Job Discussion Forums

[Jazziz23]

When a foreigner moves to Russia, Moscow specifically, how much of the language should they know?

I'm just starting to learn it now. So basically zero fluency.

And how important is learning how to read/write? Are most street signs, stores, metro stations etc mainly in Russian or is there any English.

I'm concentrating on speaking first.

It would be good to hear your personal experiences too of adapting when you first moved, what language problems you had and how fast you picked up the language there.

Thanks.

[Sashadroogie]

The short answer is 'as much as possible'. But even if you have zero knowledge, you can still get by OK. It's tough, but manageable. But to make life easier, it is better to throw your lot in with a McSchool until you find your feet - and language is a large part of foot-finding.

Learn the alphabet as fast as possible though. Most street signs are not in English, so navigating will depend on understanding Cyrillic letters. Actually, using the metro is an excellent way to sharpen your reading skills. It's not hard to learn as you might think. Most people pick it up in a few months from just reading the metro signs and restaurant menus.

Good luck

[ancient_dweller]

i while before i arrived i bought 'beginners russian script' - just type it into amazon. It was extremely useful.

i visited russia a few years before i knew russian and i don't remember encountering any problems.

when i came to russia to work my level was much higher and where it comes in useful is in your lessons. if you understand/speak russian, in my experience students respect you a lot more.

it's not difficult to learn the alphabet - it will definitely save you time on the metro.

[stacyrey]

When I did summer camp I didn't speak any Russian (still don't quite!) I did fine on my days off in Moscow, but I did have to pantomime a bit. I agree, though, that no matter what, learn the alphabet!

[ancient_dweller]

also knowing the alphabet is not all you need, for example, on the metro, there are very few signs. So, you have no way of knowing what station you are at, even if you can read the map. You have to be able to listen to is being said. Admittedly, that doesn't happen overnight.

[Sashadroogie]

Plenty of signs, but they are just located in the most obscure places. No real regard for the flow of passengers, either in placement of signage, or indeed in the design of connecting transfer passages with bottlenecks everywhere.

Another typical problem, however, when travelling on the metro is the sheer level of noise. The 'passive air-con' drowns out the tannoy when it announces the station. (The trains sound like Stuka dive-bombers!)And, even when the train is briefly at rest at a platform, the name of the next station always seems to announced on the tannoy at the exact moment the doors slam - again making it hard to hear. Also, when coming into a platform, it is hard to see the name of the station when you are in the carriage, as the people standing on the platform obscure it.

However, with practice all this can be overcome. Two easy solutions are:

1. Count the stops. Surprisingly easy to do, yet newbies get into a fluster and don't do it.

2. Listen to the gender of the tannoy voice. If it is male, then that means you are going into the centre. Female means going out from the centre. ( The gender usually switches in the middle station of the line, but not always the exact middle station.) Male for clockwise on the Brown line, female for anti-clockwise. Knowing this can help you figure out where you are headed, at least roughly.


Transfers between different platforms can be a challenge, and it is here that some knowledge of Cyrillic will be of help. There are signs in the centre of the platform, but are hard to read, even for Russians it seems. But if all else fails, scan the sign and look for a little coloured box with a number. This refers to the train line. For example a red square with 1 refers to the Sokolnicheskaya Line (Соко́льническая ли́ния). Follow the arrow and you should be able to complete the transfer. Actually, the number in the box is a more reliable guide as the colours seem to blend in the artificial light - purple with red, two shades of blue etc.

In any case, getting lost on the metro is a rite of passage for newbies - even for Russian ones.

[ancient_dweller]

that gender thing is clever! never noticed that before.

there are no manners in the metro game too. You just have to get on while people are getting off, and then barge the people trying to get off while you get on. Also, never relinquish your position. If you move people stand where you were standing, as oppose to going passed you as you might imagine someone with manners to do. Here, let me open this door for you... oh, ok, i opened the door for you and now you want to stand in the doorway... great. there is only one manner, that is stand up (if you managed to get a seat) for old people (and occasionally fat people, because they have a habit if leaning in to you and breathing heavily).

[Sashadroogie]

...and the kids! Don't forget about the poor little mites that need a whole seat for themselves and couldn't possibly sit on mummy's lap....

[ancient_dweller]

tru' dat mo-fo, kids have to get a seat...

[Sashadroogie]

Re the metro gender, apparently the way to remember which voice goes where is as follows: Male voice calls you to the centre, as your male boss does - female calls you home from the centre to the outskirts as your wife does. The circle line is: clockwise - male, and , well, logical. Anticlockwise - female!

No PC culture here, but at least you'll never forget now!!!!

[Eamonn]

Never knew about that gender thing in the metro! I loved the metro (in St Pete really). Great way of improving the reading alright. Counting the stops and have your metro map was my saving grace.
My Russian was/is real basic, but even the basics helped with things that could be a nightmare otherwise. Got on grand once I avoided the Police, got stopped for papers on my last day after 3 months. All 4 of them hoped out of a police car to chat with me when I was rushing to the bus station, must have been the backpack that gave me away.
They insisted my visa was incorrect, I insisted it was grand, and then they just left, all of them piling back into the car again. Bizarre!

[Sashadroogie]

Yip. It is indeed clever.

Surprisingly good info on wiki too:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Metro