Russian Word of the Day

The Russian word for engagement ring is обручальное кольцо. One of my Russian friends recently got married and told me the story of how her husband «сделал ей предложение» proposed to her. This unexpected surprise happened over winter break and Мила’s boyfriend Jake just came home from the war in Iraq. On a Saturday morning, he and Мила decided to go to the amusement park and were looking forward to riding one of the scariest roller coasters the park had to offer. (Roller coasters are called «амереканские горки» in Russian, which literally means “American mountains.” Weird, huh?)

They decided to sit in the very first seat and as the roller coaster began the long ride up the runway, Jake had the engagement ring tucked in the pocket of his jeans. As soon as they reached the top of the runway, Jake quickly pulled out the beautiful diamond ring and as he held it up in the air, he yelled out «Мила, ты будешь моей женой?» “Mila, will you be my wife?”. Before Мила had any time to answer, the roller coaster tilted over the edge, and they were off! I kept thinking that Jake was going to drop and loose the ring but fortunately he did not.

As the ride came to the end, Мила was so overwhelmed by emotion that she began to cry as everyone was exiting. One of the workers noticed Мила crying and thought that the ride scared her. He approached her and said «С вами всё в порядке?» “Are you alright?” She looked up at him and smiled as she showed him her new ring. Everyone began laughing and clapping as they said “Congratulations!” «Поздравляем!»

The Russian word for accordion is гармошка. The accordion is a very popular instrument in traditional Russian culture and is often played at large gatherings such as a wedding свадьба, birthdays день рождения, and many holidays праздники.

My uncle was one of the best accordion players I have ever known. Each time he played the instrument, everyone gathered around him and listened to the beautiful music. I always told my uncle that he played the accordion like a professional and that he would be able to make a very good living by doing so. «Дядя, ты очень хорошо играешь на гармошке. Ты можешь заработать много денег!» “Uncle, you play the accordion very well. You can earn a lot of money!”. During parties, everyone danced and sang as my uncle played the accordion! I remember one time when a few individuals at a party had too much to drink. They danced happily and suddenly, I saw them lose their balance and fall to the ground laughing like hyenas. My mom laughed and said to them «Я думаю что вам пора домой!» “I think it is time for you to go home.” I enjoyed hearing my uncle play the accordion and every time I hear someone play this beautiful instrument, I am reminded of my uncle’s great talent.

Don's additional notes: the other words in Russian for accordion are гармонь (feminine) and гармоника. Аккордеон is specifically a type of accordion with piano-like keys on the right side instead of smaller buttons. You'll also hear about the баян, which is vastly complex version of the instrument. A harmonica in Russian is specifically «губная гармошка» “a mouth accordion.”

The Russian word for shish kebab is шашлык. Shish kebabs are often made by American families but they are particularly special to me because they bring back the memories of camping in the mountains with my family when I was a child. In Russia, it was a tradition to make shish kebabs each time we went camping with family and friends and I always helped my dad when he made these wonderful treats. In my family, kebabs are usually made from sheep meat баранина and marinated with different spices and soy sauce to give the meat good flavor and texture.

One day, my family and a large group of friends took a trip to the forest лес. Once we came to our camp site, I helped my mom start the campfire костёр which was very comforting because the weather was very cold. My dad took out the raw shish kebabs and placed them into the campfire to cook. The amazing scent of the marinade overwhelmed me and I began salivating like a dog right in front of the fire! «Когда шашлыки будут готовы? Я очень голодная!» “When will the shish kabobs be ready? I am very hungry!”. While the cooking took place, I grabbed a blanket and sat down under a shady tree to play with my sister while the grown-ups enjoyed their cocktails. As the camp fire burned down, my mother threw in a few potatoes and once everything was ready, she called out to me and my sister «Девочки! Идите кушать. Шашлыки готовы.» “Girls! Come and eat. The shish kabobs are ready.” I jumped up like a spring and raced ahead of my sister yelling «Я первая!» “I’m first!”

The Russian word for dog is сoбака Dogs are very active animals who can be very demanding of their owner хозяин but also especially loyal, loving, and supportive.

My dad has a friend who is the owner of two dogs. These dogs are pure Bijon Frise breeds and have lived with the owner for many years. Every once in a while, the owner leaves town and asks me to take care of the dogs. I hated the idea of having to feed, bathe, and walk two dogs but I agreed because the owner paid me very good money. Most dogs are very active animals however, these two were incredibly lazy ленивые and rude which annoyed me because they spent most of the day sleeping on their huge, fluffy doggie beds instead of running around like dogs should.

