| Today we head to the shops to master everyday Russian words for buying, browsing and finding great deals! |
Привет, Русский! — Episode Plan
Word of the Day
Transliteration: ku-PIT' English meaning: to buy Example sentence: Я хочу купить книгу. Example translation: I want to buy a book. Think of “cup it” — you cup the money in your hand to buy something! Repeat after me: ku-PIT'... ku-PIT' (slow, then natural speed).
store / shop Мы идём в магазин. — We are going to the store. 💡 Sounds like “magazine” but it’s where you buy things, not read them! |
price Какая цена? — What is the price? 💡 “Say nah” to the high price if it’s too much. |
money У меня есть деньги. — I have money. 💡 “Deng” like “dough” — slang for money in English too. |
to pay Я плачу за хлеб. — I pay for the bread. 💡 “Pla-teet” sounds like “plate it” — you plate up the money to pay. |
discount Есть скидка? — Is there a discount? 💡 “Skid” like sliding the price down! |
bag Возьми сумку. — Take the bag. 💡 “Soom-ka” — zoom your shopping into the bag. |
salesperson Продавец помогает. — The salesperson helps. 💡 “Pro-da-vets” — the pro who vets what you want to buy. |
checkout / cash register Идём к кассе. — Let’s go to the checkout. 💡 “Kassa” like “cash-a” — where you hand over the cash. |
Grammar Spotlight: In Russian, the verb “to buy” changes depending on who is doing the action. This is called conjugation.
- Я покупаю (ya po-ku-PA-yu) — I buy
- Ты покупаешь (ty po-ku-PA-yesh) — you buy
- Он/она покупает (on/o-na po-ku-PA-yet) — he/she buys
Unlike English, where “buy” stays mostly the same, Russian adds endings so the listener knows exactly who is shopping!
Word Origins — Deep Dive: магазин This word started in Arabic as “makhzan,” meaning a storehouse or warehouse, then travelled through Turkish and French before landing in Russian in the 18th century as a place to buy goods. It sounds exactly like the English “magazine,” but while English kept the meaning of a printed publication, Russian kept the older sense of a storage place for things you can purchase. Be careful — it’s a classic false friend! Here’s a memory trick: picture a giant magazine that magically turns into shelves full of toys and snacks — that’s your Russian магазин.
Cultural Corner: In Russia, many people still shop at small neighbourhood shops called “продукты” instead of only big supermarkets. These little stores often stay open late and feel like part of the community, where the seller might know your favourite snacks.
Practice Challenge: For kids: Draw your own little shop on paper, label three items with the new Russian words, and “sell” them to a family member using “Сколько стоит?” (How much does it cost?). For adults: Next time you’re at a store, silently name three things in Russian using today’s words — bonus points if you say the price out loud in your head! | 