Lesson 1.2: Must-Know Words

Lesson Overview
In this lesson, you will learn essential Russian words that will help you form basic sentences and express common ideas. These words form the foundation of everyday communication in Russian.

Grammar Tip 1: Personal Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives

• Personal Pronouns in Russian are important to refer to people in conversation (I, You, He, She, etc.). They are essential in sentence construction.
• Possessive Adjectives like “my”, “your”, and “his” show ownership.
• Example:
  • Я учу русский. (I am learning Russian.)
  • Он читает книгу. (He is reading a book.)
  • Это мой дом. (This is my house.)

Repeat these sentences out loud to practice pronunciation.

Grammar Tip 2: Conjunctions and Prepositions

• Conjunctions such as “и” (and), “но” (but), and “или” (or) help connect words and ideas, which is key to forming more complex sentences.
• Prepositions like “с” (with) and “без” (without) give more detail about relationships between objects and actions.
• Example:
  • Я с тобой. (I am with you.)
  • Она без книги. (She is without the book.)
  • Я и ты. (Me and you.)

Example Sentences Using Vocabulary

To make learning the vocabulary more practical, let’s add some simple sentences that use the new words in context:

1. Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives:
   • Я в школе. (I am at school.)
   • Он мой друг. (He is my friend.)
   • Мы здесь. (We are here.)
2. Conjunctions and Prepositions:
   • Я и ты говорим по-русски. (You and I speak Russian.)
   • Я хочу это, но не могу. (I want this, but I can’t.)
   • Он живет там, за домом. (He lives there, behind the house.)
3. Adjectives:
   • Это хорошо. (This is good.)
   • Она всегда веселая. (She is always cheerful.)
   • Это старый дом. (This is an old house.)