Are We Meeting Next Week?

Yeah....the title says it all.  I recall talking about it and saying "no," but I can never trust my memory....

Synopsis of last Sunday/Homework for next class (which will be....?)

Привет! (Hello!)

First off, I created an up-to-date vocab list (that is, to the best of my memory.  If anyone has other words written down somewhere that I said "memorize," let me know!).  The link to the file is under the sub-heading Files/Documents.  I'll try to keep this list updated, so the link you click should always be the updated file.  We'll see.  :P

Also, we covered A LOT of ground last class, so for those who didn't make it, here's the Cliff's Notes version of class (did I just date myself?  Hmm....sorry Leah!! :P):

• We did a good deal of translating from song 355, and a few of our new words are listed in the spreadsheet above.
• We finished the last two declensions (sounds tough, but really, they're not.  The adjective endings are super simple to memorize, and they're the same endings for both the a-declension and the ь-declension.)
• New paradigm adjectives/nouns for the last two declensions:
• святая вера
• великая милость
• Try declining them to see what you get!  
• Memorization is key, folks.  Just knowing how the endings work and even simply memorizing won't be enough for on-the-fly translating (which is what you'll be doing in church, in conversation, etc.).  Learn the endings WELL, and know what each case's function/use WELL.  :)

Finally, the homework: Go through song 516, Придите ко Мне, and try to find all the nouns and adjectives you can.  Basically, translate the words, determine the case, number, and gender of the nouns and corresponding adjectives (if any), and as always, pick a couple to decline fully.  :)

Good stuff going on, guys, good stuff.  Keep on keepin' on!  

~И.И.Н.

Homework Help

Don't forget about the homework!

Here are some tips:

• There will be, no doubt, some words  you won't understand.  Fret not; knowing the adjectival endings should be enough to find them.
• Recall: nominative endings for adjectives: -ой/ый, -ое (and -ая for the declensions we haven't covered.  :] )
• Once you've located an adjective, try to find the noun it is describing (the patterns are on that awesome handout).
• Since we're aiming eventually to translate stuff, try to translate the stuff you find.  :)

See you at Matt and Nat's at 4pm!

~ИИН

Update: NO CLASS NEXT SUNDAY (DEC. 8)

As my wonderful wife informed me, we will be in Kerman for my pro-babunya Kobzeff's pominki (something I should've known already...my  memory cannot be trusted!).

Continue to work on the homework mentioned in the last post, and we'll see you all NEXT Sunday (unless we have something planned then, too.  lol.)

~И.И.Н

Дома́шняя Работа за сле́дующего воскресения (Dec. 8)

So we haven't met up in awhile, and I fear my skills and yours are a bit rusty.

For homework, I want you all to look at song 355 (Пусть все новый).  Specifically, based on the endings we've learned so far (and, if you're motivated, using the others from the Declensions handout I gave you all), try to find any adjectives and the nouns they are describing.  Then, as extra practice, fully decline two of the pairs you find.  If you need help, don't forget all the tools available on the blog.  For mobile users, just click on the link at the bottom of the page that enables the desktop version of the blog.

We've learned quite a bit already, so it's time to bring it all together and use it to translate.  :)

If you have questions, don't forget to post them in the comment box.  I don't mind all of you working together on this via the blog!  :)

See you Sunday!
~Jonathon

New Link: Declension Generator

This awesome website (link is located under "Helpful Websites" on the right) allows you to search for a Russian word, and it will immediately decline it for you on the bottom.

Some technicalities:
The website's in Russian, so you'll need to know a few Russian words (not vocab words for class, unless you want them to be.  :P)

-поиск=search (type your word in the box above this, then click this word or hit Enter)

-Падеж: Case (the cases)

• И.=Именительный   (Nominative)
• Р.=Родительный   (Genitive)
• Р(2).=Родительный (2)
•  We won't worry about this for now.  Hope it piques your interest though!  :)
• Д.=Дательный   (Dative)
• В.=Винительный   (Accusative)
• неод.=неодушевлённое   (inanimate)
• одуш.=одушевлённое   (animate)
• Т.=Творительный   (Instrumental)
• П.=Предложный   (Prepositional)
• П(2).= Предложный (2)
• We'll talk about this one when we get to talking about this case at length.

