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Book lessons with experienced Russian teachers. Master the Cyrillic alphabet, grammar, and spoken Russian with a qualified instructor at your pace.

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CULTURE SPOTLIGHT

Explore the Russian-Speaking World

Russian stretches across the world's largest landmass, connecting a rich tapestry of cultures, histories, and landscapes spanning 11 time zones.

RU
Russia
Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Chekhov — a literary tradition that shaped world literature
Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and The Nutcracker — the pinnacle of classical ballet
Sputnik, Yuri Gagarin, and the space program — Russia led humanity to the stars
Fun fact: Russia spans 11 time zones — the most of any country on Earth. When it's noon in Moscow, it's already midnight in the Far East!
BY
Belarus
Russian and Belarusian are both official languages, making it a vibrant bilingual nation
Mir and Nesvizh Castles — two stunning UNESCO-listed medieval fortresses
The Białowieża Forest — one of Europe's last and largest primeval forests, home to wild bison
Fun fact: Belarus is one of only three countries in the world that still uses the name "Soviet" — the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus was formerly "The State Bank of the Byelorussian SSR."
KZ
Kazakhstan
Astana — a futuristic capital city that rose from the steppe in just a few decades
A proud nomadic heritage — Kazakh culture celebrates horsemanship, eagles, and the steppe
Baikonur Cosmodrome — the world's first and largest space launch facility, still active today
Fun fact: Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country — and the 9th largest country overall!
KG
Kyrgyzstan
The Tian Shan mountains cover 80% of the country — a paradise for trekkers and climbers
The ancient Silk Road passed through Kyrgyzstan, leaving a rich multicultural legacy
Russian is co-official alongside Kyrgyz — widely used in business and education
Fun fact: Kyrgyzstan's national epic, the Manas, is one of the world's longest epic poems — nearly 20 times longer than Homer's Odyssey!
UZ
Uzbekistan
Samarkand and Bukhara — ancient Silk Road cities with some of the world's most stunning Islamic architecture
Plov (pilaf) — the national dish of Uzbekistan, a fragrant rice dish cooked in massive kazan pots
Russian remains widely spoken in business, education, and daily life alongside Uzbek
Fun fact: Samarkand is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia — it has been a major crossroads of civilization for over 2,700 years!
BY THE NUMBERS

Why Learn Russian?

Russian is the language of great literature, space exploration, and a vast interconnected world.

150M+
Native Russian Speakers Worldwide
18+
Countries Where Russian is Widely Spoken
#8
Most Spoken Native Language on Earth
258M+
Total Speakers Including Second-Language Learners
HOW WE HELP

Your Path to Russian Fluency

Choose your learning style — with a bud, through our free resources, or with a professional instructor who fits your level and schedule.

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Partner with a native Russian speaker who wants to learn your language. Practice together, stay accountable, and build a genuine connection — completely free.

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Russian resources
Russian Resources

Explore our library of lessons, grammar guides, Cyrillic alphabet charts, pronunciation tips, and cultural content. Everything you need to build a strong Russian foundation.

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Russian instructor
Russian Instructors

Ready to accelerate? Work with a professional Russian instructor for personalized lessons from Cyrillic basics all the way to advanced fluency.

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QUICK TIPS

Russian Pronunciation & Grammar Tips

Tackle the most common questions that trip up Russian beginners — answered simply and clearly.

How hard is the Cyrillic alphabet to learn?
Easier than you think! Cyrillic has 33 letters, and many look or sound like Latin ones. With focused practice, most learners can read Cyrillic within a week or two. Learning the alphabet first is the single best investment you can make.
А=A, Е=YE, К=K, М=M, О=O, Т=T
What is vowel reduction and why does it matter?
In Russian, unstressed vowels are pronounced differently than stressed ones. Most notably, an unstressed "о" sounds like "а." This is why Russian can sound so different from how it's written until you learn where the stress falls.
молоко (milk) → "muh-luh-KO"
What does the soft sign (ь) do?
The soft sign (ь) doesn't have its own sound — it "softens" the consonant before it, making it palatalized (pronounced with the tongue pressed toward the hard palate). It can also change the meaning of words entirely.
брат (brother) vs. брать (to take)
Does Russian have articles like "the" or "a"?
No — Russian has no articles at all! There is no equivalent of "the" or "a/an." Context and word order carry that meaning instead, which is one less thing to worry about as a learner.
книга = "a book" or "the book"
What are Russian verb aspects?
Russian verbs come in pairs: imperfective (ongoing/repeated actions) and perfective (completed actions). Most Russian verbs have both forms, and choosing the right one is key to sounding natural. It takes time but becomes intuitive!
читать (to read) vs. прочитать (to finish reading)
How many cases does Russian have?
Russian has six grammatical cases — Nominative, Accusative, Genitive, Dative, Instrumental, and Prepositional. Cases change the endings of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives based on their role in the sentence. They look daunting at first, but patterns emerge quickly!
стол → стола → столу → столом

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