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It's Not Surprising That It's Not Simple

Being wise, being simple-minded, being obvious, and being easy have a lot in common in Russian.

Plug It, Mute It, or Hear It

The words for things that shut out sound and let you hear it are the same in Russian. Of course they are.

Alexei Navalny and the Secret List of Forbidden Words

It's hard to know where general language ends and criminal slang begins.

And Yet It's Nevertheless All the Same, After All

The joy of particles (not).

A Guide to Giving a Bribe in Russian

What you say when you bribe depends on whether you want something or they want something.

Who is Gulya and Why Do We Care About Her Nose?

The preposition "c" has some weird constructions.

Spitting, Eating Your Teeth and Other Weird Gestures

When a person eats his teeth, is that bad or good? Or even possible?

Take Your Pick: Mutiny, Coup, Uprising or Nothing

Last week's events are still a puzzle, so we looked at what participants had to say. It didn't help.

Wait — What Russian Month is This?

If you thought you knew the names of the months in Russian, think again.

What's in a Name? With Russian Holidays - Everything

This week Russia celebrated Russia Day. If you have no idea what that holiday is, join the population.

A Gathering of Witches, Dues, Herbs and Classmates

Сбор and сборы are unusual words: sometimes the singular and plural forms have unrelated meanings.

Buy a Brilliant and Applaud an Artist

Oh, those false friends... every translator's nightmare.

Why Do Russians Write Music and Paintings?

Spoiler: They don't. The verb писать is terribly misunderstood.

Tricks of the Trade

Using the right verb and the right case to express changing and exchanging is a big headache.

Under the Mighty Oak I Sit, Stupidly

Sitting on stumps, falling out of trees and stepping in rotten logs figure prominently in Russian expressions.

The Cat Cried and Ran By

Cats are popular pets In Russia but unpopular in folk expressions.

Serving and Not Serving in the Military

The confusing terminology of conscripts, reservists and draft dodgers.

Two Words, Three Letters and Ten Meanings

Oh, the joy of little Russian words.

How a Saint Becomes a Sinner

How some Russian words change meaning in and out of church.

Of Courtyards, Grifters and Days Off

All about things and people that pass by, pass through, and ought to pass off forever.

Of Ear Noodles and Maniacal Printers

How you can spend a day translating three words.

Please Don't Hit On Me, Bug Me, or Harass Me

How everyone, from gangsters to presidents, keeps people calm and in their place.

A Pocketful of Somethings

How can I say something? Let me count the ways.

A Year of the Language of War

The Russian language has been transformed in strange and contradictory ways.

The Ears Have It

За ухо: (to put something) behind your ear A couple decades ago I wrote a short column about some of the odd and entertaining Russian expressions...

Travels, Trips and Tours

Trips with goals, aimless travels, and all-inclusive tourist packages.

Starting Anew or Again or Freshly Baked

A few thoughts on new being old or next or just the same old thing over and over again.

Mark My Words: How to Remember and Forget

How to remember and how to forget are good skills to have whatever your language.

The Hopeless Quest for Language Purity

Общеупотребимые слова: commonly used words Every year or so some state organization at some level in Russia demands or proposes or...

Words of the Year 2022

The annual Words of the Year compendium is dark, bleak and brutal.

Angry? Welcome to the Zoo!

Fierce, furious and furry - that's you when you're mad.

Get Ready for Seasons Greetings

Take two little words - хлеб (bread) and соль (salt) - put them together and get something grand.

Russian Pandemonium Pop Quiz

How do you say chaos in Russian? Let me count the ways.

The New Russian Revolutionary Language

NewSpeak, new letters and a new level of crude language used by the Russian elite.

To Err is Human in Every Language

Don't err on the side of ignoring your errors in Russian.

Why is There a Dog in Your Email?

And what do you call those funny quotation marks in Russian?

Гойда! They Shouted. Say What?

A call for action that is not a cute ye olde russky way of saying "let's go."

Newspeak for the Russian New Economic Policy

Everything is fine, just fine, in the Russian economy (so they say).

Newspeak in the New Russia

What they say and what they mean are two very different things.

Good King... Who?

Why did King Charles III get a different name in Russian?

What's In a (Dog's) Name?

If you had a Russian dog or a dog in Russia, what would you name it?

Take That, You Confusing Preposition!

