In this issue’s Uchites, we look at a popular song by the poet Bulat Okudzhava and the composer Isaac Schwartz. It is about love and separation.

Some thoughts on backwardness, falling behind, and the challenges of change.

To thank (blagodarit) is one of the Russian language's most beautiful words. We go in for a deep dive.

The writer Eduard Uspensky passed away recently. In this language section, we look back at one of his contributions to Russian literature and folklore.

In Soviet times the Bolsheviks got all the credit for simplifying Russian spelling in 1918. Who really pushed that simplification through - and what did the Bolsheviks actually do to help?

In this issue’s Uchites, we look at common Russian idioms and the challenges of translating them into English.

After declensions, cases, aspect, verbs of motion, pronunciation, and all the other trials of the Russian language, there is one more thing to learn: quotes, jokes and allusions. Let's do this.

This issue's Uchites looks at some familiar proverbs and helps you learn them by matching them up to rough equivalents in English.

These days, if you are reading Russian periodicals in order to improve your Russian language skills, you are getting lots of practice in ways to lie.

Studying Russian and finding it a bit challenging? You are not alone. Check out our list of famous people who have studied Russian, and find some fellow-sufferers...

A popular song about paintings helps language learners pick up some artistic vocabulary.

On how recent foreign borrowings is shaping the Russian language.