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cks · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 144

How long it take for you guys to be able to communicate at an intermediate level? I have a private teacher here in Georgia who I go to 5 days a week and get lots of practice with the locals; but I still suck! I am losing hope and need some motivation. I have been studying for about 8 months, but I will be here for another year. If I keep studying dilligently can I get myself to a functioning level in the next 6 months?

JN · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 214

I was just trying to think about how much Russia I learned. I was in Russia for 4 months with a university program (so with other English speakers, but I tried to get contact with Russian speakers), then I volunteered to teach English for 8 months, but didn't take Russian lessons (that was stupid-should have had lessons), and I also went to a summer Russian language school in the States. I wouldn't say I speak at an intermediate level, but I can make myself understood and I can communicate with my friends, if there are no deep conversations.
That's my story, if that helps encourage you any. Keep working on it!

Are you reading and writing Russian for practice? If not, maybe that will help. I have told my English students to read everything they can get their hands on. I assume you are in groups somewhere where you can hear a lot of Russian, but if not do that, too.

cks · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 144

Thanks! I have been quite lazy practicing the writing part, but still have a lesson almost every day of the week and plenty of speaking practice. My brain is quite attached to the latin alphabet and my reading is very slow. I hope it gets easier. Have you managed to maintain your Russian in the States. It would be difficult unless you live in NYC.

JN · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 214

I am actually in Germany now, but when I was in the States I didn't keep up as much on my Russian. I didn't have a lot of contact with Russians. I did, and still do, write a few letters, but not many. Occasionally, I read my Russian Bible. I don't think as much in Russian, though. I have definitely lost some of what I learned.
I would be interested in exchanging Russian lessons for English lessons, but am not quite sure how to do that or when I would do that. I am contemplating a move to Moscow, though.
I wonder if writing in Russian would make your brain work faster in reading Russian? Good luck, anyway.

kazachka · Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 220 Location: Moscow and Alaska

My level is near native but I cheated-none of my Russian friends spoke much English save for the ones I met when I was here in high school in 1990as we were at a specialized school in Krasnodar. After about 3 semesters of college Russian (go Beloit College in Wisconsin), I was well into intermediate and had the skills I needed to have to live and function on my own here. After 4 semesters at Beloit and my junior yr in Krasnodar, I could flip on the TV or radio and get 90-95 % of what was going on. I visited friends each summer for about a month in krasnodar(just on my own) while I was in college. This also helped. I listened to Russian rock/metal and went to concerts-this also helped! By the time grad school rolled around I had already been doing simultaneous interpreting back in Alaska. I was a high school Russian bilingual teacher so, my Russian thankfully was never out of practice. My other half does not speak English so we speak Russian at home. The other day I struggled to remember the ENGLISH word for cloves, so I guess I think in Russian too! Once you get your Russian up the key is to keep using it. Language is like training in sport. If you quit for any extended amout of time you lose fitness -same thing w/ language. Getting the mechanics and grammar base in the classroom is good, but try to apply Russian to real life. Go to a concert, film,go out w/ Russian friends etc. You may make mistakes, but you will only get better as time goes on.

deepteeth · Joined: 12 Jan 2011 Posts: 23 Location: Russia

I agree that immersion (music, text, friends, etc) is the best way, but it's very difficult with younger people. I'm young myself, and most of my friends have been studying English for nearly a decade. When we meet, they want to practice their English, and I want to practice my Russian... but since my Russian is very low, the conversations always end up in English. Searching now for an older person I can pay to force me to speak Russian!

Splenda · Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 19

cks · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 144

Thanks for the responses! Sorry I am late. And to Splenda-yeah, most people over 30 can speak Russian-it is how I communicate-in addition to the few words that I know in Georgian. I personally haven't met a Georgian who can't speak Russian, and most of the youngsters are fluent as well. Actually many Georgians will immediately address you in Russian out of habit and the fact that it is there "linga franca". Did I spell that phrase correctly? I am so sleepy at the moment?