Learn Russian with Films (1)

With Russian films, you can learn the language and practice listening while lounging on the couch with chips and soda (just to paint a scenario). Learning becomes enjoyable, and watching films becomes productive—almost the perfect combination.

Short Films with Subtitles

Short films require little time or effort. The R1 playlist Short Movies collects (and continues to add) short films with subtitles. Almost everything is under half an hour; the shortest, Мужика хочу, is just 1 minute and 20 seconds, while Не повезло / Bad Luck is a rare 47-minute exception. Subtitles are available on screen or via Settings/Instellingen.

The Hedgehog (Ёжик)

Davaj! Ёжик (The Hedgehog, 2011) starts with the final of the 1988 European Championship: Netherlands vs. USSR on TV—when the image works, that is. The title refers to home commentary ( 0:45) aimed at one of the Russian players. A bit of encouragement—Давай, давай—is appropriate, as in: что ты как ёжик в тумане бродишь—why are you wandering like a hedgehog in the fog?

Hedgehog in the Fog is also a famous Russian cartoon (with English subtitles), based on a story by Grigori Gorin ( Григорий Горин).

Clips/Analysis

If you’re more focused on learning than just watching films, check out the following.

Anna Cher: Russian from the Heart shows and explains (in parts, 2017) what happens and is said in Завтрак у папы (Breakfast at Daddy’s). See part 1 (16 m), part 2 (11 m), and part 3 (10 m). From the same channel, there’s Learn from Russian Movies: ‘О чем говорят мужчины’ (2020, 9 m) and Learn Russian with movies: ‘My boyfriend is an angel’ – part 1 (2020, 11 m).

Boost Your Russian breaks down clips from two classics: Операция «Ы» (2020, 27 m) and Брат (14 m). They replay a small part several times, and it works well. Choices like Frozen, Joker, and Jurassic World were a bit painful, but all is forgiven thanks to Ёлки (2020, 16 m).

From Russian from Russia, there’s a 40-second clip from Служебный роман (Office Romance, 1977) in a 20-minute lesson—learning a small bit but learning it well. More about the film on Wikipedia ( Russian and English); see the YouTube video as Intermediate Russian through Movies, Part 1 (2019, 20 m). In part 2, Печки-лавочки (2019, 21 m).

Russian Is A Piece of Cake adds grammar to the mix in Learn Russian with Movies: Russian Phrases You’ll Need (2020, 9 m), featuring clips from Ирония Судьбы ( Irony of Fate, 1975). Also from this channel: Learn Russian with Karlson (2020, 9 m).

Russian prof. Maria Ya. offers a full series, Study Russian with Movies, with titles like ‘Ничего себе’ (colloquial expression) (2019, 6 m), Ведь (super essential word to understand everyday Russian) (2019, 5 m), Что такое? Кто такой/такая/такие? (2019, 5 m), ‘Возиться’ (useful colloquial verb) (2019, 3 m), ‘Да ладно’ (colloquial expression) (2019, 3 m), How to start a conversation? (2019, 4 m), and Keep up a Conversation (2019, 4 m). Also, check out Learn Russian with a Famous Soviet Comedy Movie (2020, 8 m).

Further Viewing

• Top-5 Russian Movies for Listening Practice (Ru-Land Club, 2020, 7 m)
• Soviet Movie Review in Easy Russian (Prosto Russian, 2020, 6 m)
• Russian movies with subtitles (for learning Russian) (Russian With Max, 2019, 14 m)
• Как я учил Русский с помощью фильмами (Ари говорит по-Русски, 2019, 3 m)
• Top 10 Movies for Learning Russian (Russian with Nastya, 2018, 10 m)
• Learn Russian through movies (Nataly Gal, 2018, 7 m); also from this channel: The ways to say ‘I’ve understood’ in Russian (2018, 6 m) and Today, yesterday, tomorrow in Russian (2018, 8 m)
• Russian Songs and Movies for Learners (Be Fluent in Russian, 2017, 5 m)
• Best Russian Movies – Slow Russian listening lesson (Real Russian Club, 2017, 8 m); also see the blog post: Learn Russian By Watching Movies
• Learn Russian grammar with Russian movies Ёлки Genitive case (Victoria Arysheva, 2016, 2 m)

Last updated: 05-12-2020