On one bright morning, I decided to take the dogs for a walk around the neighborhood. I called out to them, «Где ваши поводки? Мы сейчас пойдём гулять» “Where are your leashes? Were going on a walk now!” I grabbed their old leashes and watched them as they began wagging their tails and barking loudly while circling me. During the walk, I saw another person with a large dog and to my surprise, one of my dog’s leashes jerked right out of my hand and I saw him running away from me with great speed. I panicked and frantically ran after the dog while dragging the other one after me. «Бени! Иди сюда» “Beni! Come here!”. I saw my dog approaching the other person and I screamed out «Остановите эту собаку!» “Stop that dog!” Luckily, the other owner caught Beni and a great wave of relief came over me. I was very happy that this story ended happily and that I did not have to inform the owner that I lost one of his dogs!

Warning! This entry contains a word that is vulgar.

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The Russian word for grape is виноград. The area where my grandmother lived was very well know for making вино wine because of the sweet and ripe grapes that grow there. My great grandmother grew beautiful grapes in the backyard of her home and made her own homemade red wine. In her backyard, the grape trees grew thick and were full of beautiful red and green grapes. My great grandmother enjoyed making sweet red wine so she added sugar to the recipe. She said, «Мне нужно добавить сахар в рецепт чтобы сделать сладкое красное вино» “I need to add sugar to the recipe to make sweet red wine». Sometimes, my great grandmother asked me to help her pick grapes from the trees. She told me «Помоги мне собрать виноград в корзину» “Help me gather the grapes into the basket” and I gladly agreed. Besides making wine, she also made grape preserves варенье and different pies пироги made with grape filling.

The Russian word for chamomile is ромашка. In Russia, chamomile grows in the fields and is not only used in bouquet arrangements but also for cosmetic and medical uses. I especially love chamomile blossoms because they are beautiful and stay fresh in the vase for approximately one week. My grandmother grew chamomile all over her garden and she enjoyed drying the flowers to make tea and cosmetic remedies. She told me «Мы засушим ромашку и сделаем чай» “We will dry the chamomile and make tea.” The incredible scent of these flowers filled the entire house every time my grandmother dried her chamomile.

In particular, many young women like to make a head wreath венок out of chamomile flowers. In traditional Russian practice, it is thought that if a woman weaves and gives a head wreath to a man, she indicates that she is in favor of marrying him. I remember many summer days when I sat in my grandmother’s garden and made wreaths out of chamomile flowers. «Я обожаю делать венки из цветов ромашки» “I adore making head wreaths out of chamomile flowers!”

The Russian word for newborn infants is новорождённые дети. In America, it is customary to show our appreciation and excitement for an upcoming baby by giving the family a baby shower. However, in Russia, this is usually not the practice until after a baby is born. It is thought by many Russians that expressing happiness and excitement for a new baby should only be done after the baby has successfully entered into the world.

Another important Russian tradition is giving the parents of the baby a sweet treat as a gift. This sweet gift can be honey мёд, sugar сахар, or candy конфеты and symbolizes a sweet future for the child. My mother told me that when I was born, my great grandmother brought a large jar of homemade honey and as she handed my parents this gift, she said «Пусть этот мед принесёт Оле сладкую жизнь!» “Let this honey bring Olga a sweet life!”

The Russian word for train is поезд. Trains are a very common means of transportation in many parts of Russia. As a child, I lived and attended school in Ukraine which was very stressful at times because of the huge work load. As a part of my summer vacation, I traveled to visit my aunt in Moscow. My parents and I took the train from Lvov to Moscow, which took approximately 24 hours. Part of the reason I enjoyed seeing my aunt so much was because the train ride was a very exciting and fun experience for me. I always brought my toys with me and my parents brought food and comfy pillows to sleep on.

As we boarded the train, the train attendant called out «Внимание! Наш поезд отправляется» “Attention! Our train is leaving.” I quickly took a seat by the window and my parents ordered me a cup of tea from the train attendant «Я хочу купить одну кружку чая, пожайлуста» “I would like to buy one cup of tea please.” During our ride, My dad and I played cards карты which was very exciting because I beat him that time!

