Back to the Grindstone

Oh, what a wonderful break we had! It was, needless to say, much needed.  I got straight A's again.  The kids needed to decompress.  Even the Big Guy had a break from his work.  We had some of our best friends in town from Michigan and they stayed with us for a couple of days and the kids' grandmother stayed on Christmas Eve.  I had grand plans to work hard preparing for next semester (mine, not the kids') but I haven't done much besides read a bit of Microbiology.  There's still a week, right?


I've spent the morning making a worksheet for the kids for Russian.

урок номер один

упражнения -- Practice

Instructions—This is common Russian dialogue.  Cover up the English translation and do your best to understand the Russian text.  Then reverse the process and try to make good Russian of the English.  This will help your progress! Copy the dialogue in your notebook.

Practice the dialogue with each other, as each line is meant to be read by a different person. 

Что это?                                                                                                          
What is this?

Это карандаш.                                                                                              
This is a pencil.

А это?                                                                                                             
And this?

Это книга.                                                                                                      
This is a book.

Это комната, а это стол.                                                      
  This is a room but this is a table.

Это письмо, а вот слово.                                                      
This is a letter whereas this is a word

Это письмо?                                                                                                 
  This is a letter?

Нет, это слово.                                                                                              
No, this is a word.

Это книга?                                                                                                     
Is this a book?

Нет, это стол.                                                                                                 
No, this is a table.

Это дама?                                                                                                      
Is this a lady? 

Нет, это Вера.                                                                                               
  No, this is Vera.

Кто это?                                                                                                         
Who is this?

 (can also mean “Who is it?” or “Who is there?”)

Это дама.                                                                                                       
This is a (or the) lady.

Эта дама?                                                                                                     
  Is it this lady?

Нет, та.                                                                                                          
  No, it’s that one.

Кто там?
Who it there?

Иван.                                                                                                             

Ivan.

Где Иван?                                                                                                       
Where is Ivan?

Там Иван.                                                                                                      
Ivan is there.

 (Or “There’s Ivan.”)

Иван тут?                                                                                                       
Is Ivan here?

Нет, он там.                                                                                                    
No, he’s (over) there.

Где Иван и Вера?                                                                             
Where are Ivan and Vera?

Иван тут, и Вера там.                                                                      
  Ivan’s here and Vera’s (over) there.
Где тот карандаш?                                                                                       
Where is that pencil?

Этот карандаш?                                                                                           
  This pencil?

Нет, тот.                                                                                                         
No, that one.

Вот он.                                                                                                           
 Here it is.

Вот он где, карадаш!                                                                                     
 So that’s where it is!

In addition we're going to listen to Spoonful of Russian today; I have all of her podcasts on my iPhone for the kids to listen to while we're out.