Happy 180th birthday, Ilya Repin!

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‘The Wind Blew from the Sea’ (Sing with us!)

This song, first performed by singer Natali, was one of the most popular compositions in the late 1990s.
Recorded in 1997, this track became a huge hit in Russia, topped the music charts and sounded as if Russians would be saying “from every iron” and for a long time. This made Natali one of the most popular singers in the country… Though hardly anyone would be able to name another single song by her.

And this song is easy to remember and sing, because many words and verses are repeated there.

Ветер с моря дул, ветер с моря дул,
Нагонял беду, нагонял беду.
И сказал ты мне, и сказал ты мне:
"Больше не приду, больше не приду".

Wind blew from the sea, wind blew from the sea,
It whipped up trouble, it whipped up trouble.
And you told me, and you told me:
“I won’t come anymore, I won’t come anymore”.

CHORUS
Видно не судьба, видно не судьба,
Видно нет любви, видно нет любви,
Видно надо мной, видно надо мной
Посмеялся ты, посмеялся ты.

I guess it's not fate, I guess it's not fate,
I guess there's no love, I guess there's no love,
I guess that you, I guess that you,
Just laughed at me, just laughed at me.


Я тебя люблю, я тебя люблю,
Честно говорю, честно говорю.
Ведь ты знаешь сам, ведь ты знаешь сам,
Как тебя я жду, как тебя я жду.

I love you, I love you,
I honestly tell you, I honestly tell you.
And you know for sure, and you know for sure,
How much I’m waiting for you, how much I’m waiting for you.

CHORUS again TWO times

Времена пройдут, времена пройдут,
Годы пролетят, годы пролетят.
Первую любовь, первую любовь
Не вернёшь назад, не вернёшь назад.

Times will pass, times will pass,
Years will fly by, years will fly by.
The first love, the first love,
You can’t bring back, you can’t bring back.

CHORUS again several times

📷 Kira Lisitskaya

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Russian picture dictionary: Family

Learning a language is always easier when you can visualize the words. Here’s a picture that will help you memorize words devoted to the topic of ‘family’!

FAMILY (СЕМЬЯ)

Мама – mom (mother)

Папа – dad (father)

Собака – dog

Кошка – cat

Дедушка – grandfather

Бабушка – grandmother

Дочь (внучка) – daughter (granddaughter)

Сын (внук) – son (grandson)

Диван – couch

Телевизор – television

Пылесос – vacuum cleaner

📷 Alexandra Koroleva

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Question time!

What are your favorite three Russian books?

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What is the meaning of expression “gol na vydumki hitra”?

Голь на выдумки хитра

It seems that this expression is connected with some naked people, but this is only partially true. Let's break it down.

In Peter Vyazemsky's ‘Old Notebook’ there is mention of a certain ‘barin’ (gentleman), who wanted to get rich. Having obtained documents that allowed him to take horses at stations, he would go to a rich, but remote from the main roads, village and demand to be given horses for the next leg of the journey. Or pay an equivalent amount of money. As a rule, there were no horses, so, having received the money, the gentleman would move on to the next village. “It is said that the bounty is a tricky one,” the author noted - gol na vydumki hitra.

And in Vladimir Dahl's dictionary, the expression “hitra gol na vydumki” is accompanied by a commentary: “...about the Germans who came by.” This is what they called the settlers, who came to Russia and, in a new place with great ingenuity, started a new life, set up a household and farm. Without having huge capital, they achieved a lot.

Since then, the meaning of this expression has not changed: it implies that a person, even in difficult circumstances (ie. awkwardness, for instance), acts with great ingenuity. The English equivalent would be: “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

Credit: Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: UC Santa Cruz University Library)

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How Russian soldiers staged an ‘Attack of the Dead’ against the Germans

This incredible incident occurred on August 6, 1915, during the German siege of the Russian fortress of Osowiec. The enemy then used poison gas against the garrison, against which Russian gas masks were powerless.

When the German infantry approached the forward fortifications, they hoped to see a pile of corpses. But instead, real horror awaited the Germans.

Dozens of exhausted Russian soldiers in filthy rags, puking blood and wheezing terribly, moved towards the enemy. It seemed that they had died and risen from the dead to go on their last attack.

In 1915, the ‘Pskov Life’ newspaper published the memoirs of one of the participants in the defense of Osowiec:

"I cannot describe the exasperation and frenzy with which our soldiers marched on the German prisoners. Heavy rifle and machine gun fire, densely exploding shrapnel could not stop the onslaught of enraged soldiers".

The remnants of the 13th company, about 60 men in total, took part in the ‘Attack of the Dead’. Under their onslaught, the stunned enemy began to retreat until it fled in panic. The Russian reserves that arrived eliminated the gap in the defensive positions.

During the battle, 'Podporuchik' (Second Lieutenant) Vladimir Kotlinsky, who led the attack, and a number of officers were killed. The losses among the soldiers remain unknown.

Despite the heroism of the garrison, the fortress soon had to be abandoned. On August 25, 1915, the German army fully occupied Osowiec.

Credit: Vasily Nesterenko

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Backyard football in a Dagestan village

Video by: https://www.instagram.com/bekeeev

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