Russian · TORFL Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 15
Очень приятноPleased to meet you
The final chapter: everything together. Say hello, introduce yourself, give your age ("Мне … лет"), count and make plurals, point at a thing ("Что это?") and ask the location ("Где …?") — in one conversation. Social formulas: "Очень приятно", "До встречи", "Рад познакомиться". The ты/вы choice returns. New words: ещё, вместе, все, понимать, по-русски, душа, до встречи, рад, любовь, друзья. Culture: the soul and sincerity. Reading: smooth pronunciation of greetings and goodbyes.
Dialogue
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Ты или вы?— ты or вы?
- Мария ИвановнаЗдравствуйте,Майк.ЯМарияИвановна.Оченьприятно.Hello, Mike. I'm Maria Ivanovna. Pleased to meet you.
- MikeПривет!Тыоткуда?Hi! Where are you from? (slip: with a teacher use formal «вы» + name and patronymic — say «Вы откуда, Мария Ивановна?»)
- Мария ИвановнаСомной—«вы»:«Выоткуда?».ИзовитеменяМарияИвановна.With me — "вы": "Вы откуда?". And call me Maria Ivanovna.
- MikeИзвините.Выоткуда,МарияИвановна?Sorry. Where are you from, Maria Ivanovna?
Dialogue
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До встречи— See You
- IvanМайк,тыхорошоговоришьпо-русски!Всёпонимаешь?Mike, you speak Russian well! Do you understand everything?
- MikeДа,теперьпонимаю.Язнаючисла,вещи,места.Yes, now I understand. I know the numbers, the things, the places.
- IvanВсеговорятвместе.Мыдрузья—слюбовьюкрусскому!Everyone speaks together. We are friends — with love for Russian!
- MikeСпасибо,Иван.Рад!Довстречи!Thank you, Ivan. Glad to! See you!
Vocabulary
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- ещё
adverbagain, more, still
- вместе
adverbtogether
- все
pronouneveryone, all
- понимать
verbto understand
- по-русски
adverbin Russian
- душа
nounsoul (f)
- довстречи
phr.see you
- рад
adjectiveglad
- любовь
nounlove (f)
- друзья
nounfriends (pl)
Grammar
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Everything together
Explanation
This chapter joins Book 1 together. Remember the pillars. (1) No verb "to be" in the present: "Я Майк", "Я студент", "Это книга". (2) Age is the dative + лет, with no "я": "Мне двадцать один год". (3) The three genders are predictable from the ending (-∅ m, -а f, -о n), and adjectives/pronouns agree: мой брат, моя сестра, моё имя. (4) For a thing: "Что это?" + "Это …", and the pointing "это" doesn't change. (5) For location: "Где …?" + an adverb (тут, там, вон там). And choose the address: "ты" with friends, "вы" (+ name and patronymic) with Мария Ивановна and elders. In Russian, sincerity is valued — answer honestly, without a routine smile.
Examples
- Очень приятно! Меня зовут Майк, я из Америки.Pleased to meet you! My name is Mike, I'm from America.
- Мне двадцать один год, и у меня две кошки.I'm twenty-one, and I have two cats.
- Что это? — Это книга. Книга тут.What's this? — It's a book. The book is here.
- Мы говорим по-русски вместе. До встречи!We speak Russian together. See you!
Culture
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Душа и искренностьДуша & sincerity
Russians can seem reserved with strangers but are very warm once you're inside the circle — and they value sincerity over surface politeness.
A smile is not automatic
Russians don't smile at strangers "by default" — a smile should be sincere, not a routine one. A clerk's neutral face isn't rudeness; and an over-wide smile for no reason can seem insincere or odd.
Warmth is for the inner circle
Once you're a friend, hospitality is generous and emotional honesty is high — long heartfelt talks (often around the kitchen table) are the real Russia. The "душа" (soul) is the prized depth of feeling.
Hospitality and flowers
Guests are fed generously; refusing food or tea repeatedly can offend. Bring a small gift when visiting — and give flowers in an ODD number: an even number of flowers is for funerals.
Congratulations! You've finished Book 1. You can greet, introduce yourself, count, point at things and ask about places — politely and sincerely. When unsure: don't force a smile, answer "how are you" honestly, accept hospitality warmly, and give an odd number of flowers. See you in Book 2!
Cyrillic
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Приветствия и прощания— Greetings and goodbyes
Today we read the social phrases smoothly. "Очень приятно" = "ÓCH-en pri-YÁT-na" (soft "ny", unstressed о → "a"). "Ещё" = "ye-SHCHYÓ" (long soft "shch", stress at the end). "До встречи" = "da VSTRÉ-chi" (the cluster "встр" together). "Любовь" ends in a soft "v": "lyu-BÓV". And "здравствуйте" in fast speech sounds almost like "ZDRAS-tuy-te" (the middle в isn't heard). Read the formulas aloud, linking the words. Trust your ear.
Read the formulas aloud, linking the words:
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