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A2Vocabulary17 words3 games

School and university

Where Russians spend eleven years — and the grades they bring home.

Quick answer

To be a student somewhere: учи́ться в + prepositional. To study a subject: изуча́ть + accusative.

Places and people

шко́лаshkólaschool
университе́тuniversitétuniversity
классklasclass, classroom
учи́тельuchítelteacher
студе́нтstudéntstudent
шко́льникshkólnikpupil

What happens there

уро́кuróklesson
ле́кцияléktsiyalecture
экза́менekzámenexam
дома́шнее зада́ниеdomáshneye zadániyehomework
оце́нкаotsénkagrade, mark
кани́кулыkaníkulyschool holidays (plural)

Subjects

матема́тикаmatemátikamaths
исто́рияistóriyahistory
литерату́раliteratúraliterature
хи́мияkhímiyachemistry
иностра́нный язы́кinostránny yazýkforeign language

The five-point scale

Russian grades run from 5 (отли́чно, excellent) down to 2 (неудовлетвори́тельно, fail). A пятёрка is a top mark and a дво́йка is the one you hide. There is no 1 in practice.

Я учу́сь в университе́те.I study at university.
У меня́ за́втра экза́мен.I have an exam tomorrow.
Она́ получи́ла пятёрку.She got a top mark.

Typical mistakes

Я учу́ в шко́ле.

Я учу́сь в шко́ле.

Without -ся you are the teacher.

Я изуча́юсь ру́сский.

Я изуча́ю ру́сский.

изуча́ть takes an object and no -ся.

Check yourself

What is a пятёрка?

5 is the best grade in the Russian system.

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