Англорусский разговорник для иностранца в России : EnglishRussian Olympic phrase book

Серия
«Разговорники XXI века»

РостовнаДону
«ФЕНИКС»
2014

EnglishRussian
OLYMPIC
phrase book

М. Погорелова

АНГЛОРУССКИЙ РАЗГОВОРНИК
ДЛЯ ИНОСТРАНЦА В РОССИИ

Англорусский разговорник для иностранца в
России : EnglishRussian Olympic phrase bookМ. Погорелова. — Ростов н/Д : Феникс, 2014. — 125,
[1] с. : ил. — (Разговорники XXI века).

© Погорелова М., 2014
© Оформление: ООО «Феникс», 2014

Погорелова М.

Contents

1. General information  about Russia
and its culture ....................................................................................5
2. Russian etiquette or
How to behave in Russia so nobody guesses
you’re a foreigner..........................................................................11
3. Russian language,  alphabet and reading rules..............14
4. Basic Phrases ...................................................................................20
Forms of etiquette .................................................................20
Saying Thanks in Russian................................................23
Apologies ...................................................................................23
Saying Goodbye in Russian ............................................24
Comprehension ......................................................................24
Making the acquaintance..................................................27
The family ..................................................................................29
Description ...............................................................................31
Numbers and Clock Time ..................................................33
Cardinal Numbers .........................................................33
Ordinal numbers ............................................................35
Clock & time .....................................................................36
Duration .............................................................................39
Days......................................................................................40
Months ................................................................................41
Colours .......................................................................................42
Signs ............................................................................................42

Arrival. At the customs ...............................................................45
At the hotel .......................................................................................46
Checking out ....................................................................49
 Asking for directions .................................................................50
Money & Currency Exchange..................................................54
City Transport.................................................................................58
Taxi ........................................................................................58
Bus, trolleybus, & tram ................................................59
Food & Eating out .........................................................................61
At the restaurant ............................................................61
Drinks ..................................................................................65
Traditional Russian dishes .......................................67
Shopping...........................................................................................68
Driving................................................................................................72
Visiting a doctor ............................................................................73
Emergency ........................................................................................76

5. Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics ...................................................79
Olympic winter sports .................................................................... 102
Basic Phrases at the Olympic Games .................................... 104
Mascots ................................................................................................. 107

6. Sochi.................................................................................................. 108
Lexic to use in the city of Sochi ................................................. 122
Urban Public Transport Routes in Sochi ............................. 123

If you know something about Russian culture it will
make your visit to this wonderful Eastern European
country much more enjoyable! The following reference
is a quick guide for travelers.

Russia: Facts and Figures

Russia is the world’s biggest country with its territory
that occupies the east of Europe and the north of Asia,
i.e. 11.46% of the Earth’s land area. Russia is washed by
the waters of three oceans (the Arctic, the Atlantic and
the Pacific oceans) and twelve seas. The country has a
great number of rivers and about 2 million lakes, among
which are the Caspian Sea, the biggest lake in the world,
and Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake.
Neighboring 18 countries (Poland, Finland,
Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Abkhazia, South
Ossetia, Norway, Estonia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,
China, Mongolia, North Korea, Japan, Latvia and the

1
General information
about Russia
and its culture

U.S.) and having the world’s longest land border of
about 60,000 km Russia has a population of 150,000,000
people.
 The Russian Federation consists of 83 federal
subjects, and 2 cities of federal importance — Moscow,
the capital of Russia with a population of more than 11
million inhabitants, and St.Petersburg, the second
largest city in Russia also called “the cultural capital“
and its population is of about 5 million people. There
are 10 more cities in Russia with a population more than
a million inhabitants — RostovonDon, Novosibirsk,
Nizhny Novgorod, Omsk, Yekaterinburg, Kazan,
Chelyabinsk, Samara, Ufa and Volgograd.

Some historical points

Russian history begins with Kievan Rus, which
existed as the first unified, Slavic Christian state and
was a great center of politics and education. After Kievan
Rus fell as a result of Mongol invasion, the Grand
Princedom of Moscow gained might and power in the
region and became the centre of the neighbouring
principalities. Peter the Great established the Russian
Empire and moved the capital city to St. Petersburg. He
always wanted to make Russia a westwardfacing
country. After the Bolshevik Revolution in the early 20th
century, the Russian monarchy disintegrated and 70
years of Communist rule followed. Towards the end of

the last century, Russia became a democracy and
continues to develop politically and economically as a
great world power. Many aspects of Russian history are
important to Russian culture because they have made
Russia what it is today. The culture and architecture of
St. Petersburg is uniquely “European” due to the efforts
of Peter the Great. Just as any country is shaped by its
past, so has Russia been molded by the great events
during its history.

People in Russia

Though people who live in Russia are called
“Russians,” there are a lot of various ethnic groups in
there. Russian is the official language but over hundred
languages are spoken by its people. The majority of
Russians worship the Eastern Orthodox (Christian)
religion, but Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism are also take
place in Russia.

The Main Cities

Moscow is Russia’s capital city. But St. Petersburg
once held that title and now considered as a “second or
cultural capital.” In Moscow there are many important
symbols of Russian culture and history, such as the
Kremlin, The Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the
Tretyakov Gallery, and more.

