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phone calls and use a computer. In Chapter 13, you find out how to talk about fun things, such as sports, reading, and other hobbies.

      Part 3: Russian on the Go

      This part covers all the aspects of traveling, such as planning your trip (Chapter 14), settling your financial matters (Chapter 15), discussing transportation (Chapter 16), and arranging for a place to stay (Chapter 17). Chapter 18 prepares you for handling emergencies.

      Part 4: The Part of Tens

The Part of Tens is an unusual part of this book; it gives you lists of fun things to know, such as ten ways to pick up Russian quickly and ten things never to say in Russian. This part is also the place to find ten favorite Russian expressions and to pick up ten phrases that make you sound authentically Russian.

      Appendixes

      Russian For Dummies, 3rd Edition, also includes three appendixes, which bring together some useful information. In Appendix A, you find two mini-dictionaries (both Russian-to-English and English-to-Russian) for quick reference. Appendix B contains verb tables that show you how to conjugate regular and irregular verbs. Appendix C offers the answer keys to the Fun & Games sections of each chapter.

Icons Used in This Book

      For your convenience, we marked some information in this book with special icons. Check out this guide to the icons, and the next time you see one of them, you’ll know what to expect!

       From famous Russian writers to a polite way to decline an invitation, this icon marks a wide variety of curious and useful facts about Russian culture.

       The website associated with this book gives you the opportunity to hear Russian in action. The site features audio files of native Russian speakers bringing to life some of the dialogues from the pages of this book. Check it out at: www.dummies.com/go/russianfd3e.

       This icon points out some important information about Russian that’s worth remembering.

       This icon signals a useful bit of information that can make life easier for you, whether it’s a handy way to remember a useful word or an insider’s advice on how to better handle a certain situation.

       This icon attracts your attention to something you need to know to avoid a common mistake.

Beyond the Book

      In addition to what you’re reading right now, this product also comes with a free access-anywhere Cheat Sheet. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type Russian For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box.

Where to Go from Here

      Now that you’re familiar with the anatomy of Russian For Dummies, 3rd Edition, you can embark on your journey. You can start anywhere, and you don’t have to go in a specific order. Just choose a topic that seems appealing, find the corresponding chapter in the table of contents, and start speaking Russian!

      If you’re at a loss about where to start, please take our advice and begin with Chapter 2: It provides you with a very powerful tool — the ability to read Russian. Chapter 3 is a good place to get a grasp on the essentials of Russian grammar. After that, you can go straight to the sections that deal with information you need urgently. Wherever you decide to start, you can find plenty of useful phrases to get you speaking Russian and exploring the benefits that your language skill brings. And now we wish you Cчacтливoгoпути! (sh’ees-lee-vah-vah pooh-tee!) (Bon voyage!).

Part 1

      Getting Started

IN THIS PART …

      Learn the basics of Russian.

      Explore the Russian alphabet.

      Understand basic Russian grammar.

      Say some simple Russian expressions.

      Get your numbers, times, and measurements straight.

      Identify items at home using Russian.

Chapter 1

      Russian in a Nutshell

      IN THIS CHAPTER

       Approaching the Russian alphabet

       Looking at grammar in a new light

       Getting started with some useful words and expressions

       Putting Russian to use in common social situations

       Taking Russian on the road

      Russian has a reputation for being a difficult language. Is it? We would say that different is a better word to describe the experience of studying Russian. Russian actually is a distant cousin of English. Both languages belong to a huge Indo-European family of languages — unlike, say, Arabic, Chinese, or Japanese, which belong to completely different language-family clans.

      This chapter provides you a taste of Russian. Get ready to study this fascinating language!

Discovering How Easy the Russian Alphabet Really Is

If you were to ask people on the street what they think the most difficult thing about learning Russian is, most of them (slightly taken aback by your question) would likely say, “The alphabet!”

      But we’re here to tell you that nothing could be further from

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