As the train approached Moscow, the train attendant called out «Внимание! Следующая станция Москва» “Attention! The next station is Moscow”. As we began making our way towards the exit, a lady in front of us dropped a basketful of apples on the floor and everyone was held back while she tried to pick them up. This was very troubling news for everyone who was trying to exit the train because the hallway was crowded and there was only one way out of the train. I began to panic because the train was going to depart again in a few minutes! I heard people yelling «Разрешите пройти! Нам нужно выйти» “let us through! We need to exit.” Fortunately, the lady picked up her apples quickly and we exited the train just as it was beginning to depart again.

The Russian word for website is сайт as in «Мы с Зоей познакомились на сайте знакомств, и через шесть месяцев мы поженимся!» "Zoya and I met on a dating site, and in six months we are getting married!" There are several ways you can tell someone to go to your new web site:

A slightly more formal way, say in an advertisement, uses the verb посещать/посетить: «Посетите нашу домашнюю страницу» “Visit our home page.” Of course, sometimes you want to warn people away from a site, so you might say «Не открывайте этот сайт, иначе компьютер заразится шпионскими программами» “Don't go to that site or the computer will get infected with spyware.”

The Russian word for Black Sea is Чёрное море. In Russia, I was lucky to live very close to the Black Sea and I enjoyed going swimming with my grandparents. Because the Black Sea is isolated, it is very warm during the summer and many people enjoy swimming in it because of the comfortable water temperature. The beach is very crowded during the summer days and it is easy for parents to loose track of their children if they don’t pay close attention. I often heard my mother call out to me «Оля! Не уходи далеко» “Olya! Don’t go too far.”

My mom and my grandmother often swam far away from the shore. They swam so far that the beach was hardly visible when they turned around to go back to shore. As they swam in the open sea, many large jellyfish медузы surrounded them but surprisingly, my mom and grandmother were not afraid of them. Back on shore, I always found friends to play with and make sand castles песочные замки. Girls and boys played all around me and I came to them and said «Можно я буду строить песочный замок с вами?» “Can I build a sand castle with you?” and they gladly included me in their activities. At the end of the day, I was very tired from all the exciting activity and my family took me home. With my eyes half way shut, my mom said «Ты очень устала и теперь тебе надо отдохнуть» “You are very tired and now you need to rest”. Indeed, I always slept well after playing on the beach of the beautiful Black Sea.

The Russian word for circus is цирк. In particular, I remember attending a circus in Moscow which consisted of Russian musicians, clowns, animal performers, and dancers. I especially enjoyed watching the different animals that were trained to do certain tricks. The Russian circus is based on centuries-old Russian traditions and fables which makes it very popular among the Russian population.

I went to the Russian circus only two times but I loved every minute of it. Before the show, my parents asked me, «Ты хочешь сахарной ваты?» “Do you want cotton candy?” and with great excitement I said yes! да! I always bought strawberry flavored cotton candy which was my favorite. During the show, many amazing acts were performed by both the acrobats and animals. All through the show, my parents pointed out exciting moments such as «Смотри Оля! Медведь сам катается на велосипеде» “Look Olya! The bear is riding the bicycle all by himself”. I wondered how it was possible to train a bear to ride a bicycle all alone. With an excited look on her face, my mom pointed out again «Как удивительно прыгают акробаты!» “How wonderfully the acrobats are jumping!”. It was an amazing experience for me and I plan on attending the Russian circus again in the future.

The Russian phrase for dentist is зубной врач. As a child, I loved to eat candy конфеты and failed to properly brush my teeth afterwards. As a result I found myself visiting the dentist more often then I should have. Every time I had a toothache, I said «Мама, у меня болит зуб!» “Mama, my tooth hurts!” and my mom answered by saying «Тогда нам надо к зубному врачу» “Then we need to go to the dentist”. I hated going to the dentist because I was terribly afraid of having to sit in a chair for such a long time while the dentist poked my gums with needles and drilled holes in my teeth.

One time, my mother took me to the dentist and I screamed and cried so loud that everyone in the office stared, and I found myself at the center of attention. When my mom finally put me into the chair, I stopped crying and a great wave of fear came over me. The dentist came to me and said «Сейчас я сделаю укол и боль пройдёт» “Now I will give you a shot and the pain will pass”. I felt like giving the dentist a shot myself to see how she would feel in my situation. With tears in my eyes I said «Я боюсь уколов!» “I'm scared of shots!” but she did not seem to care much about my concern. When the dentist finally finished fixing my cavity, she said «Вот и всё! Ты свободна, иди» “That’s it! You are free, go.” Relieved, I ran out the door with my mom and went home where I began my candy eating cycle all over again within a few days.

