Russian with Native Speakers (Book 1)

The Russian with Native Speakers series is built on a foundation of absolute authenticity. Rather than relying on scripted dialogues found in traditional textbooks, this series is based on a survey presented to 14 real people from across the Russian-speaking world, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and several Central Asian republics. Every response you read and hear is the speaker’s own original answer, offering a direct window into genuine personalities, life stories, and everyday realities.

Diverse Conversations in Book 1

The 30 sections in Book 1 cover a wide range of essential conversational themes, moving from basic personal information to more thoughtful reflection. Example question types include:

• Personal background: “Where are you from?” and “What do you do for work?”
• Daily life and habits: “When do you usually get up?” and “What did you do this morning?”
• Preferences and lifestyle: “What is your favorite holiday?”, “Do you play any sports?”, and “What did you have for lunch yesterday?”
• Deeper reflections: “What are you most afraid of?” and “How would you describe your personality?”

A Seamless Learning Experience

To keep you fully immersed in these real-world answers, every word and expression is glossed at the start of each section and again immediately after each response. These glossaries include essential grammatical information, such as noun gender and verb aspect, allowing you to understand how the language works without interrupting your reading flow. This design keeps your focus on meaning, voice, and natural usage rather than constant dictionary lookups.

Looking Ahead

After completing the foundational topics in the first volume, Book 2 continues with 36 additional questions that move into more detailed and reflective territory. Topics include questions such as “What was your first job?”, “Where is the most beautiful place you have been?”, and “What do you value most in people?”

Working through this series is like joining a dinner table with fourteen different people. Instead of learning a single, idealized way of speaking, you experience the full range of how Russian is actually used, shaped by background, personality, and lived experience.