Learn Russian Pronunciation Podcast Ep. 18

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Alright, this is episode 18 of Learn Russian Pronunciation. Today we’re going to expand on what we did in the last episode by including people’s names into the mix. Let’s start with the name Igor. Listen to it in Russian:

Игорь

There’s a soft-sign at the end. For comparison, here’s how it would sound without that.

Игор

But again, properly, it’s: Игорь. Try to say: Igor was in the theater.

Игорь был в театре.

Now listen as the speaker says: Igor lives in Brooklyn.

Игорь живёт в Бруклине.

That’s our official phrase for today, and we’ll be using it a lot, as we practice new names and places.

So, the speaker will same a name and a city. Repeat each one, and then say that that person lives in that city. For ex:

Тарас / Мельбурн

Тарас живёт в Мельбурне.

Careful with the soft-sign in there, after the letter Л. And did you add the ‘yeh’ sound at the end? Listen again…

Тарас живёт в Мельбурне.

Again, the reasoning for why we have to add the ‘yeh’ sound…that is beyond the scope of these lessons. But I cover it in great detail in all my other courses. I hope you advance to one of them after this pronunciation course. Anyway, next…

Анастасия / Дубай

Анастасия живёт в Дубае.

Next: Борис / Иерусалим

Борис живёт в Иерусалиме.

Out of curiosity, can you guess which place this is?

Квебек

In English, we call it: Quebec. Anyway…

Татьяна / Квебек

Татьяна живёт в Квебеке.

Next:

Олег / Амстердам

Олег живёт в Амстердаме.

Doing a little review: How would you say: I’m going to the park.

Я иду в парк.

That was from episode #16. иду is the ‘on foot’ version of “going”. Now try to say:

I’m traveling to Quebec.

Я еду в Квебек.

еду is the “by vehicle” form of going. Listen as the speaker says: Igor is traveling to Minsk.

Игорь едет в Минск.

Say: I’m traveling. Taras is traveling.

Я еду. Тарас едет.

New name, new city. Listen?

Сергей / Мюнхен

So try to say: Sergei is traveling to Munich.

Сергей едет в Мюнхен.

Now say: Sergei lives in Munich.

Сергей живёт в Мюнхене.

Next: Екатерина / Сидней

Try to say: Ekaterina is traveling to Sydney.

Екатерина едет в Сидней.

Next…

Вероника / Севастополь

So try to say: Veronika lives in Sevastopol.

Вероника живёт в Севастополе.

What country do you think this is?

Китай

China. And here’s a new name for you: Артём

So try to say: Artyom is traveling to China.

Артём едет в Китай.

Next: Дарья / Цюрих

Daria lives in Zurich.

Дарья живёт в Цюрихе.

Say: I’m traveling to Zurich.

Я еду в Цюрих.

Mixing in some locations from the previous lesson, try to say:

Sasha lives in Paris.

Саша живёт в Париже.

Roger is traveling to Madrid.

Роджер едет в Мадрид.

My wife was in St. Petersburg.

Моя жена была в Санкт-Петербурге.

Vova is traveling to Kiev.

Вова едет в Киев.

I really like Chicago. What’s the super literal translation for that?

To me very pleasing Chicago.

Мне очень нравится Чикаго.

Try that again. I really like Amsterdam.

Мне очень нравится Амстердам.

That’s a lot to absorb, so be sure to head over to the site, russianpronunciation.com to read the transcript and practice with all these names. And in the meantime, I’ll see you in Ep 19.