6 differences between English and Russian

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 22:45

Knowing these differences will help you better understand some of the rules of English grammar and make it easier to learn the language.

1. There is no gender category in English

In Russian, gender is expressed using endings. But in English it is simply absent. There are no such concepts as gender, masculine, feminine and neuter.

But what about "he" or "she", you ask? This is not a genus, but only different words denoting representatives of the female or male sex. And these pronouns can only be used in relation to people. For example:

• A girl - she.
• A boy - he.
• A cat - it.
• A window - it.

Neither nouns, nor verbs, nor adjectives have gender:

• A tall girl.
• A tall boy.
• A tall tree.

As we can see, the word tall does not change.

By remembering this, you will remove one of the barriers to speaking and be able to use adjectives easily.

2. Defining words always come before the noun

All defining words (adjectives, possessive pronouns, numerals) are placed before a noun in English.

In French, for example, the adjective is placed after the noun. And in Russian - anywhere: both "handsome boy" and "handsome boy" and "handsome boy came to the store".

Remember the formula: what, whose, how much + noun.

For example:

• Interesting story - an interesting story.
• My family is my family.
• Three friends - three comrades.

3. English has the possessive case

If something belongs to someone, in Russian it will show the cases. English also has a special case, but in a slightly different form - the possessive case of a noun.

Russian	English
Mom's car	Mother's car
Boy toy	Boy's toy
What + whose (genitive)	Whose +’s + what (possessive)

4. There are articles in English

This grammatical category of English must first be forgiven, and then only try to understand. These are not just little words that complicate grammar for us, but a whole part of speech that cannot be ignored.

There are very few articles: definite and indefinite. And the indefinite article has two forms:

• a - put if the next word begins with a consonant;
• an - is placed if the next word begins with a vowel sound.

The indefinite article comes from the Old English word one and, under the influence of reduction, was reduced to one letter. But the meaning hasn't changed. Therefore, if you can mentally substitute "one of some kind" in front of a noun, then this article should appear in English.

The definite article the comes from the English pronouns this (this) and that (that) and also contracted under the influence of reduction.

If you can put "this" or "that" in front of a noun, then in English you can safely put the article the.

For example:

• There is a book on the table. - On the table (one kind) book.
• The book on the table is very interesting. - (This) book on the table is very interesting.

Knowing this, you will remove 90% of the difficulties. The remaining 10% will have to be remembered.

5. The tense of the English verb answers two questions: "When?" and "What?"

Let's start with statistics: 32 temporary constructions can be counted in English, 12 times are supposed for the classical study of grammar, but only nine you need to know in order to feel confident in the country of the target language. They should be learned to automatism.

The tense of the English verb is a more complex phenomenon than in Russian. It expresses when the action took place, and from this point of view, just as in Russian, there is the present (Present), the past (Past) and the future (Future).

Also, the tense of the English verb emphasizes what the action was: simple - Simple (ordinary, daily), long - Continuous (a certain period of time is required or the process of performing an action is emphasized), perfect - Perfect (it has already happened or should be done by a certain moment).

Combination of characteristics "When?" and "What?" and gives English tenses. To form tenses, the so-called auxiliary verbs are connected. Having memorized them, it is very easy to form times according to the following scheme.

When / what	Simple	Continuous	Perfect
Present	V1; he, she, it Vs (do, does) I play / He plays	Am Is Ving Are He is playing	Have V3 / ed Has He has played
Past	V2 / ed; (did) He played	Was Were Ving He was playing	Had V3 / ed He had played
Future	Will V He will play	Will be Ving He will be playing	Will have V3 / ed He will have played

6. In English, word order determines meaning

English belongs to the group of analytical languages, that is, with the use of special means (auxiliary verbs, service words, a certain word order) to connect words in a sentence. In Russian, the word itself changes, in English, the meaning is conveyed by word order or additional forms.

For example:

• The hunter killed the bear.
• The bear was killed by a hunter.
• The hunter killed the bear.
• Killed by a bear hunter.

No matter how we rearrange the words in the sentence, the meaning does not change from this. We understand who killed whom, due to the case endings (who? - a hunter, whom? - a bear).

But this trick won't work with English. The hunter killed the bear. If you swap the words in this sentence, the meaning will immediately change: the hunter will already be dead, not the bear.

The strict word order is very important. Memorize this scheme and use it.

How to use this knowledge in learning English

1. Treat grammar like mathematical formulas

Fix the rule in your mind in the form of a diagram or formula (the skill of drawing up memory maps will help a lot with this) and just substitute different words.

2. When studying the rules, focus on the differences between English and Russian

Ask yourself the question: "How is it in Russian?" If there are similarities, you will not experience discomfort when remembering, and if there are differences, you will concentrate on them better. Comparing and contrasting is a great way to capture new information.

3. Rebuild Russian sentences in the English manner

Make up a sentence in Russian in accordance with the rules of the English language and only then translate.

Mom washed the frame. → Who + verb (past long) + what + articles before nouns. → The mother was washing the window.

And most importantly, remember: there are much more Russians who have mastered the English language than the English who speak Russian. Repeat this as a mantra as soon as you give up.:)