Oops! 10 Funny Mistakes New Russian Learners Make
Learning a new language always comes with surprises and in Russian, some of those surprises are just plain funny! Kids make little mix-ups all the time, and that’s okay. Every giggle is a step closer to fluency.
Why Mistakes Are Great for Learning
Making mistakes means you’re trying and every time a child says a word a little “off,” they’re actually building their skills. Russian has tricky letters, tongue-twisting sounds, and lots of look-alike words.
Here are 10 common and funny mistakes beginner Russian learners make:
- Mixing up да (da – yes) and нет (nyet – no)
- Saying папа (papa – dad) instead of папка (papka – folder)
- Stressing the wrong syllable (like saying MOloko instead of moloKO)
- Confusing лук (luk – onion) with лук (luk – bow) — same spelling, different meanings!
- Repeating “Я есть” (Ya yest’) which sounds like “I eat” but isn’t needed in simple sentences
- Using “спасибо” (spasibo – thank you) when they mean “пожалуйста” (pozhaluysta – please)
- Pronouncing р like English R instead of the rolled Russian р
- Forgetting to soften letters when needed, like н vs. нь
- Translating phrases word-for-word from English (like “I have 6 years” instead of “Мне 6 лет”)
- Accidentally saying баба (baba – old woman) instead of бабушка (babushka – grandma)
With Dinolingo, kids can learn Russian in a safe, playful way that corrects mistakes through songs, games, and real-time examples.
Creative Activities to Try
Giggle & Guess Game
Read out funny Russian mistakes and have your child guess the correct word. Laughing helps memory!
Say It Right Challenge
Pick a tricky Russian word and take turns saying it. Whoever gets closest wins a star!
Every mistake is a step forward. Russian is a fun adventure and the best stories often come from a few funny flubs.
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