Вареники is a traditional Ukrainian dish which is also very popular in Russia. They are dumplings that can be stuffed with potatoes and mushrooms картошка и грибы, cabbage капуста, cabbage and mushrooms капуста и грибы, fish рыба, meat мясо, liver печёнка, cherries черешня, or strawberries клубника. The stuffing possibilities are endless which makes this dish unique because you can individualize each вареник perfectly for yourself.

Occasionally my mother makes вареники. Her favorite stuffing ingredients are potatoes and mushrooms, cabbage and mushrooms, and cherries. When we have company, she often makes this dish for the guests and at the end of the day, she happily announces «Гости съели все вареники!» “The guests ate all the dumplings”. My mom has altered the recipe slightly by deep frying each dumpling to create a crispy shell a crunchy taste. These dumplings are usually served with sour cream сметана, fried onion жареный лук, or melted butter расплавленое сливочное масло. My mouth is already starting to water as I describe this tasty dish!

Every American college student should go to Russia. It's just such a great experience. Russian friendships are intense. The Russian countryside is gorgeous. Astonishing museums and architecture. There are beautiful churches in which to pray and contemplate what good works we might like to accomplish over the next year. Ah, such opportunities! So why is it that those American students always end up drinking obscene amounts of vodka, throwing up at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, singing “Rubber Ducky” with a German accent in the middle of Red Square at three in the morning in the company of some Russian ballet dancer they've been flirting with since eight in the evening at the Irish Bar on the Arbat? And in the morning they wake up with похмелье, a hangover.

A smarmy American might even suggest that we have a spiritual obligation to get at least one hangover in Russia since the Primary Chronicle quotes Vladimir the First as rejecting Islam because the Russians love to drink, and thus to really get into the spirit of Russian language study, you have to tie one on. Wow, a little education and we can justify just about anything.

“I have a hangover” in literary Russian is «У меня похмелье» or «Я с похмелья». Notice that с here is followed by the genitive case, not the instrumental. It is incorrect to say «Я с похмельем». You'll also hear the more conversational «Я с бодуна», which means the same thing. Here are a couple sample sentences:

Actually, I doubt hangovers have anything to do with sneezing. Probably they just encountered a drunk with a cold.

You might think that people would battle hangovers with the obvious solution: sobriety. Nope. There is an incredible wealth of material out there discussing the question «Как опохмелиться наилучшим способом?» “What is the best method to cure a hangover?” More precisely, the verb опохмеляться-опохмелиться mostly means “to treat a hangover by using more alcohol,” or as some people say in English “to take a hair of the dog that bit you.”

Russians can discuss this question for hours and hours on weekends… weekends with bloodshot eyes and aching heads and the taste of dachsund fur and horseradish in their mouths. There is even a website devoted to the issue. Here is an actual answer to the question I found on the web:

The guy's spelling suggests he was actually writing with a hangover «он писал с похмелья». I thought he was making up the Антипохмелин, but apparently it's a real product. You can see a picture of it at the right.

The words for male and female in Russian are самец and самка. Самка is an uncomplicated word with genitive plural самок. Самец is an end stressed word:

In English we might say "A rooster is a male chicken" or "A mare is an adult female horse," but we have to rephrase it slightly for the Russian version. In Russian one says «Петух — самец курицы» “A rooster is the male of the chicken.” In other words, the word that follows самец or самка needs to be in the genitive case. Likewise «Кобыла — взрослая самка лошади» “A mare is an adult female of the horse.”

One of the most important things when meeting new Russian people is to be able to properly introduce yourself. A few years ago I was invited to a picnic that a few of my Russian friends organized. When I arrived, I noticed that there were other Russian people there with whom I was not acquainted. Upon arrival, I introduced myself to the new crowd by saying «Меня зовут Оля» “My name is Olga.” I followed by asking «Как вас зовут?» “What is your name?” It is important to note that this is a formal acquaintance because I was meeting new people. If I wanted to introduce myself to a child, I could speak less formally and say «Как тебя зовут?» My friend approached me and asked «Ты знакома с Сашей?» “Are you acquainted with Sasha?” I said that I was not and told Sasha «Очень приятно познокомиться» “Very pleased to meet you.” Sasha was a beautiful woman, and I was suprised to find out that she was not in a romantic relationship at that time.

