Is Russian a hard language to learn?

Question

I would REALLY enjoy learning this language...and i am thinking about taking a "running start" class to learn russian, i will be leaving highschool and going to a community college to a Russian class....

I know basic swedish, will that language help at all???

Also if i wanted to learn Dutch, would that be a hard language to learn?

I am just bad with masculine and feminine words...sooo i am trying to avoid it as much as possible

Answer 1

I'm russian! lol :] It may seem hard at first..But once u get the hang of it...it will b easy as clapping ur hands together...If i were u, i would take it.

Answer 2

Good question. It really depends. Some people have that "foreign language" knack. Some people do not. Some people have it for some languages, and not for others. So basically, all the answers you get here are going to be based on what kind of foreign language person they are. Generally speaking, Russian provides several challenges that people have a difficult time with. First of all, it has a different alphabet to learn. Second, it has a sound structure that is very foreign to people who speak English. German is much more similar to English than Russian is, and some people will find it difficult to master the new sounds and looks of the words. Finally, there are few words in Russian that look anything like the similar word in English. In German or French you have the benefit of some of the words having the same origins. This will happen much less in Russian. If you like a challenge, I say go for it! It is an unusual, but signficant language to use. You may actually find some good, practical uses for it, depending on what kind of career you have (or hope to have). Whether or not it is too hard for you is a matter of opinion. I'm a failed Russian language student, myself, but it was not the language's fault. I just didn't have the skills for it. And congratulations on almost mastering German! That is impressive. Not just anyone can do it. Good for you!

Answer 3

The difficulties of the Russian language have been exaggerated to some extent. For example, Russian really has no difficult sounds in it like the two /th/ sounds of English or the gargled / r / and nasal vowel sounds of French.

However, as an English speaker trying to learn the language you will still have problems that a Czech or Polish speaking person trying to learn it wouldn't have. Namely, that you would be unfamiliar with much of the vocabulary.

Western European languages have vocabularies that are more similar to English so simply speaking English would give you some clues as to what their words mean. For example, you don't need to be familiar with French and Spanish to know that 'La violence domestique' and 'La violencia doméstica' mean "domestic violence,"
but its Russian equivalent : Nasiliye v sem'ye (or perhaps Domashneye nasiliye) is harder to recognize.

English " A winter sports paradise" is nearly the same in
Dutch 'Een paradijs van de wintersporten' and
German Ein Wintersportsparadies but in Russian it would be said as ' Raiskii uglok dla liubitelei zimnik vidov
sporta.'

Native speakers of languages with genders grow up accepting the fact that that's just the way the words are said. They don't worry too much about whether a word is masculine, feminine or neuter.

Even though a language classroom instructor might emphasize genders a lot, when learning the language alone it's best to just forget them. Consider them a monkey on your back.

Old English had a masculine, a feminine and a neuter gender too but gender distinction has nearly disappeared in Modern English. Modern English is more like Chinese in this respect.

Anyhow, best wishes in your upcoming Russian class. Much of language learning is actually interest and motivation.

I taught myself a good deal of Romanian many years ago simply because I was intensely interested in the language. I learned less of the Spanish I took in high school and junior college because I wasn't as interested in it - despite the fact that Spanish is an easier language than Romanian.

Answer 4

Well, if you are REALLY enjoy learning Russian, then there should not be any questions. Russian is a very interesting language and can tell you a lot about the country and its people. Russian language becomes more and more popular.
It has difficult grammar, but at the same time if your teacher is able to explain it properly, you will not face any difficulties with Russian. Once you start it you will be able to understand all common rules, to understand the details it will take some more time.

Best of luck!
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Answer 5

There are some similar words in Swedish and Russian, but Russian is a very rich language, thus very difficult to learn, but worth the effort.

Answer 6

Sure! Especially if you are not Russian native speaker. It is GREATLY difficult that English (I'm Russian native so I know). The troubles not only in genders. Cases, prefixes, suffixes, unclear order of words etc. The experience in Dutch and Swedish do not help you in Russian. Because they more similar to English language but not to Russian one.
P.S. You will cannot be able to avoid gender. Because ALL noun in Russian have a gender.

Answer 7

Certainly More Difficult Than German

Answer 8

OH YES IT IS!. Almost as difficult as Japanese.

Answer 9

not at all,