Week 65, Lesson 129, Monday
Choose ты or вы
Choosing ты or вы is the first decision in any Russian conversation. B1 asks you to make it confidently, and to know how Russians agree to switch.
1Recap 5 minutes
Three questions from Month 16, before anything new.
2Goal 1 minute
I can choose ты or вы, address people correctly and agree to switch to ты.
3The lesson 20 minutes
In this lesson
- ты or вы
- Switching to ты
ты or вы
Three ways to address someone.
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Извини́те, вы не зна́ете, где метро́? | Excuse me, do you know where the metro is? |
| Ма́ша, ты придёшь? | Masha, are you coming? |
| Ива́н Петро́вич, вы свобо́дны? | Ivan Petrovich, are you free? |
вы: strangers, older people, colleagues, officials. ты: friends, family, children. In formal letters, Вы has a capital.
Switching to ты
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Дава́йте перейдём на ты. | Let's switch to ты. |
| Дава́й на ты? | Shall we use ты? |
| Разреши́те предста́виться. | Allow me to introduce myself. |
4Listen and say 5 minutes
Sound of the lesson: Здра́вствуйте
Здра́вствуйте: the first в is silent, ZDRAST-vuy-tye.
- Здра́вствуйте [ZDRAST-vuy-tye] Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
- о́тчество [OT-chist-va] Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
5Phrases and words 5 minutes
Phrases to learn whole
Learn each one as a single unit, the way you would learn a word. They come back in your Daily 10.
- Извини́те, вы не зна́ете …?Excuse me, do you know …?
- Дава́йте перейдём на ты.Let's switch to ты.
- Разреши́те предста́виться.Allow me to introduce myself.
Words to read aloud
Read each one aloud, then open it to check.
ты и́ли вы
informal or formal you
обраще́ние
form of address
Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)по и́мени и о́тчеству
by name and patronymic
Дава́йте перейдём на ты.
Let's switch to ты.
Разреши́те предста́виться.
Allow me to introduce myself.
Здра́вствуйте! / Приве́т!
Hello (formal / informal)
Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)6Class exercises 15 minutes
Checked instantly. Get one wrong and you can try it again.
Role-play
Take one card each. Swap roles for a second round.
You
- Introduce yourself formally at work, then agree to switch to ты.
Екатери́на
- Play a new colleague, older than you.
7Your turn 5 minutes
Write how you'd ask a stranger and a friend the same question.
See a model answer
Извини́те, вы не зна́ете, где метро́? — Ма́ша, ты не зна́ешь, где метро́?
Saved as you type. It goes to Екатери́на together with Homework 129.
8Mini questionnaire required, 80% to pass
9Feedback 5 minutes
10Check your goal 1 minute
I can choose ты or вы, address people correctly and agree to switch to ты.
Can you do this now? Be honest: the answer decides your next step.
11Homework
Homework 129 on Tuesday: ты or вы.
I can choose ты or вы, address people correctly and agree to switch to ты.