The preposition "на" is the super glue of Russian sentences.

Annoying Russian Questions

Russians get tired of answering "how are you?" So they get creative. And sometimes snarky.

All the World in One Russian Word

When the first step is the hardest — also evil, clever, daring, wild, turbulent, smart, artistic, and jaunty.

Warning: Do Not Say This in Russian

When language changes, we don't like it. But language doesn't care.

Chowing Down the Russian Way

Judging by the language, eating the Russian way means really digging in.

The Russian Sedentary Diet

Losing weight the Russian way involves sitting - what could be better?

The Art of Russian Mumbling, Grumbling, and Babbling

Everyone needs to know how to grumble, lisp, burble, gurgle, growl and bellyache.

Stop In, Go Behind and Lose Your Mind

How you can go around the corner, go crazy, pop in and like something with just one Russian verb.

Getting Stronger Every Day in Every Way

Here's a little something to keep your strength up in dark times.

Thinking Outside the Box the Russian Way

How to shell a nut without a nutcracker and other acts of national ingenuity.

Russian Gaffes, Goofs, and Assorted Blunders

Do Russians have a word for when you mess up, misstep, blunder or put your foot in it? Of course!

How to Fail Spectacularly in Russian

How to flop, bomb, fail, go down the tubes, go belly up and fall flat on your face. In Russian, of course.

On Wars, Ducks, Fakes and Anniversaries

Happy 20th anniversary to The Word's Worth, now in exile.

A Russian Sleeping Beauty

When the Russian media goes a bit wild after a presidential press conference, I begin investigating.

The Looming But Not Inevitable (Translation) Disaster

Talking about future possibilities and inevitabilities in Russian is a mouthful.

Getting a Bright Idea in Russian

Welcome to another chapter of "Weird Russian Words." This one will inspire you!

A Russian Fig is Not a Fig

A short, expression-filled column about a little word that packs a big punch.

How Don't I Care? Let Me Count The Ways

It turns out you can say you don't care in dozens of ways in Russian - some even in polite company.

Words of the Year 2021

The Words of the Year and Decade are not cheerful in 2021. Такой год - такие слова...

How to Add On, Try On, Pretend and Drive Everyone Crazy in Russian

There is a newish filler word going around that driving the older generation crazy.

I Love Moscow in the Winter

Some of the less-than-magical qualities of winter in Moscow.

When Pigs Fly in Russian

How to say "yes" that really means "no" in Russian. No way. Forget it. In your dreams, man.

Let's Talk Turkey

Would you rather be called a turkey in Russian or English? Not an easy decision...

The Russian Approach to Coming Closer

This week I look at two pairs of verbs of motion and get a bit overexcited.

This is How We Roll in Russian

What stocking up, throwing a fit, and rolling up your sleeves have in common.

Who Is To Blame For Everything in Russian?

Apologizing seems easy in Russian, but there are some tricky bits.

Neither Russian Fish nor Russian Fowl

When do you use ни and when do you use не? I made up some (silly sounding) rules to help you out.

Two Minuses Make a Plus in Russian

Today I focus on one of my favorite things about Russian - the double negative.

Drunk as a Skunk in Russia? Never!

Why you really must learn a new vocabulary of similes in Russian.

In Russian, Too Much is Better Than Too Little

Here are some serious and hilarious ways to take care and be on the very safe side in Russian.

When Your Heart Speaks in Russian

What's up with verbs like подсказать, подбросить, подслушать and подскочить?

The Road to Recovery in Russian

As Covid rages on but treatment improves, it's time to hone our vocabulary of getting better.

Stuck-Up, High Maintenance and Oh So Demanding

I'm stuck on being stuck-up. So many ways to be very annoying.

Of Snobs, Show-Offs, and Arrogant Jerks

Curiosity about the origins of the word "snob" sent me down a rabbit hole - or make that rat hole.

Hazard a Guess on the Meaning of Азарт

What do you do with untranslatable words? Well, you translate them as best you can.

Good and Bad Manners the Frenchified and Russian Way

Is моветон having a moment? Why yes, it is. It's on everyone's lips. So what the heck is it?

Getting Married and/or Rejected in Russian

Marriage can be confusing, but wait until you hear about Russian marital confusion!

Clean Up Your Act the Russian Way

How to wash that bum right out of your hair and other tricks of the Russian launderer's trade.

