Russian: Level 1 Online UVIC Course – January 2026 (Thursdays)

– REGISTER BY JANUARY 11 –

Start your journey with beginner Russian, and learn the foundations of the Russian language in a fun, engaging, and practical online course. This course covers essential topics such as the Cyrillic alphabet, pronunciation, Russian grammar, intonation, formal and informal communication styles, vocabulary, sentence formation, and asking questions.

Classes are taught live with an experienced instructor, so you get real-time feedback, support, and plenty of speaking practice.

Through a communicative approach, you will actively practice the four key language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Russian. Classes include interactive activities, videos, and insights into Russian culture, making your learning experience dynamic and immersive.

Learning objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Recite the Cyrillic alphabet and read basic Russian words
• Understand Russian phonetics: voiced/voiceless, hard/soft consonants, and vowel reduction
• Apply correct word stress and use the 4 main types of Russian intonation
• Recognize the difference between cursive and printed writing
• Form simple statements and questions using кто and что
• Understand Russian noun gender (feminine, masculine, neuter) and singular/plural forms
• Use formal and informal greetings (ты and вы)
• Introduce yourself: name, surname, occupation, origin, current city, friends, and family
• Ask about someone’s name, occupation, and origin
• Count from 0–100 and read phone numbers, postal codes, and addresses
• Name days of the week, months, dates, and time
• Form basic negative sentences
• Answer questions about languages you speak
• Conjugate key verbs: быть, говорить, работать, жить, читать

And of course — you will learn to read a text in Russian!

Perfect for beginners, online Russian learners, students preparing for travel in Russia, or anyone wanting to build a strong foundation in conversational Russian.