Serafima Gettys

Serafima Gettys, PhD, is Director of the Foreign Language Program at Lewis University, where she also teaches Russian.

Articles & Books From Serafima Gettys

Russian For Dummies
Privyet! Explore the Russian language with this fantastic beginner's guide With over 260 million speakers around the world, Russian remains one of the most popular and marketable languages you can learn. And for those who have no idea where to begin, Russian For Dummies is the perfect first step! In this easy-to-understand resource for Russian language beginners, you'll discover basic grammar and common expressions you might use while shopping, dining out, traveling, or conducting business.
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Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-27-2022
You can travel more comfortably in Russia when you know a bit of the language, such as how to greet locals, use common expressions, and ask basic questions in Russian. Knowing about the use of cases is also essential for speaking Russian properly in any situation.Meeting and greeting in Russian Whether you’re traveling to a Russian-speaking country for business or pleasure, make sure you know how to greet and get acquainted with people.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Whether you’re traveling to a Russian-speaking country for business or pleasure, make sure you know how to greet and get acquainted with people. Some common Russian greetings include the following:
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Being polite is welcome in any language, including Russian. Try the following Russian phrases for help in almost any situation and to make a good first impression:
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
What’s a case? In simple terms, cases are sets of endings that words take to indicate their function and relationship to other words in a sentence. Different languages have different numbers of cases. Russian has 6 cases, which isn’t that bad compared to Finnish, which has 15! English speakers, on the other hand, never have to bother with cases.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
If you’re lost, you need to know the time, or you’re just trying to communicate more clearly in Russian, practice the pronunciation of the following essential Russian phrases and questions:
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Develop a Russian shopping vocabulary to gain a new cultural experience when traveling. Whether you're shopping for clothes, food, or souvenirs, you can use the following phrases in any Russian speaking country to help you find just the right thing. The following words can be used in a variety of shopping situations.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Traveling in Russian-speaking countries can be confusing if you can't read the signs or understand the instructions you're given. Learning a few useful travel-related words and phrases in Russian before you begin traveling can save you time and reduce your frustration level. Here are a few general travel-related terms that everyone should know before making the big trip.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Traveling is expensive, so it's crucial to have a good understanding of Russian phrases for money and banking. While in a Russian -speaking country, the best way to ensure that you get the most for your money is to be familiar with these common financial terms. Exchanging money Each country has a different monetary system.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Russians are famous for their bountiful cuisine. Whether you're on a short visit or planning to live there, knowing how to talk about Russian food is essential. Eating out at Russian restaurants and cafes can be a lot of fun, especially if you know some basic restaurants vocabulary. Rasschitajtye (ruh-shee-tahy-t'eh) [m] (check) platit' (pluh-teet'; to pay) (to pay) myenyu (mee-n'u; menu) ofitsiant (uh-fee-tsih-ahnt; waiter) or ofitsiantka (uh-fee-tsih-ahnt-kuh; waitress) myetrdotyel' (mehtr-dah-tehl; maitre d') kryeditnyye kartochki (kree-deet-nih-eh kahr-tuhch-kee) credit card Choosing the right place You can find lots of different places to eat out, Russian-style, depending on your mood and budget.