How many Russian words to learn

[@keithrobertson6627]

A couple of days ago I was in a coffee shop. In the line up just in front of me were two Russians discussing in Russian what to order. I actually understood some of their conversation based solely on my knowledge of vocabulary not grammar (even though I study grammar diligently). While I know grammar is important it is still vocabulary that must occupy first place in learning a language such as Russian. Keep up the good work Denis!

[@robertheilmeier2671]

+Keith Robertson I couldn´t agree more! As a German when attending the equivalence to a high school in the 80s I had to learn Latin, and after some stumbling steps I happened to become one of the best in my classes in translating latin texts into my mother tongue, and I attribute this proficiency for about 90 % to my having learned, imbibed and regularily repeated my vocabulary. Reading an unknown latin text ifor the first time in exams I could get a basic, rather accurate take on what it was about, at a second reading I started to translate in my mind, while writing it down accurately and in an stylistically improved and embellished version while reading the sentences a third time. Again, mostly just due to my extensive knowledge of the vocabulary AND a very concise, rather small set of lists of conjugation and declinations ( the "grammar part") which I could rattle down as well. I wouldn´t have been able to properly analyize these sentences on strictly grammar terms, but I could get the job done, enjoying the whole process while it happened. Greetings!

[@cap__83]

Russain is a confusing language but I love it and Denis I gotta say you have helped me out epically with your list of word thanks man

[@DenisFedorov]

Always glad to help)!

[@UncleBoom]

Impossible to think that with only 1300 words I could communicate. But hey, I'm not the teacher :) Thanks Denis, your videos are awesome!

[@fndTenorio]

You can communicate, but you'll have trouble understanding content. With 5000 words you can cover about 85% of content.

[@DenisFedorov]

Thanks) Don't forget that when communicating, among other things, people will adjust to you. They will speak simpler and slower, and will also be trying to help you to express yourself.

[@aaronwang9239]

This video really helped me on learning Russian. Thank you a lot:)

[@DenisFedorov]

You're welcome)

[@pedroalvaro7090]

Thank you very much, Denis! I was already going crazy by hearing people saying that one needs around 10.000 words in order to get into a good level. But what you say makes more sense: the 2300 are a safety area, and the 5000 turn you into a boss. I do not believe that many natives of my language know 5000 words. Удачи!

[@DenisFedorov]

Glad it was helpful!

[@capitaopacoca8454]

What is your native language? Your name seems Brazillian like mine. I agree with you.

[@KS51ABCAN]

Excellent presentation. Thank you.

[@xsusannap4658]

thank you so much for your videos! I´m in love with Russian and you have hands down one of the best channels on russian language!

[@DenisFedorov]

Thanks! Pleased to hear that)

[@h2odivr]

Denis, thanks so much for your videos. I just started watching. I am a teacher teaching English in Rostov-on-Don and taking two classes a week at our center, but finding it difficult to keep the pace. In two months we've covered the alphabet, some vocabulary, but then went right into sentences and verb conjugation. I've learned most of my vocabulary while riding the bus, reading signs and using the Google app on my phone to translate. I'm struggling now with verb conjugation because I think it's too soon to be covering that, barely two months into learning. Maybe I'm wrong. But thanks for your videos.

[@DenisFedorov]

You're welcome. As for your language center, I think teachers there are professionals who know what they are doing. Good luck with studying Russian!

[@b.s.palooza3343]

I've actually read that with a vocabulary of the top two thousand most frequently used words in a language, you'd be able to understand (or recognize) 85% of what you read. And this affect diminishes 10 fold with the next thousand words you learn and so on. To understand (or recognize) 90% of what you read you would need a vocabulary of 7,500 words. To understand 95% you would need a vocabulary of 12,500. So yes, while Russians may only use 7,500 words you can be absolutely sure that they have an active and/or passive vocabulary of at least 15 thousand words. I agree with you though, it's not necessary to know so much vocabulary, it depends on your goals.

[@fndTenorio]

For Russian 5000 words covers about 80% to 85% of content. Going to 10000 goes up to 90% if I remember correctly. Source: research with a very large corpus.

[@b.s.palooza3343]

Yes, it's about 5,500 words to have an 85% understanding rate - an understanding rate overall. Sometimes it might be 100% other times 40. It depends on the context. That's why the amount of vocabulary you need to know depends on your goals. Are you hoping to perhaps live and work in Russia someday? Would you just like to be able to have ordinary conversations with natives? Maybe you just want to know enough for a planned visit or trip to the country. The vocabulary required for each situation differs.

