How to Say Russian in Russian

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Know the basic term.

   The all-purpose way to say "Russian" without worrying about exact conjugation is "ROOS-skee" (Russian spelling: Ру́сский).
   
   This will always be understood by Russian speakers, even when it is technically the incorrect conjugation.
   
   It is the most common conjugation, and also the one that is used in the phrase "Russian language" ("ROOS-skee ye-ZYK/Ру́сский язы́к")
2. 2

   Step 2: Pronounce it correctly: The emphasis in the word should be put on the first syllable.

   The first syllable sounds like the "ew" in "threw".
   
   The second syllable sounds like the word "ski".
   
   To get the accent right, you want to roll the "r" at the beginning of the word.
   
   For best results. listen to native speakers pronouncing "Русский"
   
   Every single form of the word "русский" will always start with "русск/roossk"
   
   and it will always have an accent on the first syllable. , "ROOS-skee" (Русский) is the masculine form of the word.
   
   We add the
   -ee (ий) ending to the root "roossk".
   
   This is the correct form to use when referring to men, place names that end in a consonant (e.g.
   
   Novgorod, Volgograd, Omsk), or masculine nouns.
   
   If you aren't sure what gender something is in Russian, it is safest to use the masculine form.
   
   The feminine form of the word is "ROOS-skah-yah" (Русская).
   
   We add the
   -ahyah (ая) ending to the root.
   
   This is the correct form to use when referring to women, place names that end in either an "ah" or "yah" (e.g.
   
   Volga, Kamchatka, Estonia), sound or feminine nouns.The neuter form of the word is "ROOS-skoh-ye" (Русское).
   
   We add the
   -ohye (ое) ending to the root.
   
   This is the correct form to use when referring to neuter nouns or place names that end in "o" or "e" (e.g.
   
   Beloozero).The plural form of the word is "ROOS-skee-ye" (Русские).
   
   We add the
   -eeye (ие) ending to the root.
   
   Plural form is always used for groups of things, regardless of their gender., It is grammatically incorrect to say "I speak roosskee".
   
   In English, you can say "I speak/understand Russian" and "I speak/understand the Russian language" interchangeably.
   
   In Russian, however, the way you refer to a language is slightly more complex than just saying the adjectival form. , The most common way to say "I speak Russian" in Russian is to say "yah go-var-YOO pa-ROOS-skee" (я говорю по-русски).
   
   Literally this means "I speak in a Russian manner".
   
   You can also use this to say "I understand" (yah pa-nee-MAH-you pa-ROOS-skee/я понимаю по-русски) or "I don't speak/understand" (yah nye pah-nee-MAH-you/go-var-YOO pa-ROOS-skee/я не говорю/понимаю по-русски).
   
   Alternatively, you can say that you understand Russian by explicitly saying that you understand Russian language: yah pa-nee-MAH-yoo ROOS-skee ye-ZYK (я понимаю русский язык).
   
   It is also valid to say that you "speak in the Russian language" yah go-var-YOO na ROOS-skom ye-ZYK-ye (я говорю на русском языке).
   
   Note that you cannot say that you "speak Russian language" or that you "understand in the Russian language".
3. 3

   Step 3: Know how to conjugate adjectives in Russian: As a Russian-language adjective

4. 4

   Step 4: the word "Русский" is actually the root "русск-" ("roossk") with an attached suffix depending on its exact conjugation.

5. 5

   Step 5: Consider gender: Russian changes the conjugation of words partly based on their gender: masculine

6. 6

   Step 6: feminine

7. 7

   Step 7: neuter or plural.

8. 8

   Step 8: Adjust the wording if you're talking about the Russian language.

9. 9

   Step 9: Use the phrase for "In a Russian manner".

Detailed Guide

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