Common Russian Grammar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Why Russian Grammar Can Be Tricky (But Not Impossible!)
If you’ve ever attempted to learn Russian, you’ve probably encountered its infamous grammar. From the complexities of noun cases to the seemingly endless verb aspects, Russian grammar can feel like a puzzle where every piece is a new challenge. But don’t worry—you’re not alone! Even advanced learners and native speakers make mistakes.
Imagine this: You confidently walk into a Russian bakery in Oakland and say, “Я хочу три хлеб” (Ya khochu tri khleb—“I want three bread”). The cashier gives you a puzzled look. What went wrong? Well, in Russian, nouns change depending on numbers, and хлеб (bread) should be in the genitive singular, not the nominative. The correct phrase would be “Я хочу три буханки хлеба” (Ya khochu tri bukhanki khleba—“I want three loaves of bread”).
These small but significant grammar rules can trip up learners at any level. At Polyglottist Language Academy, we see these common mistakes all the time, which is why we’ve compiled a list of the most frequent errors Russian learners make—and, more importantly, how to fix them. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced learner, mastering these tricky grammar points will help you speak Russian more fluently and confidently.
1. Mixing Up Russian Cases
Russian is an inflected language, which means that nouns, pronouns, and adjectives change depending on their role in a sentence. This is one of the biggest hurdles for learners.
Common Mistake: Using the Nominative Case Instead of the Genitive
❌ Я вижу моя мама. (Ya vizhu moya mama.—Incorrect: “I see my mom.”)
✅ Я вижу мою маму. (Ya vizhu moyu mamu.—Correct: “I see my mom.”)
Why? The verb видеть (to see) requires the accusative case, so мама (mom) changes to маму.
How to Avoid This Mistake:
Learn which verbs require the accusative case (вижу, слышу, люблю—see, hear, love, etc.).
Practice with simple sentences and gradually introduce more complex structures.
2. Struggling with Verb Aspects
Russian verbs have two aspects: perfective (for completed actions) and imperfective (for ongoing or habitual actions).
Common Mistake: Using the Wrong Verb Aspect
❌ Я буду читать эту книгу завтра. (Ya budu chitat’ etu knigu zavtra.—Incorrect: “I will read this book tomorrow.”)
✅ Я прочитаю эту книгу завтра. (Ya prochitayu etu knigu zavtra.—Correct: “I will finish reading this book tomorrow.”)
Why? The verb читать (to read) is imperfective, which implies an ongoing action. But since the sentence implies completion, we need the perfective form (прочитаю).
How to Avoid This Mistake:
Use imperfective verbs for habits or continuous actions.
Use perfective verbs when emphasizing completion.
Pair the perfective aspect with words like завтра (tomorrow) or через час (in an hour) to indicate a completed action.
3. Confusing Prepositions That Change Meaning
Some prepositions in Russian look similar but have very different meanings depending on the case they require.
Common Mistake: Using "В" Instead of "На"
❌ Я живу в улице. (Ya zhivu v ulitse.—Incorrect: “I live in the street.”)
✅ Я живу на улице. (Ya zhivu na ulitse.—Correct: “I live on the street.”)
Why? The preposition в (in) is used for enclosed spaces, while на (on) is for open locations.
How to Avoid This Mistake:
Memorize common preposition + case combinations (e.g., в доме—“in the house,” на пляже—“on the beach”).
Use в for things you are inside and на for things on a surface.
4. Forgetting Gender Agreement in Adjectives
In Russian, adjectives must agree with the noun’s gender, number, and case.
Common Mistake: Mismatching Adjectives and Nouns
❌ Это красивый девушка. (Eto krasivyy devushka.—Incorrect: “This is a beautiful girl.”)
✅ Это красивая девушка. (Eto krasivaya devushka.—Correct: “This is a beautiful girl.”)
Why? Девушка (girl) is feminine, so the adjective should be красивая, not красивый (which is masculine).
How to Avoid This Mistake:
Learn the common adjective endings for each gender (-ый/-ой for masculine, -ая for feminine, -ое for neuter).
Pay attention to the case endings in full sentences.
5. Overusing "Это" Instead of "Он/Она/Оно"
Many learners default to это when referring to a specific person or object.
Common Mistake:
❌ Это мой друг. Он красивый. (Eto moy drug. Eto krasivyy.—Incorrect: “This is my friend. This is handsome.”)
✅ Это мой друг. Он красивый. (Eto moy drug. On krasivyy.—Correct: “This is my friend. He is handsome.”)
Why? Это means "this" (as in an introduction), but once the subject is clear, you must use the correct pronoun (он/она/оно).
How to Avoid This Mistake:
Use это only when introducing a new noun.
Switch to он/она/оно in follow-up descriptions.
Final Thoughts
Making mistakes is a natural part of learning any language. The key is to recognize them and actively work on improving. At Polyglottist Language Academy, we help students refine their Russian grammar through small, personalized classes in Oakland and online. Ready to take your Russian to the next level? Sign up today!
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Keep learning, keep improving, and keep speaking Russian with confidence!