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    Learn Russian with Rosetta Stone

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    Russian is spoken by over 250 million people worldwide and is the most widely spoken language in Eurasia. It’s a language of culture, literature, business, and travel. Learning Russian opens doors to exploring Russian history, reading classic literature, and connecting with people across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

    Whether you’re learning for career purposes, education, or personal interest, you can start building real communication skills right away. You don’t have to be perfect — you just have to begin. With the right tools, progress comes faster than you think.

    Why learn Russian?

    Russian is one of the six official languages of the United Nations and serves as a bridge for international business, diplomacy, and cultural exchange. Learning it gives you access to classic literature, music, films, news, and local culture.

    Whether you’re travelling, working, or connecting with Russian-speaking communities, Russian gives you the tools to communicate with confidence and understanding.

    Top reasons to learn Russian

    • Speak with millions: Russian is spoken by over 250 million people worldwide.
    • Travel smarter: Navigate Russia and Eastern Europe with confidence, from cities and restaurants to public transport.
    • Grow your career: Russian language skills are valued in international business, technology, and diplomacy.
    • Access culture: Enjoy Russian literature, films, theatre, and news in their original form.
    • Learn for life: Mastering Russian enhances memory, analytical skills, and communication ability.

    Russian language basics

    Where is Russian spoken?

    Russian is an official language in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, and is widely spoken in many other countries that were part of the former Soviet Union. It is used in business, media, education, and daily communication.

    How long does it take to learn Russian?

    It depends on your goals, but daily practice makes a big difference. Even short sessions (10–15 minutes a day) can lead to steady improvement. With consistent study, you can start understanding and speaking basic Russian in a few weeks.

    A traveler speaking Russian with a local vendor at an outdoor market in Saint Petersburg.

    Russian proficiency: from beginner to advanced

    Beginner

    Focus on pronunciation and essential grammar:

    • Learn greetings and practical phrases: Здравствуйте (Zdrávstvuyte – Hello), Спасибо (Spasíbo – Thank you)

    • Introduce yourself and ask simple questions

    • Learn essential verbs like быть (byt' – to be), иметь (imétʹ – to have), хотеть (xotétʹ – to want)

    Intermediate

    Build on the basics:

    • Use present, past, and future tenses

    • Understand directions, menus, and everyday situations

    • Hold short conversations and write simple messages

    Advanced

    Approach fluency by refining skills:

    • Use complex grammar and sentence structures

    • Express emotions, opinions, and abstract ideas

    • Read Russian literature, follow news, and watch films

    Core Russian skills

    Pronunciation tips

    Russian pronunciation has some unique features:

    • Vowel reduction:

    Unstressed vowels often sound different, e.g., о in молоко (molokó – milk) sounds like a in the first and second syllables.

    molokó
    • Consonant distinctions:

    Russian distinguishes hard and soft consonants. For example, лук (luk – onion) has a hard “л,” while люк (lyuk – hatch) has a soft “л.” The softness is created by a following soft vowel (е, ё, и, ю, я) or the soft sign (ь), and learning to hear and pronounce this distinction is essential for clear communication.

    luklyuk
    • Stress matters:

    Word stress can change the meaning of a word entirely. For example: замок (zámok – castle) has stress on the first syllable, whereas замок (zamók – lock) has stress on the second syllable.

    zámokzamók
    • Practice listening and repeating:

    Regularly listening to native speakers — via media, songs, or audio lessons — helps you internalize pronunciation and rhythm.

    Two travelers in Red Square, Moscow, ask a local for directions in Russian.

    Vocabulary and origins

    Russian vocabulary comes from Old Church Slavonic, French, German, and English. Learning roots helps you recognise patterns:

    • вода (vodá) – water
    • солнце (sólnce) – sun
    • школа (shkola) – school

    Useful phrases

    Begin with everyday expressions like:

    • Здравствуйте (Zdrávstvuyte) – Hello / GreetingsZdrávstvuyte
    • Как дела? (Kak delá?) – How are you?Kak delá?
    • Спасибо (Spasíbo) – Thank youSpasíbo
    • Пожалуйста (Pozhalúysta) – Please / You’re welcomePozhalúysta
    • Вы можете мне помочь? (Vy mózhete mnye pomóch?) – Can you help me?Vy mózhete mnye pomóch?

    Russian verbs

    Verbs change according to tense, aspect, and person. For example:

    • Я иду (Ya idú ) – I go
    • Он шёл (On shyól ) – He went
    • Мы будем делать (My budem delat’ ) – We will do

    Regular practice helps these patterns become natural.

    Nouns and cases

    Russian nouns have gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and change form depending on case (subject, object, etc.). For example:

    • стол (stol) – table
    • книга (kniga) – book
    • в доме (v dome) – in the house

    Best ways to learn Russian

    • Online: Study anytime with Rosetta Stone on desktop or mobile. Sign up now!
    • Private tutoring: 1-on-1 support to refine speaking and comprehension. The best source for Russian tutors is Wyzant.
    • Language exchange: Practice with native speakers.
    • Immersion: Travel to Russia or Russian-speaking regions to use the language in real-life contexts.

    Media and tools to support learning

    • Books: Start with children’s books or adapted short stories in Russian.
    • Music & podcasts: Listen to Russian songs or learner-friendly podcasts.
    • TV & films: Watch with Russian subtitles to improve comprehension and vocabulary.

    Learn Russian with Rosetta Stone

    Rosetta Stone’s program makes learning Russian approachable and effective:

    Real-world speaking practice

    Voice recognition helps refine pronunciation.

    Clear grammar support

    Learn cases, verb aspects, and sentence structure step by step.

    Smart review

    Spaced repetition reinforces vocabulary and patterns.

    Cultural insights

    Explore Russian culture, history, and everyday life alongside the language.

    A Russian family gathered around a dinner table at home, sharing pelmeni and tea from a samovar.

    Take the first step

    Rosetta Stone offers a free first lesson so you can start immediately. Whether you’re learning Russian for work, school, travel, or personal enrichment, Rosetta Stone will guide you every step of the way.

    Get started

    What’s included with your subscription

    Achieve fluency faster with Rosetta Stone’s expert-designed Dynamic Immersion courses.

    Perfect your accent with TruAccent speech recognition technology and sound like a native speaker.

    Access to Rosetta Stone on web or mobile—learn anytime, anywhere!

    What our customers are saying

    Customer photo for review of Rosetta Stone.

    I absolutely love the approach that Rosetta Stone utilizes. It feels like a natural and fun way to learn a new language. I also appreciate that I’m able to squeeze lessons in when I only have 10 minutes… and it’s a more productive and enjoyable activity than getting sucked into online scrolling just to distract myself. Why not learn a new language instead?

    - Turner
    Customer photo for review of Rosetta Stone.

    I have been using Rosetta Stone for over 30 years. By far, this is the best application for language learning. There are no language crutches, only immersion. You learn in a natural way and move forward quickly. Apps with games are fun, but you learn more slowly, and you are always “translating,” not immersing. Rosetta Stone makes language learning interesting and efficient.

    - Graham