Posted on August 22nd, 2012
I know, I know, I’ve been slacking off this summer and haven’t published many articles or videos… But I promise to get back on track pretty quickly! Unfortunately, I don’t even have a good excuse… I guess I’ve been too busy enjoying beautiful Californian summer! But hey, good old rest is also important, right? 
Well, since we are talking about summer, I would like to share some interesting summer words with you to help you to tell me about your summer in Russian! If you don’t know yet, here is what Russians like to do in summer.
When I was in school, every year on the first day of classes we had to write an essay about our summer. Since it’s almost the end of summer and nearly back to school time, let me start with a little essay about my summer to get us started with the new vocabulary.
Как я люблю лето! Писать о лете очень легко и приятно: всегда только приятные воспоминания. Итак, вот моё небольшое сочинение.
Отпуск этим летом я не брала, и поэтому, выходила на работу каждый день, кроме выходных. Мне очень повезло, так как я живу рядом с океаном, и поэтому ехать далеко не надо, чтобы пойти на пляж и позагорать. Так что, в выходные я часто бывала на пляже, каталась на велосипеде, играла в бадминтон, и проводила интересно время с друзьями.
Этим летом мой хороший друг научил меня играть в теннис. Конечно, мне нужно ещё много практиковаться, чтобы выиграть Уимблдон, но зато я освоила азы игры, и, надеюсь, что скоро выиграю у своего друга!
И самое главное, этим лето я отвела душу: ела как можно больше овощей, фруктов и ягод, и, конечно, мороженного!
As you’ve already noticed, I’ve used some interesting slang and spoken Russian words in my little essay. Here they are:
Выходить на работу [vi-ha-DEET’ na ra-BO-too] go to work
Мне очень повезло [mnye O-chyen’ pa-veez-LO] I was very lucky
Ехать далеко не надо [YE-hat’ da-lee-KO nee NA-da] no need to go far
Позагорать [pa-za-ga-RAT’] bask in the sun, get a tan (Perfective aspect)
Бывать [bi-VAT’] be (sometimes)
Освоить азы [as-VO-eet’ a-ZI] learn the basics
Выиграть (у кого-то) [VI-eeg-rat’] beat (someone at something)
Отвести душу [at-vyes-TEE DOO-shoo] satisfy your heart’s desire
As you can see, so far I’ve had a very low key and fun summer.. What about you? Now it’s your turn to tell me about your summer!
Below are a few interesting summer words in Russian to get you started:
Отдых – Rest
Лето [LYE-ta] summer
Летний [LYET-neey] summery
Отдых [OT-dih] rest
Отдыхать [at-di-HAT’] rest
Пляж [PLYASH] beach
Курорт [koo-RORT] resort
Море [MO-rye] sea
Океан [a-kee-AN] ocean
Озеро [O-zee-ra] lake
Река [ree-KA] river
Бассейн [ba-SYEIN] swimming pool
Песок [pee-SOK] sand
Загорать [za-ga-RAT’] bask in the sun
Солнцезащитный крем [saln-tse-za-SHEET-niy KRYEM] sunscreen
Загар [za-GAR] tan
Купaться [koo-PAT’-sya] swim
Плавать [PLA-vat’] swim
As you may already know, one of the most favorite hobbies of the millions of Russians is dacha! This is where they like to spend their summers, growing fruit and vegetables and having friends over for a freshly cooked homemade meal or a delicious barbecue. Here is some dacha vocabulary:
Дача – Dacha
Дача [DA-cha] dacha
Сад [SAT] garden
Огород [a-ga-ROT] vegetable garden
Садить [sa-DEET’] plant
Поливать [pa-lee-VAT’] water
Ухаживать [oo-HA-zhee-vat’] look after
Овощи [O-va-shee] vegetables
Фрукты [FROOK-ti] fruit
Ягоды [YA-ga-di] berries
Цветы [tsvee-TI] flowers
Выращивать [vi-RA-shee-vat’] grow
Погода Летом – Summer Weather
Солнце [SON-tsye] sun
Жаркий [ZHAR-keey] hot
Тёплый [TYOP-liy] warm
Влажный [VLAZH-niy] wet
Прохладный [prah-LAD-niy] cool
Летние Развлечения – Fun Summer Activities
These are some of my favorite summer activities:
Кататься на велосипеде [ka-TAT’-sya na vye-la-see-PYE-dye] bike
Кататься на лодке [ka-TAT’-sya na LOT-kye] sail a boat
Играть в теннис [eeg-RAT’ f TE-nees] play tennis
Бадминтон [bad-meen-TON] badminton
What are your favorite summer activities?
Одежда – Clothes
Купальник [koo-PAL’-neek] bikini
Плавки [PLAF-kee] swimming trunks
Сандалии [san-DA-lee] sandals
Босоножки [ba-sa-NOSH-kee] sandals, mules
Вьетнамки [vyet-NAM-kee] flip-flops
Кепка [KYEP-ka] baseball cap
Шляпа [SHLYA-pa] hat
I hope you found this vocabulary selection helpful. If I missed a word or an expression you’d like to learn, let me know, and I’ll be happy to share it with you.
Can’t wait to hear your stories!
Have fun learning Russian!
Viktoria.
Related Posts:
- Video: Most Common Russian Greetings
- Learning Russian through Fairy Tales
- Russian Grammar Lesson: Russian Names
- Russian Christmas Video Lesson: Traditions and History
- Cases of the Russian Nouns & The Nominative Case
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The courses of Russian as a foreign language with Russian4real take place online via Skype. The teacher works with adults individually since he is convinced that each person must receive maximum time for practice and professional attention while learning a foreign language.