Russian with Native Speakers (Book 2)

Continuing the journey to fluency, Russian with Native Speakers (Book 2) builds on the foundation of the first volume by plunging you into even more nuanced and diverse conversations. Like the first book, this resource features 14 real people from across the Russian-speaking world, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and beyond, who provide their own original, unscripted responses to a series of survey questions. This ensures you aren’t just learning “textbook Russian,” but the authentic language used by real people to express their genuine thoughts and histories.

Deepening the Conversation with 36 New Questions

While Book 1 covers foundational pillars, Book 2 expands the scope with 36 additional conversational topics that allow for more complex expression. These questions move into personal experiences, opinions, and aspirations, such as:

• Life experiences: “What was your first job?”, “What is the most beautiful place you have been?”, and “What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?”
• Opinions and values: “What really annoys you?”, “What do you value most in people?”, and “Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?”
• Daily nuance: “How do you get around town?”, “Where do you go grocery shopping?”, and “When do you feel the happiest?”

Immersive Learning without the Dictionary

To keep your focus entirely on the content and the natural flow of speech, we have glossed the words and expressionsfor each section and after every individual response. In Book 2, we assume you have a stronger grasp of case declensions and conjugations, so words are typically glossed in their base dictionary forms, with occasional notes on inflections. By placing definitions and key grammatical markers directly on the page, you don’t have to stop and consult a dictionary, allowing for a smoother transition from reading to understanding.

Developing Your Voice through Interaction

A vital part of your progress is moving from listening to active production. Every section in the book concludes with a dedicated space for two responses. First, you are encouraged to write your own personal answer to the survey question using newly acquired vocabulary. Second, you are invited to be creative: you can interview a Russian-speaking friend or teacher, translate an interview with a family member, or imagine the response of a fictional character or celebrity. This interactive structure turns the book into a growing portfolio of your own conversational Russian.

What You Can Achieve

By working through these 36 sections, you will significantly expand your idiomatic vocabulary and build the listening stamina needed for real-world interactions. You will move beyond simple introductions and learn to describe your appearance, discuss your career goals, and talk about your favorite TV shows. Ultimately, Book 2 gives you the tools to speak Russian with more sophistication and personal range, in a way that reflects who you are as a speaker.

Study Tip: As with the first volume, the accompanying audio tracks feature a three-second pause after each response, giving you a natural window to pause the recording and mimic the native speaker’s rhythm and intonation. For an added challenge, advanced learners can use the texts at the back of the book, which are presented without stress marks or translations.