How to Survive a Russian Heat Wave

Don't drink hot coffee. Don't work (brain fog). Wear nighties to the store. And moan about the heat.

How to Interpret a President

Everyone's an interpreter! Or at least, everyone loves to criticize interpreters...

The Many Faces of Живопырка

A magical word that seems to acquire new meanings wherever it goes.

On, Near, About and Round About in Russian

Another in my series of Mastering Russian Prepositions, this one is all about being near.

Maybe I May Be But Probably I'm Not

Maybe seems like such an easy concept. Может быть I'm wrong? Or is that быть может?

No Way, No How, No Matter What

What do courts and approaches and truth have to do with no one, nothing and no?

The Nos Have It in Russian

How many ways can you say "no" in Russian? You have no idea...

Cleaning House the Russian Way

All you need are four verbs to satisfy all your cleaning, washing, polishing and murderous needs.

My Sweet Little Buggie-Wuggie

When you see someone small and cute, start piling on the sibilants.

The Monster Under the Bed

How to talk about human monsters in Russian - or how to avoid hearing about them.

Singin' in the Rain the Russian Way

Prepositions. I know, I know. They're miserable. I try to make them a little bit more palatable.

Procrastinating the Russian Way

Russians have so many delightful ways to dawdle, dilly-dally and delay, you may never work again.

Watch What You Call That Old Woman

Why are there are more names in Russian for nasty old women than for nasty old men?

Of Men, Galoshes and Horseradish

There are lots of Russian words, nice and not, to describe the older gentlemen in our lives.

All That Glitters is Russian Gold

Lots of things glitter and glimmer with sparkles of gold and silver in Russian. For example - air.

The Language of UnFreedom from the Gulag

An exhibition at the Gulag History Museum and a new dictionary reveal the other reality of the USSR.

Two Hundred More Ways to Get Russian Wrong

Lock or castle, cotton or clapping - it's all a matter of where the stress falls. Russian is very stressful.

Insurrection and Sedition in Russian Translation

Rebellions can be good or bad. Depends on who's rebelling and who or what they are rebelling against.

How to Protest, From A to Zip Tie Cuffs

The weather might be cool, but people are hot to protest. Here's how to talk about it.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Moscow 2020

A special column for a special day.

2020 Words of the Year

This is the Year That Was in words and phrases.

All in a Day's Work in Russian

Which Russian verb do you use to work badly? How do you ride into heaven? It's all in a day's work.

The Borshch Battles

Borshch - is it Russian, Ukrainian, or Polish? Will language tell us? I dive back in time to find out.

Confusing Coffee and Bountiful Behinds in Russian

Would you want to be урод? In 1254 you would have been happy to be урод. Now - not so much.

Getting the Electoral College Right in Russian

You know how you sometimes wish your language had a foreign word in it? I want выборщик.

It's Time to Take a Stand in Russian

What do стоить and стоять have in common? Not much - oh, except for one very important thing.

Everything Has a Price in Russian

Is it worth reading? How much does it cost? It's nothing. All this for the price of one word: стоить.

The With, By, From, Per, About Preposition

Getting Russian prepositions and cases right is my life's goal. Judging by "c" I've got a long way to go.

Fast as a Russian Fly

Russians not only like to go fast, they like to talk about going fast.

The Fruit of Our Language Labor

Whoever names fruit cultivars in Russia should get a lifetime achievement award.

The Giant Saber-Toothed Grasshopper and Other Endangered Species

Watch День Радио, learn Russian, and laugh your head off. Win-win-win.

Muttering and Grousing the Russian Way

Russians didn't invent griping, but they have terrific words to describe it.

Autumn Leaves Are Not Yet Falling

Take a deep dive into months, calendars, years and other joys of Russian autumn.

Deciphering Russia's August Holidays

Why do Russians panic in August? What did they do 150 years ago? Hint: involves churches and food.

Please Don't Hurt My Feelings

Is hurting someone's feelings illegal? Well, sort of. But maybe it shouldn't be. Read on...

You Gotta Have Heart

For Russians, a heart is way more than a pump in your chest.

When Not Enough is Way Too Much

You can never have too much money or shashlyk.

Getting Out the Vote the Russian Way

People were voting by rules set in the Constitution they were voting on. How's that again?

Ten Ways to Be Tired in Russian

Being tired is just so exhausting I feel like a squeezed out lemon. Really.