Each city in Russia is unique and represents its own
culture. For example, RostovonDon has a strong
Cossack heritage and is the capital of the South Federal
Disrict. Siberian cities reflect the realities of living in
the far east of Russia with its  cold winters and ethnic
communities. Cities that stays along important trade
routes, like the Volga, preserve elements of ancient and
almost fairy Russia.

Russian Language

Russian language uses the Cyrillic alphabet that
consists of 33 letters. These letters are derived from an
old Slavic alphabet developed when Cyril and
Methodius spread Christianity to the southern Slavic
people in the 9th century. If you’re traveling in Russia,
it would be better to know which letters in the Cyrillic
alphabet are analogous to Latin letters. This makes
reading signs and maps easier, even if you don’t speak
the language.

Traditions of Russian Family Life

The families in Russia don’t differ greatly from
families around the world. Both the mother and father
usually work, and children go to school to prepare them
for entering university. The babushka or Russian
grandmother, plays the role of elder and wise woman,

guardian of memories and traditions, and baker of
favorite foods.
Russian families sometimes keep a dacha, or
summer cottage, where they escape for the weekends
or the summer holidays and where they tend vegetable
gardens and fruit trees and spend time in the silence of
nature.

Holidays

Russian celebrates many Western holidays, such as
Christmas (but the date differs), New Year’s and Easter,
but there are other holidays, like Victory Day and
International Women’s Day that take on special
emphasis in Russia. Some Russian holidays also
recognize uniquely Russian achievements; for example,
Cosmonaut Day celebrates Russia’s achievements in
space exploration.

Russian Traditions

Russian culture is mostly traditiondriven. Traditions
govern everything from how many flowers to give a
woman to how to drink a bottle of alcohol. Learning about
Russian traditions will enrich your experience in Russia
because you’ll be able to navigate social situations more
comfortable.

Russian Crafts and Souvenirs

Russian handcrafted souvenirs make wonderful gifts
and home decorations. The most popular Russian craft
is the matryoshka doll, or painted nesting doll. Finely
decorated lacquer boxes also make wonderful
souvenirs. Regional and national styles (like
Khokhloma and Palekh) of folk craft, as well as materials
(birch bark) typify handicrafts. These can be purchased
at souvenir shops. Some of them are of heirloom quality
and bring enjoyment to many generations.

Russian Literature

Russia has one of the greatest literary cultures. Most
people are familiar with Tolstoy, who wrote the
formidable War and Peace and Dostoevsky, who wrote
another famous book, Crime and Punishment. Theater
goers still laugh at Chekhov’s plays, and poetry
enthusiasts adore the verses of Pushkin. Russians take
their literature very seriously, and many of them can
easily recite passages from famous works at the drop of
a hat. Learn a little about a few Russian writers and poets
to really impress your Russian friends. Then, while
travelling, visit the former houses of Russian authors;
many of them are preserved as museums.

How do Russians interact with each other on the
streets and in their everyday life? Do you need to tip
when you’re in a Russian restaurant? How do lineups
work? When traveling to Russia, it’s good to keep in mind
how the country is similar to — and different from –
countries all over the world. Check out this guide to
help you stick out less as a tourist!

2

Russian etiquette or
How to behave in Russia
so nobody guesses
you’re a foreigner

Smiling

The most popular problem for western people in
Russia is the smiling stereotype. When you first time
visit Russia you may think that all the people in this
country are very depressed. The reason you might think
like that is because they do not smile at strangers – on
the streets, in the metro, in the store or anywhere else.
However, this does not mean Russians are unhappy.
The reason they don’t smile at each other on the
streets is because smiling is generally considered to be
something to be shared with a good friend. Smiling at a
stranger is considered to be an “Americanism” and is
assumed to be insincere. Even Russian waiters and store
clerks will usually not smile at you. Don’t be afraid and
don’t walk around grinning at everybody, either.

Public Transport Etiquette

Don’t smile at strangers while using the public
transport. In fact, Russian people tend to avoid eye
contact with other people in the streets in general.
Reading a book or listening to music is perfectly
appropriate. Do not give money to every beggar that
you see (there are a lot of them). Watch your bag very
closely – there are many pickpockets and your phone
and wallet are prime targets. In general, observe what
everyone else is doing and do the same.

Public Transport Seat Rules

You should offer your seat to: elderly women,
pregnant women, women in general (if you are male).
Children are expected to be able to stand.

Tipping

Tipping is a rather new concept in Russia, but it is
slowly becoming expected. A 10% tip is appropriate and
anything higher is nice but not expected at any kind of
restaurant. It is usually not necessary to tip during a
“business lunch”.

Women

Russian men are very chivalrous. If you are a woman
and you travel to Russia, expect men to offer you their
seat on the public transport, open doors for you, offer
you a hand to help you step down from the bus, and
carry anything that is not your handbag for you. If you
are out with Russian men, they will almost always pay
for you, even if you are not in any way romantically
involved. If you are a male traveling to Russia, note that
this kind of chivalry is expected of you as well.