, Monday

Tell the story of your week

This month gave you three ways to talk about life: what you did, what you order, and how your days run. Today they become one story.

In this lessonabout 70 minutes
New words12
Focusthe past tense in a story, ordering, routine, trips

1Recap 5 minutes

Three questions from Week 11, before anything new.

2Goal 1 minute

I can tell the story of my week for two minutes, in the past and the present, and ask the same back.

3The lesson 20 minutes

In this lesson

  1. A model story
  2. The month's top mistakes

A model story

A two-minute story has four parts. Fill each with two sentences, then turn it into a conversation with one question back.

ЯВчера́Я был в …В кафе́Я бу́ду …Мой деньЯ встаю́ в …Куда́?Я е́зжу на …
Four branches, two sentences each: the past, ordering, your routine, your trips.
RussianMeaning
В суббо́ту я был в кино́.On Saturday I was at the cinema.
Пото́м я у́жинал в кафе́ в це́нтре.Then I had dinner in a café in the centre.
Обы́чно я встаю́ в семь часо́в.I usually get up at seven.
Ка́ждый день я е́зжу на рабо́ту на метро́.Every day I go to work by metro.
Ве́чером я иду́ домо́й пешко́м.In the evening I walk home.
А вы? Что вы де́лали в выходны́е?And you? What did you do at the weekend?

Swap in your own week. Every line uses this month's grammar: the past tense, ordering, your routine and your trips.

у́тромmorningза́втракалднёмafternoonрабо́талве́черомeveningбыл в кино́но́чьюnightбыл до́ма
A whole day in the past, from breakfast to night.

The month's top mistakes

These five mistakes were the most common this month. Each breaks a single rule you already know.

Not thisBut this
Я хочу́ ры́ба.Я хочу́ ры́бу.
Я иду́ на авто́бусе.Я е́ду на авто́бусе.
Я никогда́ за́втракаю.Я никогда́ не за́втракаю.
Я иду́ до́ма.Я иду́ домо́й.
в сре́дав сре́ду

Each breaks one rule: the -у ending, е́хать for transport, не with никогда́, the where-to form, and -у after в.

хочу́ ры́бахочу́ ры́буиду́ на авто́бусее́ду на авто́бусеникогда́ емникогда́ не емиду́ до́маиду́ домо́йв сре́дав сре́ду
Crossed out: the mistake. In green: the fix.
Week 12 on one plate. Lesson 23, Monday, the story of your week: В субботу я был в кино, on Saturday I was at the cinema; Я буду рыбу и сок, I'll have fish and juice; Каждый день я езжу на работу, every day I go to work; Я никогда не завтракаю, I never have breakfast. Lesson 24, Thursday, the Month 3 test: 20 questions, 14 to pass (66%), 6 topics.
Week 12 on one plate. This lesson is band L23.

4Listen and say 5 minutes

Sound of the lesson: Small words glue to the next one

Prepositions have no stress of their own: say в кино́ and на метро́ as one word each. в before a voiceless sound turns into f.

  • в кино́ [f ki-NO]
  • на метро́ [na-mi-TRO]

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.

В суббо́ту я был в кино́.

On Saturday I was at the cinema.

Пото́м я у́жинал в кафе́ в це́нтре.

Then I had dinner in a café in the centre.

пото́м
ка́ждый день

every day

Обы́чно я встаю́ в семь часо́в.

I usually get up at seven.

Ка́ждый день я е́зжу на рабо́ту на метро́.

Every day I go to work by metro.

Ве́чером я иду́ домо́й пешко́м.

In the evening I walk home.

А вы? Что вы де́лали в выходны́е?

And you? What did you do at the weekend?

Что вы де́лали в выходны́е?

What did you do at the weekend?

Как вы е́хали домо́й?

How did you get home?

А пото́м …

And then …

Бы́ло здо́рово!

It was great!

6Class exercises 15 minutes

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

In class. With Екатерина: tell the story of your last week in two minutes; she asks three questions, you ask two back.

Role-play

Take one card each. Swap roles for a second round.

You

  • Tell your last weekend in four sentences.
  • Describe a normal weekday, with two times.
  • Ask Екатерина about her weekend.

Екатерина

  • Ask where you were and what you ate.
  • Ask how you get to work, and how often you go out in the evening.

7Your turn 5 minutes

Write the first four sentences of the story of your week.

See a model answer

В суббо́ту я был в кино́. Пото́м я у́жинал в кафе́. В воскресе́нье я был до́ма. В понеде́льник я е́здил на рабо́ту на метро́.

Saved as you type. It goes to Екатерина together with Homework 23.

8Mini questionnaire required, 80% to pass

9Feedback 5 minutes

10Check your goal 1 minute

I can tell the story of my week for two minutes, in the past and the present, and ask the same back.

Can you do this now? Be honest: the answer decides your next step.

11Homework

Homework 23 on Tuesday: write the story of your week, and three questions for Екатерина.

I can tell the story of my week for two minutes, in the past and the present, and ask the same back.

Can you do this now?