If you wanted to read dictionary definitions to each word (in Russian!  Awesome.), click on ТСО for shorter definitions and БТС for lengthier ones.

С Днем Благодарения! (Have a great Thanksgiving!)
~ИИН.
  

Updates to Blog (Including Email notifications! :D)

Hello, all!

I've made a few changes to the nuts 'n' bolts of the blog.

First off, now, every time I post, y'all should receive an email notification (something everyone's been asking about).

Also, I changed the permissions on who can post comments.  If that was an issue for anyone before, it shouldn't be now.

Of course, with all of these changes made to better facilitate use of the blog, it would be awesome to see some activity here (besides my posts...lol).  I understand that time is scarce and precious, and we all have busy lives, but I just wanted to remind y'all that this is a space we can all use to communicate about the class (and whatever else), such as asking questions, blowing off some steam about the crazy Russian teacher (I'll gladly join in), etc.

Let's getting our blogging on!

~Иванофон (лол)
_______________________________________________
Update: You will also receive emails after people comment, so you'll never miss a beat.  :)

Also, the link for the website should show up at the bottom of the email, appearing like so:

Posted By Jonathon Nazaroff to Блог Русского Языка at [date & time].

Sweetness.

Test for Email Notifications of new Posts

Testing, 1...2...3......

New link: Anki

Hello, everyone!

I placed a new link in the "Helpful Websites" section for the Anki flashcard website Mish has described several times in class.  I'll be trying it out as well, so I'll get back to you about it!

Also, no class this Sunday (tomorrow); I'll be pretty busy with other things (school, for one).  What do you guys all think about having class next Sunday?  Personally, I'm down, but I don't know about you all.  Let me know your thoughts!  :)

TTYL,
~Иван Иванич

Agenda, Week 4

Привет, студенти и друзья мои!

Here's what's on the menu for today's lecture:

• Review/Refresher
• Flash Cards practice
• Group Work
• Adjective endings for the #- and o-Declensions
• More on Accusative Case
• Accusative pronouns

Скоро увидимся!  :)

~И.И.Н

Класс нету на следующие воскресенье

Hello, everyone!

I sent a text out to remind everyone that class is canceled for this Sunday.

In the meantime, I would advise making flash cards of the following:

• The Cases (Nominative, Genitive, etc.)
• One one side of the card, write the name of the case, 
• and on the other side, write what the case represents grammatically and what it roughly translates to (e.g., Dative represents the indirect object, and it translates usually to "to/for [noun]").
• Underneath that, create four rows or columns (you decide), title each according to Declension type, and write down the suffix ending for the case you know (e.g., one of your four columns/rows is the -# declension; you will then write what ending exists for whatever case you have on the other side.)
• The Subject Pronouns (e.g., я, ты, и.т.п (etc. in Russian :P)
• Verb conjugations
• I would recommend the following approach to these flash cards:
  On one side, write the person and number (e.g., 1st Person Singular [Я]), and on the other side the possible endings (e.g., у/ю)

It sounds like a lot after listing it all out, but look how much we've covered in only 3 class meetings!  Any questions on what we've gone over thus far?

As I mentioned in the text, when we meet up next, you'll have something new to put in your "Cases" flashcards as well: the -a declension.

До встречи! (Until our next meeting!)

~И.И.Н

New Vocab!

Here are a couple new vocabulary words.  Please practice declining them.  :)

• окно' (n.): window
• Творец' (m.): Creator
• сер'дце (n.): heart
• гол'ос (n.): voice
• Аг'нец (m.): Lamb (refers to Lamb of God, namely, Christ.  From Latin Agnus, as in Agnus Dei).

Note: (m.)= masculine, (n.)=neuter; when pronouncing these nouns, place stress on the bolded syllables. 

We'll discuss these more next class.  :)

Домашняя Работа 1 (Homework):

Look through either the Песенник or the Bible and locate 5 examples of Nominative Pronouns (or, if you can, one example of each pronoun).

Also, if you're feeling zealous, try to locate the verb that's conjugated to match the pronoun you choose (if any).  :)

See you in class next Sunday! :)

~Иван Иванич Назаров