When Time and Place Meet in Russian

Тут is such a simple, sweet-sounding word... and if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you.

Flying Objects and Other Horrors of Russian

Russian paronyms - летучий, летящий, летательный, летающий and лётный - are horrible.

When a Russian Bum Is Not a Bum

Answering a question in my mailbag sent me down the rabbit hole of Russian abbreviations - great fun!

The Russian Dos of Don'ts

When the command нельзя means don't, and when it means something else entirely.

Shall We Zoom? I Zoom, Do You?

A very silly update on the language of our new normal in Russia.

Russian Patience is a Virtue

We start today with a pop quiz about a curious word. Tune in.

Say, Where's That Quote From?

You can take the Bible out of society, but you can't take it out of the Russian language.

Easter and Eggs, Naughty and Nice

All you need to know about celebrating Easter and how to talk - and not talk - about eggs.

Black Swans and Russian Bird Lore

A column in which I explain the difference between ворон and ворона once and for all. I think.

Cabin Fever in Russia? Never!

Feeling a bit down? Cooped up inside getting to you? Here's how to say it in Russian.

A Guide to Russian Stance Verbs

In Russian dresses sit, money lies, plates stand and shelves hang. Какой кошмар.

Telecommuting and Fist Bumps Russian Style

Pandemic vocabulary building for everyone. Just in case.

Starting the Presidency All Over Again

Russian wits had so much fun with the nullification of presidential term limits.

The Expat Russian Language Guide to Coronavirus

Are you panicked about coronavirus! Без паники! I walk you through Russian instructions.

Breathing Out and Breathing In

All about being in love, breathing, and time flying.

The Russian Blahs

Feeling off? Not great, but not awful? No problem! Russian has a word for it.

Fixing It Up the Russian Way

Today I write about a Russian word I want to import into English: ремонт.

Shame On You!

Do I feel more shame in Russian or do I just talk about it more?

50 Ways to Leave Your Government

The resignation of the Russian government produced a great crop of humor.

The Key Words of 2019

What were the words of the year for 2019? And am I Cassandra?

Terms, Prerogatives and Matters of Taste

The interesting bits from Mr. Putin's press conference.

A Russian Holiday Party Primer

A (mostly comic) guide to holiday partying: where to go, what to wear, and what to bring.

Merry Happy Holiday to You

It's beginning to look a lot like Holiday Central.

Stand on the Right, Pass on the Left

The grammatical lessons of the Moscow metro.

Is Your Language Sordid and Gross?

A heated debate about Russian language use is a great way to improve your vocabulary.

Making a Fuss in Russian

Almost false friends, half false friends, semi-false friends... they drive me a bit nuts.

Take a Mental Health Day in Russian

How to talk about talking about your problems.

Russian Newspeak 2019

From оч to хейтерство Russian is picking up new words from all over.

False Friends, Part 12

Фарт, фартить, фартовый don't mean what you think they do.

Breaking Wind the Russian Way

By popular demand, scatological reflections.

How Low Can You Go in Russian?

Start September with a pop quiz and learn how to let go, let down, put down, and dip in.

On Russian Time

This may be my most boring column ever: the impossible grammar of time.

Ranting the Russian Way

Shooting sparks, pulling down thunder and lightning: Ranting as an art form.

If I Were Queen of Translation Reviews

Every once in a while I need to get something off my chest.

Those Nosy Russians

Some thoughts on acrobatic noses.

Russian Men in Black

The way things are going, I thought a primer in protest-talk might come in handy.

One Russian Blueberry or Two?

One of the cursed questions of Russian life: what's the difference between черника and голубика?

He Said, She Said Russian-Style

For hedging your bets, Russian is divine.

The Connotation Conundrum

The words are right but the connotation is totally wrong. A translator's lament.

On Your Russian Feet

What do you call those things you stand on? Oh, so many options in Russian.

Hit the Road, Jack, and Don't Come Back

Here's a verb pair that lets you hit the road in more ways than one.

Russian Sense and Sensibility

The earth-shaking discovery of a new Russian conjunction got me thinking about sense in every sense of the word.

Happy Russia Day

On this day celebrating Russia, I decided to look into the origins of the name. Big mistake.

Russian Magical Thinking

If someone is сказочный, is he magical, unbelievable, outrageous or all three? Read on.

