First Post (Goals and Abilities)

What are my goals?  What do I want to be able to do in Russian?  Where do I want to be able to use Russian?  Who do I want to speak to in Russian?


My Goals (At this time)
1. I want to be able to have a conversation with Helen's family.
2. I want to be able to purchase food from the Russian market near my apartment.
3. I want to be able to read the short stories of Anton Chekov in Russian.

Which goals can I achieve this week?
None of my goals can be achieved immediately.  What can I do to work toward these goals?

Who can help me? 
        I will need to ask Helen.  Google Translate is helpful. But it isn't always accurate.

1. I want to be able to have a conversation with Helen’s family.

• I can say “hello” (Привет) and “goodbye” (пока). I speak informally with Helen's family.  I know there is a difference between formal and informal writing.
• I can ask “How are you?” (как дела?)

Helen and I usually visit her family on holidays, for big dinners.  

• I will learn the question “Can I help you with anything?” (Могу ли я помочь вам с чем-либо?)
• I will learn noun vocabulary related to dinner: 

plate (тарелка)
fork 
knife 
spoon 
table 
chair 
cup 
wine (вино)
beer (пиво)

• I will need to ask Helen these words. Words like plate and fork have many meanings.

I don’t know the names for all Russian food.  But I can ask her family.  

• I will need to learn theses questions: “What is this called?” (Что же это называется?) “How do you say _____ in Russian?” (Как сказать _____ на русском языке?)
• I can say: “I don’t understand.” (Не понимаю.)
• I will learn: “Can you repeat that?” (Можете ли вы повторить?)

2.  I want to be able to purchase food from the Russian market near my apartment.

• I will need to learn the question: “How much is this?” (Сколько это стоит?)
• I can say: "What is this?" (Что это?)
• I will need to learn many numbers to understand prices: 1-100. I will try to learn 1-10 this week.
• I want to be able to say: “I am learning Russian.  I only know a little bit.”

3. I want to be able to read the short stories of Anton Chekhov in Russian.

This will be very difficult.  This will take several years before I can do this.  

What do I need to be able to do before I can read a story in Russian?  

• I can read Russian letters.  But I still need to sound every letter out. My reading is not fluent.
• I will need a lot of vocabulary.  
• I will try to find Russian stories for children.