Among the group, there was also one married couple who introduced themselves by saying «Разрешите познакомить вас с моим мужем» “Let me introduce you to my husband” and the husband stated «Разрешите познакомить вас с моей женой» “Let me introduce you to my wife”. For the rest of the day, we enjoyed eating, talking, and enjoying the beautiful weather. We all sat on a blanket under a tree, eating apple pie and enjoying the shade that the beautiful tree provided us with, and the scent of the sweet apple pie as the breeze came through has stayed in my memory ever since.

Every year, Russia celebrates many holidays праздники, some of which are also celebrated in the United States. New Year's «Новый год» is a universal holiday that is celebrated all over the world. Unlike in America, Russians usually buy Christmas trees on December 29th or 30th and will decorate them with all kinds of beautiful ornaments. The tree will be left until January 7th which is the day that Russian people celebrate Christmas «Рождество Христово». On March 8th is International Women’s Day «Международный женский день» when men all over Russia buy gifts such as flowers and candy for women that they love. (Тhis could be wives, girlfriends, fiancéеs, or daughters). Every year on International Women’s Day my father buys roses for me, my sister, and my mom, and we say «Kак приятно! Ты купил нам розы!» “How nice! You bought us roses!” My crazy ex-boyfriend could have learned a thing or two from my dad.

Another important holiday in Russia is Victory Day «День победы». This is a day when people celebrate the USSR victory over Germany in WW2 while also remembering the soldiers that died during those four bloody years. Following Victory Day is April Fool's Day «День смеха» on April 1st. Once, my sister tricked me by placing sugar in the salt shaker and salt in the sugar container. I was mad at first but then began laughing. Троица Whitsuntide on June 15th is another important Russian holiday. This holiday celebrates the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is traditional for people to bring plants into the home on that day. Some families will even sprinkle grass around the home and many churces do the same. Finally, Easter Пасха is the greatest church holiday in Russia. Many people visit a church or monastery on that day and bake a special Easter bread, which is also called пасха, just like the holiday itself. The Easter bread along with a small container of water is taken to church and made holy during the service. Afterwards, people go home to enjoy the holy water «свячёная вода» and holy Easter bread «свячёная пасха» along with many other foods and drinks.

The Russian word for farewells is прощания. (The singular form of the word is прощание.) There are different ways of saying farewell, and they all depend on the situation. When my family was leaving for the US, our friends and family were afraid that we would not be able to come back, but they tried to stay calm and high spirited by saying «Желаем вам всего наилучшего» meaning “We wish you all the best”. When we arrived in Arizona, my family was very tired and we went to sleep fast that night. My aunt showed us the rooms and said «Спокойной ночи и до завтра» “Good night and till tomorrow.” The next morning we enjoyed a breakfast of waffles and orange juice. It was only 6:30AM when my aunt stood up and said «Боюсь, что мне пора на работу» “I'm afraid I should be going to work.” Surprised at how early my aunt was leaving, my mom said «До вечера» meaning “Till evening,” and my aunt ran out the door.

Once in a while my mom called my grandmother in Russia and talked about family matters. At the end of the conversation, my mom always said «Передавай привет папе» meaning “Send my regards to Dad,” and my grandmother said «Хорошо, пока!» meaning “Okay, bye!” Whenever my grandfather talked to my mother on the phone, he became emotional because he missed our family very much, so he stayed off the phone and communicated through my grandmother. When someone says пока, this is usually a term used when talking to family or friends. However, when talking to strangers, co-workers, or other unrelated people, it is more polite to use the phrase «До свидания» “Goodbye” instead.

Last year my family went to a restaurant for my birthday. Upon arrival we picked a table. A waitress approached us immediately. We said to her «Принесите, пожалуйста, меню» “Bring the menu, please”. I had trouble picking a dish on the menu because everything looked very good so I said to the waitress «Что вы посоветуете?» meaning “What do you recommend?” I eventually ordered a tasty pasta dish with grilled chicken, cheese, and pasta sauce. «Обожаю сыр и курицу!» “I love cheesе and chicken!” Next, the waitress said «Что вы будете пить?» “What will you have to drink?” and everyone ordered their drinks.

Before we started eating, my family offered a toast to me by saying «За твоё здоровье и благополучие!» “To your health and happiness!” All of us enjoyed our dinner while sharing family stories and past experiances. At the end of the night my mom said to everyone «Всё было очень вкусно» “Everything was delicious” especially the salad which had fresh garlic croutons. We made our way to the exit after paying the bill and came home happy and tired.