[@jeffsnider3588]

Thanks Denis, simple words are good for me.

[@DenisFedorov]

Thanks))

[@gaminggirlgaming1408]

Jeff Snider

[@nikokosminen4085]

You are a very good teacher. These videos answer to so many questions, a beginner like me is wondering! And nice approach.

[@DenisFedorov]

Thanks! Glad to be of help!

[@kashifalikhan5124]

klassni video vam bolshe spasiba

[@DenisFedorov]

My pleasure

[@mya7267]

thank you for your effort and the real way for me to thank you is learning your language

[@DenisFedorov]

Thanks)

[@Krumpr3110]

Спасибо большое Денис. Я из Австралии и изучал Русский там в университете. Сейчас я живу в Москве и надеюсь это будет возможно узнать русский как носителей. Но я знаю этот процесс будет долго и сложно. Спасибо большое. Видео было очень интересно

[@DenisFedorov]

Рад стараться! Удачи с совершенствованием языка.

[@Krumpr3110]

Denis Fedorov спасибо

[@chadbailey7038]

I needed this! СПС

[@saoud2024]

Hello I want to be translator in embassy how many words do I need 7000 or 5000? Thank you so much

[@keithrobertson6627]

Very informative Denis because I've always wondered how many words one would need to be comfortable in the language. Also when starting out what do you think is more important grammar or volcabulary?

[@DenisFedorov]

Thanks) When starting out, the first big goal would be to form a basic speaking skill. That's what grammar does. So, it's more important.

[@drexelmildraff7580]

Great video. Very useful information. Thanks so much for doing it.

[@DenisFedorov]

It’s my pleasure to be of help.

[@Alfy47]

I am chasing now and close to the goal of the first 1300 words and in 2 more years I can reach the 2000 words and this level will be okay for me. I am following your videos where you list the most important nouns and adjectives.

[@b.s.palooza3343]

700 words in 2 years? Have you ever heard of SRS? Spaced repetition system. Using an SRS for just 30-60 minutes a day for 2 years could literally get you a vocabulary up to 12 thousand. There's no need to spend 2 years to learn 700 words. If 700 words is your goal, using an SRS you could learn those 700 words in the next 2 months. Work smart not hard. Look up SRS - Spaced repetition system.

[@Alfy47]

I never heard of that system. Of course I know I could learn a lot ofmore words if I dedicate more time to study russian . Now I dedicate about half an hour daily.

[@b.s.palooza3343]

Don't work harder, work smarter. What I'm telling you is that if you worked smarter (used an SRS) that same half an hour of study a day could get you 10 times the progress. 700 words in 2 months compared to 700 words in 2 years. An SRS is basically a review system that can be used in conjunction with flash cards. Flash cards that you create yourself or substitute for a program like Anki - perhaps you've heard of Anki before. There's plenty of science behind SRS's. The premise of an SRS is that you are recalling not memorizing. Recalling is better than memorizing, if you recall something enough times you never forget it. You do this by memorizing a word once then you test yourself the next day. Can you recall the word? If yes, then you test yourself again in 4 days. Again, can you recall the word? You increase the time interval for the review of said word with each correct recall and if you are not able to recall said word then it goes back to the beginning of the pile. You'll once again try to recall it within one day, then four, etc... That is the basic premise behind an SRS. Basically, you learn a word once then you throw it into the future and try to recall it then (1, 4, 7 days later, etc...) . If you can recall it, you throw it into the future even further and if not then you start over with it. This is how you can learn 30 words a day, 210 a week and 840 in one month with only 30-60 minutes of work a day. By throwing them into the future where you'll try to recall them later on. And what's more, they actually stick. Forever. If you can still recall a word lets say 6 months after you first learned it. This word will never leave your memory. You can learn how to create an SRS, it's easy. Search for it on KZbin or Google. Save yourself 2 years of boring memorization.

[@Alfy47]

Thanks for your interest and for sharing your information. But don't forget that a language is not the adding of some words, It has its structure and its rules of where to place them and how to conjugate them according to the circunstamces. And sometimes it is much better to learn the roots of the language. For example it is more instructive to know that BER means trust and faith so from this you can know or guess the meaning of BEPA, BerHbiI DobepHe yber...etc etc..

[@DenisFedorov]

My two cents. In learning Russian, we develop a beginner's speaking skill (via learning grammar) before we reach 800 words milestone. When trying to start speaking, big vocabulary only confuses us. So, we first teach ourselves to speak straight and simple with a small vocabulary. It's because words are transformable.

