Top 10 Mistakes English Speakers Make in Russian (And How to Avoid Them)

---

Learning Russian as an English speaker can feel like stepping into a linguistic labyrinth. With its unfamiliar alphabet, complex grammar, and subtle pronunciation rules, Russian presents unique challenges—but also incredible rewards. In this post, we’ll uncover the top 10 mistakes English speakers make in Russian when learning and offer practical tips to overcome them.

Whether you're a beginner or brushing up your skills, this guide will help you sound more natural and confident in Russian.

1. ❌ Translating Word-for-Word from English

Mistake: Saying “Я имею 25 лет” to mean “I am 25 years old.”

Why it’s wrong: Russian doesn’t use “to be” for age. Instead, it uses the verb “иметь” (to have) differently.

Correct version: “Мне 25 лет” (Literally: “To me, 25 years.”)

Tip: Learn Russian expressions as chunks, not individual words.

2. ❌ Ignoring Cases

Mistake: Using nouns without changing their endings.

Why it’s wrong: Russian has six grammatical cases that change word endings based on their role in the sentence.

Example: “Я вижу собака” should be “Я вижу собаку” (Accusative case).

Tip: Start with the Accusative and Genitive cases—they’re the most commonly used.

3. ❌ Misusing Verbs of Motion

Mistake: Confusing “идти” (to go on foot) with “ехать” (to go by vehicle).

Why it’s wrong: Russian verbs of motion are highly specific.

Example: “Я еду в школу” (I’m going to school by bus) vs. “Я иду в школу” (I’m walking to school).

Tip: Learn verbs of motion in pairs and practice with real-life scenarios.

4. ❌ Overusing “Я” (I)

Mistake: Starting every sentence with “Я” like in English.

Why it’s wrong: Russian often omits the subject when it’s obvious.

Example: Instead of “Я думаю, что…”, you can say “Думаю, что…”.

Tip: Listen to native speakers and mimic their sentence structure.

5. ❌ Mispronouncing Hard and Soft Consonants

Mistake: Saying “мать” (mother) like “мат” (a swear word!).

Why it’s wrong: Russian has hard and soft consonants that change word meaning.

Tip: Practice with minimal pairs and use audio tools to fine-tune your pronunciation.

6. ❌ Forgetting Aspect in Verbs

Mistake: Using “писать” (to write) when you mean “написать” (to finish writing).

Why it’s wrong: Russian verbs have perfective and imperfective aspects.

Tip: Think of aspect as “process vs. result.” Learn both forms together.

7. ❌ Confusing Gender in Nouns

Mistake: Saying “мой книга” instead of “моя книга.”

Why it’s wrong: Russian nouns have gender, and adjectives/pronouns must agree.

Tip: Memorize the gender when you learn a new noun. Use color-coded flashcards!

8. ❌ Using the Wrong Prepositions

Mistake: Saying “в понедельник вечером” (on Monday evening) as “на понедельник вечером.”

Why it’s wrong: Russian prepositions are tied to cases and context.

Tip: Learn prepositions with example phrases, not in isolation.

9. ❌ Overusing “очень” (very)

Mistake: Saying “очень хороший” for everything.

Why it’s wrong: It sounds repetitive and unnatural.

Tip: Use synonyms like “прекрасный,” “замечательный,” “великолепный.”

10. ❌ Not Stressing the Right Syllable

Mistake: Saying “замок” (castle) like “замо́к” (lock).

Why it’s wrong: Stress in Russian changes meaning entirely.

Tip: Always learn the correct stress when you learn a new word. Use dictionaries that show stress marks.

🧠 Final Thoughts

Making mistakes is part of learning—but knowing what to watch out for can fast-track your fluency. At Rusophia, we specialize in helping English speakers master Russian through personalized tutoring, interactive lessons, and real-life practice.

Ready to level up your Russian?👉 Book a free trial lesson or explore our online courses!