Stop someone politely
Извини́те, вы не зна́ете, где …? The не makes it softer, like English «you wouldn't happen to know…».
Спроси́ть доро́гу Asking the way
Unit 5 of 12 · A1. How to do it, ask and answer, listen first, speak, write, checkpoint: about 40 minutes.
By the end of this unit you can
- stop someone politely and ask where something is
- understand simple directions
- check that I understood by repeating them
How to do it
Four habits of a good conversation in this situation. Read them first; they come back in every part below.
Four direction words
пря́мо, нале́во, напра́во, ря́дом. With them and далеко́ you understand most answers.
Repeat it back
Зна́чит, пря́мо и пото́м нале́во? It costs nothing and saves a wrong turn.
Ask how far
Э́то далеко́? Ско́лько мину́т пешко́м? Then decide: on foot, or на метро́.
Ask and answer
Questions you will hear or ask, with a natural answer. Read each pair aloud; the listen button says it with your device's Russian voice.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
Извини́те, где здесь метро́? Excuse me, where is the metro? | Иди́те пря́мо, пото́м нале́во. Go straight on, then left. |
Э́то далеко́? Is it far? | Нет, пять мину́т пешко́м. No, five minutes on foot. |
Вы не зна́ете, где апте́ка? Do you know where a pharmacy is? | Апте́ка за угло́м, спра́ва. The pharmacy is round the corner, on the right. |
Как дое́хать до це́нтра? How do I get to the centre? | На метро́, до ста́нции «Театра́льная». By metro, to Teatralnaya station. |
Зна́чит, пря́мо и нале́во? So straight on and left? | Да, пра́вильно. Yes, that's right. |
Како́й авто́бус идёт на вокза́л? Which bus goes to the station? | Два́дцать пе́рвый. Number 21. |
Где остано́вка? Where is the stop? | Напро́тив, че́рез доро́гу. Opposite, across the road. |
Спаси́бо большо́е! Thank you very much! | Не́ за что! You're welcome! |
Я заблуди́лся. I'm lost. (a man) | Куда́ вам ну́жно? Where do you need to go? |
Listen first
Hide the text, play the lines with the listen buttons and answer the questions. Then show the text and read the dialogue aloud.
| Марк | Извини́те, вы не зна́ете, где здесь метро́? |
| Прохо́жий | Зна́ю. Иди́те пря́мо, пото́м нале́во, и уви́дите. |
| Марк | Э́то далеко́? |
| Прохо́жий | Нет, мину́т пять пешко́м. |
| Марк | Зна́чит, пря́мо и пото́м нале́во? |
| Прохо́жий | Да, пра́вильно. Ря́дом с апте́кой. |
| Марк | Спаси́бо большо́е! |
| Прохо́жий | Не́ за что. Уда́чи! |
Did you understand?
Speak
Shadow it: play one line, pause, say it back at the same speed; then take the other part. Role-play: say your three moves aloud, in Russian, before you read any model.
You are lost near the centre and need the station.
- Stop someone politely and ask the way.
- Ask how far it is.
- Repeat the directions back and thank them.
A tourist asks you where the nearest pharmacy is.
- Give two directions.
- Say how long it takes on foot.
- Add a landmark: ря́дом с …
Record and compare. Record yourself saying your part, listen back, and compare with the model lines above.
Nothing is uploaded: the recording stays on this device until you leave the page.
Write
Write the conversation: you ask a passer-by how to get to the museum; they explain; you check and thank them. Six lines.
A model dialogue
— Извини́те, вы не зна́ете, как дойти́ до музе́я?
— Зна́ю. Иди́те пря́мо до па́рка, пото́м напра́во.
— Э́то далеко́?
— Мину́т де́сять пешко́м.
— Зна́чит, до па́рка и напра́во?
— Да, пра́вильно. — Спаси́бо большо́е!
Checkpoint
Be honest: Almost and Not yet send you back to the right part, and the unit counts as done only when you say so.
I can stop someone politely and ask where something is.
I can understand simple directions.
I can check that I understood by repeating them.