Russia is vast — navigating its cities and intercity transport is essential. This lesson covers direction words, the Moscow Metro, trains, taxis, and the prepositional case for locations.
Estimated Time: 45–60 minutes
| Russian | Transliteration | English | Russian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| прямо | pryama | straight | назад | nazad | back |
| налево | nalyeva | to the left | направо | naprava | to the right |
| здесь / тут | zdyes' / tut | here | там | tam | there |
| далеко | daliko | far | близко | bliska | near/close |
| рядом | ryadam | nearby/next to | напротив | naprotif | opposite/across |
| Russian | Transliteration | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| метро | metro | metro / subway | Moscow's is world-famous for beauty |
| автобус | aftobus | bus | |
| троллейбус | trollyeybus | trolleybus | Electric bus with overhead wires |
| трамвай | tramvay | tram / streetcar | |
| такси | taksi | taxi | Яндекс Такси is the dominant app |
| поезд | poyezd | train | |
| электричка | elektrichka | suburban train | Commuter rail |
| самолёт | samalyot | airplane | Lit: "self-flyer" |
| машина | mashina | car | |
| велосипед | vilasipyed | bicycle |
💡 Cultural Insight: The Moscow Metro is not just transportation — it's an underground palace. Opened in 1935, many stations feature chandeliers, marble columns, mosaics, and sculptures. Stations like Комсомольская, Маяковская, and Площадь Революции are architectural masterpieces. Russians are proud of their metro and visitors often ride it just for the beauty. St. Petersburg's metro is the deepest in the world, with some stations 86 meters underground!
| Russian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| Извините, где...? | Izvinitye, gdye...? | Excuse me, where is...? |
| Как пройти к...? | Kak prayti k...? | How do I get to...? (walking) |
| Как доехать до...? | Kak dayekhat' da...? | How do I get to...? (by transport) |
| Это далеко отсюда? | Eta daliko atsyuda? | Is it far from here? |
| Где ближайшая станция метро? | Gdye blizhayshaya stantsiya metro? | Where is the nearest metro station? |
| На какой остановке выходить? | Na kakoy astanovkye vykhadit'? | At which stop do I get off? |
To say where something is located, use в (in) or на (on/at) + prepositional case:
в магазине (v magazinye) — in the store
в метро (v metro) — in the metro (метро doesn't decline)
на улице (na ulitsye) — on the street
на станции (na stantsii) — at the station
Basic endings: masculine/neuter -е; feminine -е or -и
| Russian | Transliteration | English | Russian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| вокзал | vakzal | train station | аэропорт | aeraport | airport |
| остановка | astanovka | bus stop | станция | stantsiya | station |
| гостиница | gastinitsa | hotel | больница | bal'nitsa | hospital |
| площадь | ploshchad' | square | улица | ulitsa | street |
| мост | most | bridge | парк | park | park |
— Извините, как пройти к Красной площади?
(Izvinitye, kak prayti k Krasnay ploshchadi?) — Excuse me, how do I get to Red Square?
— Идите прямо, потом налево. Это пять минут.
(Iditye pryama, patom nalyeva. Eta pyat' minut.) — Go straight, then left. It's five minutes.
— А метро далеко?
(A metro daliko?) — And is the metro far?
— Нет, станция "Охотный Ряд" рядом, направо.
(Nyet, stantsiya "Akhotniy Ryad" ryadam, naprava.) — No, "Okhotny Ryad" station is nearby, to the right.
— Спасибо большое!
(Spasiba bal'shoye!) — Thank you very much!
1. What does "налево" mean?
2. What is the dominant taxi app in Russia?
3. How do you say "Where is the nearest metro station?"