[@andosancho]

You are the best man!!!!!!!

[@DenisFedorov]

Thanks)

[@Mrchichnak]

Please want a list of 7000 words PDF or Excel I desperately need it

[@Victorlevov8222]

Download or buy Nicolas j brown Russian learners dictionary.

[@russkimalayu4125]

Denis, I really value your advice. I hope to consult you in my personal efforts to learn Russian Language. Thank you.

[@DenisFedorov]

It's my pleasure)

[@alipharaon1919]

Thank you sir

[@DenisFedorov]

Не за что

[@rgoonewardene380]

Duolingo says I have learned 920 words, but I do not feel I can do more than introduce myself, and read a basic restaurant menu :(

[@alipharaon1919]

Спасибо большое

[@DenisFedorov]

Всегда пожалуйста

[@EvaLou42]

This is confusing… because Russian words have so many different declensions. For example do you count «Работать» as a word and then count all the different forms «Работаю, работаешь, Работает, ect.» as separate words as well? Or do you pretty much only get to count the original form of the word? I would say if you’re counting each form of any given word your vocabulary would have to be much larger in Russian than it would have to be to speak at the same level in English… like 5x larger. 😭🤣😭

[@RantTherapist]

Learn all of them. I have them all on my channel. lol

[@davidcoria9264]

Hi from America. I felt bad that I struggled Russian langugages to learn by myself. I am depressed. I am frustrated. I think Russian is so complicated and difficult languages. I tried to find a Russian friend to help me with Russian but I couldn't find Russian friend somewhere. I have to quit and leave you. Good luck. Take care.

[@gabrik2539]

Could anyone explain me how someone can count and remember how many words knows? Thanks

[@민윤지-u2r]

Зачем я смотрю это хотя живу в России?

[@just_ksiu]

Maria Liddell что это делает у меня в рекомендациях?

[@waqurs4588]

Почти нету русских комментариев... Удивительно 0.0

[@只是約翰紐約市]

Как минимум 5

[@kparag01]

Where can I get that chart?

[@DenisFedorov]

It is not available

[@ВоваСамаркин-ц9у]

Чтож, пора поучить мне русский

[@HellolBuffalol]

Hello Denis. When reading or listening, often peoples names confuse me. Sometimes I cannot tell if it is someones name or a new word. Did you have this problem when learning English?

[@DenisFedorov]

Yes, I do. When listening. When reading, you understand those are names because names begin with a capital letter))

[@HellolBuffalol]

Capitals are easy to spot in books but sometimes reading Cyrillic alphabet on the computer my brain fails to see capitals in the middle of sentences. Probably because my brain is used to seeing a different symbol for capital letters or maybe I'm just not paying attention. My brain will hopefully correct this in the future.

[@ASH-xt8uh]

Michael Turcsik bro, just think about it and do what's right. You have to learn very carefully. Just keep staying until you will be better. Just like learning in English. You can find the easy way and do your best.

[@AnnaCherRussianfromtheHeart]

Probably, the more you get familiar with Russian names, the easier it will get. They take time to get used to :)

[@ASH-xt8uh]

Anna Cher: Russian from the Heart it doesn't matter.

[@Ben-jo1nb]

I can barely remember 20

[@ryan6600]

It takes time don’t worry

[@Клаурил]

Ну ты никогда не можешь знать все слова, потому что новые слова рождаются. Грамматика наверно всегда одна и та же.

[@Goosee357]

кто из не русских поймёт что здесь написано? "ку всем американ мэнам"

[@Gvvxl]

Иностранцы, я надеюсь вы лучше меня не станите шпарить на русском

[@kianseibel2236]

Ернур Сыздык если только не заимеют аналогичный скилл абсорбировать форейнджные ворды и генерить новые для юзания в шпрехании на нашей такой родной русской молве. А это весьма вероятно, тут достаточно поймать кошерную волну и ты - терминатор. Хотя,можешь стать и титаником, кто знает х) собственно, погугли язык Квеля, интересный пример использования большого количества немецкой лексики в русском языке. Я лично обалдел от того насколько это по-русски звучит, но всё равно нифига не понятно О_о Это вставляет. Типа: "Ты анмельднулся? Какой термѝн взял? Морген морген пойду гулять, может шварцёвку нафинду, да и свой бойтель набью, а то на одной социалке не проживёшь. Хоть бы в арбайтсплаттэ нашлось хоть что-нибудь, хоть кауффером пойду, эгаль! А как диплом легитимируется, так сразу гутэ бэссэрун!" Ну или как-то так. Это лучше слышать :)