Why your Russian is still being filtered through English

You know what you want to say. You probably know quite a few of the Russian words you need, too. Yet somewhere between having the thought and opening your mouth, everything slows down.

First, you build the sentence in English. Then you work out how to translate it. Meanwhile, the person you’re talking to is waiting, and you’re becoming increasingly aware of the silence.

Знакомо?

A few months ago, I hosted a live webinar called “How to think like a Russian speaker”. No, I did not indoctrinate people into supporting the Kremlin 😭

We talked about that familiar experience of having to pass your thoughts through English before you can get the Russian out. If you’re preparing for your year abroad, you might be wondering how you’ll manage this when conversations are happening all around you.

Let’s start with a little experiment.

What happens when we translate word for word?

When you’re speaking Russian, it’s tempting to start with an English sentence and swap the words over. To see how that can feel for the listener, let’s turn things around.

Read this deliberately literal version of Russian in English. How much can you understand?

Be healthy! How affairs? I hope that by you is all well.

I teach myself at university to Russian.

According to Wednesdays I usually occupy myself with two views of a sport, with basketball and football.

On the days because we have summer holidays, instead of this, I now prepare myself towards the year behind borders and I fear myself a little bit but I so wait.

Of all good,
Matvei

You can probably follow quite a lot of it. You’re also having to do some mental push-ups to get there.

Here’s the intended meaning in natural English:

Hi there! How are you? I hope you’re doing well.

I study Russian at university.

On Wednesdays, I usually play basketball and football.

Now that it’s the summer holidays, I’m preparing for my year abroad instead. I’m a little nervous, though I’m really looking forward to it.

All the best,
Matt

Quite a difference, isn’t there?

The first version exaggerates the effect, though you can see the problem. Knowing a word’s possible translation doesn’t automatically tell you how to use it in a sentence.

You don’t need perfect Russian to have a good conversation

Russian has its own ways of putting thoughts together. If we keep the English structure and replace each word, the listener may need to do some extra work to understand us.

That’s no reason to stop speaking. You’re allowed to make mistakes, and a conversation can go well even when your grammar is a little adventurous.

You can, however, make speaking feel less laborious by getting familiar with how Russian speakers express the thoughts you want to communicate.

That’s what I mean by “de-anglicising” your Russian: gradually relying less on English to build every sentence. There’s no need to ban English from your learning. The aim is to have more Russian available when you need it, without translating every piece separately.

Five areas to pay attention to

In the workshop, I broke this down into five areas. You can use these to guide what you notice and practise.

1. Vocabulary you’ll actually use

Start with words that help you talk about your own life and handle situations you expect to encounter abroad.

If you’re about to move into shared accommodation, being able to ask where you can put your things has an immediate use. Learn the words within a phrase you could actually say to a flatmate.

You’ll still encounter unfamiliar vocabulary. Having useful phrases ready gives you somewhere to start.

2. English phrasal verbs

Expressions like “put off” need a little care. If you mean postponing something, translating “put” and “off” separately won’t get you there.

Think about the whole meaning first. “I’ve put off the meeting” could become «Я отложил встречу». You’re expressing the postponement directly.

When an English phrase refuses to translate neatly, ask yourself: what am I actually trying to say here?

3. Idioms

You can express “until the cows come home” as “for a very long time” without involving any actual cows.

The same approach helps with other idioms. Work out the thought underneath the expression, then find a way to communicate it with the Russian you have.

You don’t need an equally colourful Russian idiom every time. A straightforward sentence can do the job perfectly well.

4. Russian constructions

With «мне нравится», get used to the Russian pattern rather than rebuilding “I like…” each time.

For example, «Мне нравится этот город» gives you a complete sentence you can adapt. You can replace «этот город» with «этот фильм» while keeping the familiar structure.

Learning phrases this way gives you practice with how the words fit together. Over time, you have more starting points for your own sentences.

5. Instinctive reactions

Little expressions like «ух ты!» and «ё-моё!» give you ways to react without pausing to translate “wow” or “oh dear”.

Pay attention to the situations in which people use them and how they sound. These particular expressions are informal, so the relationship you have with the person you’re speaking to is part of the context too.

You don’t need a long sentence for every contribution to a conversation. Sometimes a short reaction is exactly what you want.

Give the language a situation to live in

That might sound like a lot to keep track of. Start with one encounter.

After your next interaction with a stranger, note down a couple of phrases you used in English. Perhaps you asked for directions or bought something at a corner shop.

Then work out how you would express those thoughts in Russian. You could run them by a native speaker or teacher (👋), explaining the situation so they know what you’re trying to communicate.

Try using one phrase in a short imaginary conversation without looking at your notes. Come back to it another day and try again. Once it feels more familiar, change something about the exchange. What would you say if the other person asked you a question in return?

It may take repeated practice before the phrase comes readily, especially when you’re speaking on the spot. Give yourself time to become familiar with it.

Preparing for conversations on your year abroad

This is one reason the year abroad offers so much opportunity. You encounter familiar language in situations where you have a reason to use it.

Of course, putting yourself into those situations can feel daunting when you’re still working out how to get your thoughts into Russian.

I remember that feeling. You can have attended your university classes and put plenty of work in, then find an everyday conversation unexpectedly difficult.

You’re allowed to find it difficult. You can also begin preparing before you get on the plane.

That’s the practice we make space for in Steppe with Confidence. We work through situations you’re likely to face abroad, using realistic Russian and guided conversation practice.

You get opportunities to try out the language, including when the conversation takes an unexpected turn, with support while you work through it. The aim is to help you feel more ready to join in and use the Russian you’ve been learning.

If you’re preparing for your year abroad and would like that support, find out more about Steppe with Confidence. You can explore the programme and decide whether it would be a good fit for you.

До связи!

Matt 😊