How to say "Happy Easter" in Russian

This year, Russian Orthodox Easter coincides with the Catholic and Protestant varieties (which is not always the case). A few people have asked me in the past few days how to say "Happy Easter" in Russian. Most people would say not say "Happy Easter" per se, but use the equivalent of "Christ has risen", which is then answered by "Indeed he has risen" (very similar to what one will find in Greek tradition, for example). Three kisses on the cheeks usually follow.

Interestingly, the first two letters of the first phrase, ХВ, are also put on many Easter eggs.

 "Христос воскресе!" - "Воистину воскресе!"
"Khristos voskrese!" - "Voistinu voskrese!"
"Khris-TOS vos-KRE-se" - "vo-IS-ti-nu vos-KRE-se"

Will try to post a video with the pronunciation today. Interestingly, the first two letters of the first phrase, ХВ, are also put on many Easter eggs.
If you would like to go more in depth into the Russian language, please take a look at my Russian tutor website at www.iteachrussian.org

Is Russian a world language?

When travelling around the world, many people would expect to survive exclusively on English, maybe some French and Spanish, but probably not Russian. This would be an error. Native Russian speakers are spread throughout the world - you never know when you would bump into a fourth generation Russian Empire emigre in San Francisco (with an accented Russian you would no longer find in Russia itself), a Russian-speaking taxi driver in New York or Wellington or an engineer from Belarus or Ukraine in Nigeria or Sri Lanka. Being one of the most spread-out linguistic communities in the world, Russian speakers can be found in Eastern and Central Europe, Middle East (just think of the huge diaspora in Israel, for example), South-East Asia, Australia, Latin America. Many of these people would be speaking Russian as their second native language, others would have learned it as their main foreign language. Russian is one of the most studied languages on Earth today, both for its allegedly challenging character and the opportunities that it can open worldwide.

Would you like to join the community of Russian speakers? Learn Russian today!

Still think that Russia is the coldest place on Earth? Hear this Russian out.

The Hollywood scene and various other popular culture elements seem to have won a major battle over the minds of millions of people throughout the world, as decades of repeating the same stereotypes have worked - to a vast majority of people one meets, there is little doubt that Russia is the coldest country in the world. Images of ice-covered huts surrounded by Communist party membership card-carrying polar bears drinking vodka now hold a prominent place in the imagination of men, women, children and domestic pets alike. If you ask around, Russia is the North Pole, Russia is as uninhabitable as the Moon, Russia is one big frozen steppe. The only way Russians survive is by wearing funny (?) hats and being always grumpy.

A Russian teacher in Edmonton freezing year after year

My perception of my home country never was as bad as that, as culture-specific or any other stereotypes have always seemed meaningless and weak. The only idea that I've always agreed with was the cold factor. It was, after all, pretty cold in Russia when I was living there some 10 years ago now. And then... I moved to Canada. The coldest place ever. The land where Russians feel cold year after year. Never before have I been so cold as here. Russia is cold, you say? Bah, humbug. Visit Edmonton.

For information about my Russian classes in Edmonton, please visit www.iteachrussian.org