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All
phrases intended for translating/listening practice have been
to Ep18. Let’s start with a brief conversation. Along with trying to
get the gist of what they’re saying, try to listen for words that end
with an “и” sound. Ready?
мама и папа?
пошли в магазин. (door opens) О!
Вот они. Привет мама, привет папа. Что
listen again…This time, try to translate after each line.
мама и папа?
heard the word магазин,
which is a store. In fact, we heard в
магазин…so they must be going there. After all, if
they were in the store, it’d be в магазине
(door
opens) О! Вот они.
get into this in great detail in Russian Accelerator, but вот
doesn’t actually mean “there”…
it is is a way of calling attention to someone or something.
But the word I want to focus on today is that word они.
Вот они…I’m
calling your attention to….
they.
that earlier phrase: Они
пошли в магазин… they headed off
to the store.
мама, привет папа. Что купили?
mom, hi dad. What did you buy?
asked you to keep an ear out for И sounds.
они.
does it signify? Well, that’s the topic of today’s lesson. Let’s try
bought a laptop. <—- In Russian, they say ‘notebook’ (ноутбук)
try another round…He bought corn.
bought pelmeni (little Russian raviolis).
rhyming. She bought….она купила….THEY
try a different verb. How would you say…He worked in Rome.
ask: Where did they work?
our И … И rhyme again. Где
они
one: He tried the pelmeni.
попробовала кукурузу.
ask: What did they try…or sample?
that sinks in, let’s review the core material from the last episode.
Our speakers are going to say who they were speaking with. I’d like
you to say the person’s name in its most basic form. Ready?
back to our main topic…Try to say: They read (and finished reading)
watched (and finished watching) your video.
one’s a little tougher. They wanted to buy for me a saxophone.
хотели купить мне…саксофон. / … барабан.
that again. They wanted to buy for me a drum. One more,…change drum
wait…Who buys just one drum? Who even says, “I play the drum?”
Right? “I play the drums…”
to this phrase: I love the drums.
‘ee’ sound is back. Listen again: drum…drums
(remember that from the Hoho Panda cartoon?)
how, at the very start of today’s lesson, I had you keep an ear out
we concentrated on words like они…and….купили
it was there at the end, too. The parents bought TOYS…plural…and
that word ended with an ‘И
‘ee’ sound at the end of words often—but certainly not
always—indicates more than one. In fancy grammar terms? It
indicates plurality. Think about it. THEY is more than one person,
So it has an ‘ee’ sound at the end.
a bit like saying, the ‘s’ sound at the end of English words
often—but certainly not always—indicates more than one.
this scenario. My kids are sorting through a pile of books in the
playroom. When Andrei tries to take one from Sophia’s pile, Sophia
hunches over her books and says simply: They are mine.
Andrei looks at William, who doesn’t seem to have collected any
turn. Imagine you’re divvying up a bag of potato chips. With just two
to translate what the speaker is saying…
мои…чипсы? / …пельмени? / …конфеты? /
are my chips? Where are my pelmeni–raviolis? Where are my candies?
твои…барабаны? / …джинсы? / …документы?
are your drums? Where are your jeans? Where are your documents?
you’re getting all these, you’re doing great.
tip is just four words: You. Can. Do. This. You can become
conversational in Russian. You know how I know? Because you’re still
here. You’ve made it through eighteen of these podcasts, full of some
very complex material, high speed audio clips, long Russian Immersion
sections…and you are still here. That is an awesome
display of will power on your part. And to quote Andy Dufresne, from
Shawshank Redemption: If you’ve come this far, maybe you’re
willing to come a little further.
with all you’ve put in, what’s a few more months of learning? I’ve
had students finish my Accelerator course in four months. But even if
it takes you six, that’s nothing. Six months are going to pass in any
case. And at the end, imagine being conversational in Russian. Think
of the opportunities that would give you. Think of the value of
adding that to your resume:
made it this far. I know you can do this. And I look forward
to helping you get there.
time for our Russian Immersion.
for our final exam, I’m going to prompt you to say almost all
of that conversation we just heard. I realize there are words we
don’t know. That’s ok….I’ll give those to you. Let’s do it…
me: These drums are yours? use…эти for
she says: Значит, ты умеешь играть
на барабанах?
That means, you know how to play the drums?
she adds: I didn’t know.
answers: I play not very well…
word for ‘sticks’ is палочки…of
course ending with our plural ‘и’…So
with two words, tell her:
says, as she hand them to Neal.
asks: А какую песню тебе играть?
which song for you to play?
I don’t know. How you want. meaning: Play whatever you want to.
must’ve made a weird expression, because he stops and says:
what, don’t know Led Zeppelin?
что, не знаешь Лед Зе́ппелин?
t know John Bonham.
you put those ‘a’s at the end…because John Bonham is a person…we
need our cool, animate accusative ending.
I hope you enjoyed that one. And I hope you did well. I’ll see you in