The Russian word for tomato is помидор, as in «На балконе я посадил помидоры» “I planted tomatoes on the balcony.” Russians make great use of their apartment living space, so I've seen all sorts of plants being raised on balconies in the summer time in Moscow.

Of course, once you talk about tomatoes, you have to talk about tomato sauce. How would you go about putting together a phrase like that in Russian? In English it is common to put two nouns in a row with the first modifying the second, like in "city park." Russian mostly doesn't do that: normally the first word has to be put into adjective form. To make the adjective, you start with the stem of the noun, add an adjectival suffix and case endings. For instance:

With that in mind, a clever student might predict that "tomato sauce" in Russian would be «помидорный соус». But alas, even though there is such a word as помидорный, the Russians almost never use it in regards to the sauce. Instead they usually say томатный соус. If you think that implies that there must also be a word томат, you would be exactly right, but the noun томат is used much less often than the noun помидор. Thus one says «Я обожаю помидоры» “I adore tomatoes” using the one root, but one says «Меня обрызгал скунс, пришлось отмываться томатным соусом» “I got sprayed by a skunk and had to take a bath in tomato sauce” using the other root. Actually, they don't natively have skunks in Russia, so that won't be a big issue for you.

The матрёшка is a traditional Russian doll that has been in the Russian culture for many centuries. These dolls are an important part of the Russian culture and I believe that most Russian families own at least one Russian doll. It has become so popular that today, these dolls are sold in the US portraying American characters. The Russian doll is a series of hollow dolls that decrease in size and are fitted into one another as they get smaller. They are hand crafted, colorful, and are rich in fine detail which adds to the beauty of the final product.

In my Russian home, my parents had a collection of the dolls which stood in an elaborate cabinet behind a glass door. My mom said to me «я люблю нашу коллекцию матрёшек», “I love our collection of the Russian dolls”. I feel proud to own these dolls today because they show our culture.

The Russian word for motorcycle is мотоцикл. Motorcycles are commonly used by many people in Russia. When I was 6 years old, my grandfather bought his first motorcycle. He came home that day very jolly and invited everyone to look at it. He said «Посмотрите на мой мотоцикл!» “Look at my motorcycle!” The new motorcycle gave my grandparents the opportunity to take more trips to places that they could not have traveled to before. It also gave me an opportunity to experience my first ride in a motorcycle. When my grandfather first bought his motorcycle, he asked me if I wanted to go for a ride with him. He said to me «Ты хочешь прокататься на мотоцикле?» “Do you want to take a ride on the motorcycle?”. Initially, I was unsure and felt anxious but eventually I agreed and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The breeze felt wonderful and I felt as if I was on a very fast bike that required no energy to make it run. After that first ride, I took every opportunity to ride the motorcycle with my grandfather. I said to all my friends «Я люблю ездить на мотоцикле с моим дедушкой!» “I love to ride on the motorcycle with my grandfather!”

The Russian word for shot is укол. Medical shots are given all over the world to prevent disease and when I was a little child, my parents took me to the doctor to get my immunization shots. I dreaded the days when my parents took me to the doctor врач. I was very scared of needles and every time I walked into the doctor’s office, the smell of it alone was enough to make me nauseated. The doctor told me «сейчас мы будем делать тебе укол» “now we will give you a shot”. I told the physician «Я боюсь делать укол» “I’m scared to get a shot!” but she did not seem to take my worries into account. Despite the painful process, I sat still and quietly while the doctor did her work because I knew that I would be rewarded with a compliment and a present afterwards by my mother.

The Russian word for bridge is мост. In Russia, my grandmother owned a chalet дача which was surrounded by a beautiful garden. This chalet was a few miles away from our home and we often traveled by bike велосипед to the chalet. On our way to the chalet, we had to cross a long and old bridge which hung over a great river. This river emptied into the Black Sea and each time we crossed it, I threw a stick into it as part of my routine. Each time we crossed the bridge I felt very anxious and scared because despite my grandmother’s reassurance of its safety, the bridge looked unsafe to me and my sister. With each step we took forward, I heard the noise of the old wooden boards under my feet. My grandmother said to me and my sister, «Не бойтесь! Этот мост безопасный» “Don’t be scared! This bridge is safe”. I trusted my grandmother but I still felt anxious every time I crossed the bridge. I must say that crossing the scary bridge was worth it because my grandmother’s chalet was very beautiful and peaceful. I often said to my grandmother «Я люблю дачу!» “I love the chalet”.