Russian Courses
As one of the official working languages of global institutions like the World Bank, the United Nations, and the World Health Organisation, and as one of the two official languages of space, the importance of Russian is not to be understated. Spoken by around 265 million people in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, several former Soviet states, and the sprawling Russian diaspora, Russian is the most geographically widespread Eurasian language. It’s also the second-most-used language on the Internet after English. Knowledge of this language will therefore help you connect with a significant proportion of the world! Communication is not the only reason that so many of our students want to learn Russian, however. Being so large and ethnically diverse, the ‘Mother Country’ has a long and interesting history, rich regional traditions, and stunning landscapes. The countries with which Russia shares a border, a language, and a significant part of its recent history are equally fascinating and equally beautiful.
Our Russian courses take place in two of Russia’s global Alpha Cities - Moscow and St Petersburg - and in the capital cities of two former Soviet states where Russian is still spoken by a significant proportion of the population: Kiev, Ukraine and Riga, Latvia. Wherever you choose to study, you’ll be able to learn more about life in the region and put your newly developed language skills into practice with the locals. You’ll visit key historical and cultural sites and take part in a wide range of social activities designed to be both entertaining and educational. Studying in this way will have you using the language with confidence in no time.
As the largest of the East Slavic languages, Russian is an ideal choice for anyone interested in Slavic culture. It’s also perfect for anyone who likes a challenge - at least at first - since its Cyrillic script is markedly different from other alphabets. However, this script is used by over 50 worldwide languages, so our Russian courses won’t just help you communicate with anyone who speaks this vastly influential language; they’ll also provide you with a great starting point for understanding other Eurasian languages. Our courses will also enable you to read the hugely influential and globally renowned body of Russian literature in its original form. The skills you develop in class will enable you to unlock famous masterpieces from the Golden Age of Russian literature, like Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin, Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, and Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, amongst others.
Russia and the countries with which it shares a language also have a rich history of achievement in a myriad of fields, including science, technology, and the arts. We can thank Russophones - people who speak Russian - for the Periodic Table, the pressure suit, anaesthesia, three-phase electrical power, the television, LED lights, the discovery of stem cells, numerous space-based technologies, and many, many other influential inventions. In the visual arts, Russophones are famed for their characteristically colourful architecture, great examples being St Peterburg’s Church of the Saviour on Blood and Kiev’s Saint Sophia’s Cathedral. Russia particularly is known for its exceptional realist painters, including Ilya Repin and Vasily Surikov who, together with some 40 other artists, formed the Peredvizhniki collective. Many of these works can be admired in St Petersburg’s State Hermitage Museum, the second-largest art museum on the planet which boasts a collection of over 3 million items. Delicate trinkets typified by Fabergé and traditional handicrafts such as intricate lacquer work and the world-famous Matryoshka dolls add to this rich artistic heritage, while cultural venues like Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre still draw thousands of visitors a year. When you learn Russian with us, you’ll experience all these aspects of Russophone society first-hand, giving you a deeper understanding of the culture which will, in turn, aid your language studies.
Don’t hesitate to contact us for further details of our language schools and the packages available.
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Company Number: 08311373