Learning Russian - It's not that tough

Before I get to ways you can ease your Russian learning blues, I must first start with the big question: Why should I put in the time and effort associated with learning a new language, especially one that is supposedly as difficult as Russian? There are as many possible answers to this as there are language learners, but for starters, here are a few general ideas for you to mull over.

Language learning increases cognitive ability by awakening areas of the brain that may otherwise be lying dormant. It gives you a window to other cultures by allowing you into the minds of people from other parts of this little globe we call home. This newly found worldview will, one hundred percent of the time, provide you with a fresh perspective on your own immediate surroundings. On a more practical note, it really helps to be able to buy a beer or ask for directions when you go abroad.

Then why learn Russian? Well, Russian is spoken not just by the inhabitants of the Russian Federation, but by a vast swathe of the world across Eastern Europe and throughout Central Asia. With Russian, you can communicate your way from Estonia to China.

Winston Churchill is often quoted as saying that Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside and enigma. The best way to break through the wall of smoke that seems to envelope all things associated with Russia is to learn the language. This is not the daunting task it may appear upon first inspection. How so? Well, the first major hang-up that people have is the Cyrillic alphabet. At first glance it can seem as though an insane spider has crawled over the page. If you look a little closer, however, many of the letters are the same as our alphabet. The rest are either of Greek origin or were invented by the founding fathers of the script, the monks Cyrill and Methodius.

How long does it take to learn the alphabet? About one week and you will be flying. Yes, that's all. And by that I do not mean twenty-four-hour-a-day intensive study. All you need do is take a few words that you already know in Russian and work on those. What's that he said? Words I already know in Russian! Yes, you have, without doubt, come across a host of Russian words without even taking stock. Here are some examples:

Водка - Any guesses? - It's Vodka. The cyrillic letters correspond exactly to those of the English word, with the exception of the first letter В, which is the Russian for V, and the third letter Д, which is the Russian for D.

Волга - Volga. Here again we have the Russian V at the start, followed by our letter O. The next two are new, but also correspond to the English word. They are L (л) and G (г), with our letter A at the end to give you Volga.

Волгоград - Volgograd. Here we have all the letters used above plus the Russian for R (р).

Once you get to grips with the new alphabet, the rest is just like learning any new language. Start off with a few basic conversational phrases to peak your interest, then work your way through a good teach yourself book like any of those listed above.

Good luck and happy adventures in Russian.