Getting Your Snark On in Russian

Mastering a little word with a serious punch.

If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em

If братство is a group of united men, what do you call a group of united women?

Becoming Oblomov

My greatest aspiration is to master Oblomov's ability to laze about guilt-free. Here are some linguistic pointers.

Take a Vacation, Russian Style

The May holidays are beginning, so you ought to be able to talk about taking a break, right?

Happily Suffering While Worrying and Ignoring Insults

Sometimes the simplest verbs in Russian can give you a headache.

Don't Call Me That!

A cranky cab driver led me to write a cranky column about what not to call your fare — me.

The Nerd's Guide to Russian Prepositions In and On

Russian language learners complain about prepositions. I heard you.

Let's Talk About Ukraine

I watched hours of Russian talk shows about Ukraine so you don't have to.

Meet the Pupkins!

Russian can be fun, if it involves a verb (писать), a family (Пупкины) and lots of prefixes.

A Russian Boyfriend

What do you call the guy bringing you flowers and serenading you? In Russian it's tricky.

Russian Boys Just Want to Have Fun

I finally figured out why Russian words for young men are so confusing. We think of age differently.

Stand By Your Russian What?

What you call your male Significant Other in Russian is a linguistic mine-field.

Pulling Strings for Fun and Profit

Oh the tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive. In Russian, too.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

By popular demand — and knowing Moscow weather — here's a short primer on how to chill in Russian.

The Secret of Russian Mysteries

I love a good Russian language question. Keep those cards and letters coming, folks!

Ode to a Preposition

I started thinking about the preposition при and stopped thinking about it three days later. Here's why.

No Brexit For Russia

Rumors of a new Russian verb flew around the interwebs -- but are the rumors true?

Catastrophes, Geopolitical and Otherwise

What did Vladimir Putin mean about that geopolitical catastrophe? It's still being argued over 14 years later.

Happy New Year From Your Leader

What will you be doing at 11:55 p.m. on Dec. 31 in Russia? Listening to the presidential address, of course!

Russian Words of the Dreary Year

Want to know what words and expressions a panel of linguists chose as Russian words of the year? Pour a stiff one before reading.

How To Dress Your Russian Holiday Tree

A Russian primer on holiday tree decoration from an expert. No, really.

The Year of Living Toxically

What's a toxic relationship? A toxic crowd? A toxic person? Who knows? But it sounds bad.

Eat Your Grammar Spinach

A simple query led to grammatical confusion -- among experts! If grammarians are confused, what's a poor foreigner to do?

Russian Wisdom and Wiseguys

In Russian being wise is good and being a wiseguy is bad. The hard part is figuring out which is which.

How Sweet It Is in Russian

On Moscow baristas, polite cliches, and the mysteries of ancient Russian taste buds. Happy Friday.

How Good is a Russian Not Bad?

Why oh why can't Russians just say "good"? Why do they say "very even not bad"?

What's the Story, Morning Glory?

When a story is history, and when it's, like, you know, a thing.

Extreme Russian Grammar

The spelling of fried - жареНый or жареННый - depends on when you add ingredients. Really, Russian?

Russian Autumn Fun

Что такое осень? (What's autumn?) A song by DDT? Well yes, but much more.

Of Meat and Men

To understand Russian politics, sometimes you need a culinary education. I'm on it.

Seventeen Moments, Seventeen Thousand Jokes

In all the spy talk this week, you'll be hearing about the greatest spy of all: Stierlitz.

What Do They Say About Moscow?

In honor of Moscow's birthday bash, I look at Moscow's image in words over the last 871 years, give or take a decade.

Russian Chickens Get a Bad Rap

Why do you only count rubles in the fall? I have no idea, but there are chickens involved.

Russian Horseradish With a Real Kick

A root, a sauce and an all-purpose euphemism. Хрен is a great little word.

Falling For Cheburashka

Prices fall, kids do belly-flops, tired workers plunk themselves down on the couch. What did Cheburashka do?

What’s in a Russian Word? Just About Everything

You know you're in trouble with a Russian word that means everything from a piece of equipment to mentality.

Blowing Your Top the Russian Way

Feeling a little testy? Experiencing some rage? Losing it? Great. Here are some ways to say that in Russian.

Let's Play in Russian

"So how about those Mets?" sounds different in Russian.