{"id":63940,"date":"2016-05-03T07:10:11","date_gmt":"2016-05-03T11:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/learn-russian-with-music\/"},"modified":"2025-02-02T07:15:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-02T12:15:15","slug":"learn-russian-with-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/russian\/learn-russian-with-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn Russian with Music: 15 Easy Songs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether you’re listening to the radio<\/a> or putting together a list of Russian audio resources<\/a>, music is one of the best ways to learn a language quickly<\/a>. In fact, listening to easy Russian songs really helps to improve your listening skills<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Check out our selection below. Just note that translations of lyrics can vary\u2014some are literal while others take a more artful approach. And since some of these songs have multiple versions, there may also be variations between the videos and lyrics linked below.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. “\u041a\u0430\u0442\u044e\u0448\u0430” (“Katyusha”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This folk song rose to fame during World War II. It tells the sad story of a young woman waiting for her lover who is away at war. The first couple verses are in the past tense, so it’s a great way to practice your conjugations.<\/p>\n

You may also want to review the\u00a0lyrics<\/a>\u00a0on their own.<\/p>\n

2. “\u0427\u0435\u0431\u0443\u0440\u0430\u0448\u043a\u0430” (“Cheburashka”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This is the theme song from the popular Soviet-era cartoon “Cheburashka.” If you’re not yet familiar with “Cheburashka,” prepare to say “aw…” That’s right: “Cheburashka” is downright adorable. So adorable that this peculiar little animal “unknown to science,” who ends up as a toy in a store, has even become popular outside of Russia (particularly in Japan).<\/p>\n

The lyrics<\/a> rhyme and are quite easy and enjoyable to learn. Plus, you’ll never forget how to say, “Now I’m Cheburashka.” I’m sure this must be a valuable conversational tool in some situations.<\/p>\n

3. “\u041f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u044c \u0431\u0435\u0433\u0443\u0442 \u043d\u0435\u0443\u043a\u043b\u044e\u0436\u0435” (“Gena’s Birthday Song”)\u00a0<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This is another classic song from the “Cheburashka” series. People still frequently sing it on birthdays. While it will help you learn the phrase “Happy birthday,” learning the lyrics<\/a> will also help prepare you in case you ever\u00a0find yourself at a Russian birthday party.<\/p>\n

4. “\u0427\u0451\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d” (“Black Raven”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This Cossack folk song is about a black raven circling overhead as a soldier\u00a0is dying. You’ll never forget the word for “black” again. Also, the song is primarily in the past tense, so it’s a helpful way to practice your conjugations.<\/p>\n

The Russian lyrics vary a little between versions: You can look at some alternate\u00a0lyrics\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

5. “\u0412\u044b\u0448\u0435” (“Higher”)\u00a0<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

Listening to this song by \u041d\u042e\u0428\u0410 (Nyusha) is a great way to learn Russian because it’s energetic without being as fast as a lot of pop music.<\/p>\n

Nyusha is a popular Russian singer-songwriter. Much of the lyrics<\/a> are in the future tense; this will help with your conjugations. The phrase “I want” is also frequently repeated, so you’ll have no trouble remembering it.<\/p>\n

6. “\u042f \u0441\u043e\u0448\u043b\u0430 \u0441 \u0443\u043c\u0430” (“All the Things She Said”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This song is by \u0422\u0430\u0442\u0443 (t.A.T.u.), one of the few Russian groups to experience a good deal of success in the US. This song was one of their big hits. Granted, its popularity overseas was partially due to the video’s controversial kiss between the two girls in the group. It’s an entertaining song, and its extremely repetitive lyrics are easy to learn.<\/p>\n

You can even listen to the\u00a0English<\/a>\u00a0version to compare the lyrics<\/a> (which, be warned, are very different).<\/p>\n

7. “\u0425\u043e\u0447\u0435\u0448\u044c” (“Do You Want?”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This song by popular rock musician \u0417\u0435\u043c\u0444\u0438\u0440\u0430 (Zemfira) is great for anyone who wants to study Russian with song lyrics<\/a> alongside some cool guitar riffs. It will certainly help you learn the phrase “Do you want…?” and the lyrics are repetitive, so you’ll have lots of opportunities to reinforce what you just learned without having to pause the song.<\/p>\n

8. “\u041c\u0438\u043b\u0430\u044f” (“Darling”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This song by the Pop duo \u041d\u0435\u043f\u0430\u0440\u0430 (Nepara) is very romantic. “Darling” is pretty slow-moving, which will make it easy to catch the lyrics, included in the link above. Plus, if you’re looking for a good Russian term of endearment, this song hands it to you on a silver platter.<\/p>\n

9. “\u041a\u0430\u043b\u0438\u043d\u043a\u0430” (“Kalinka”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This is a famous Russian folk song, probably the best-known Russian song around the world, written by composer and folklorist Ivan Larionov in 1860. This upbeat old folk tune will have you tapping your feet.<\/p>\n

While the lyrics<\/a>\u00a0may not teach a ton of valuable vocabulary for everyday use (unless you really need to know the Russian word for a type of berry), you’ll certainly learn the verb for “to sleep.” It’s also a fun way to practice the different sounds of the language.<\/p>\n

10. “\u041c\u043e\u0451 \u0441\u0435\u0440\u0434\u0446\u0435”\u00a0(“My Heart”)\u00a0<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This is a pop\/rock song by the Russian group \u041a\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0439 (Kit-i). The lyrics<\/a> to this song go by slowly, so you’ll be able to pick up every “my heart” and “I know you love me.” Bonus social tip: While this last phrase is a great thing to know how to say in Russian, you might not want to go around just telling people that.<\/p>\n

11. “\u0427\u0442\u043e \u0442\u0430\u043a\u043e\u0435 \u043e\u0441\u0435\u043d\u044c” (“What Is Autumn”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

The lyrics of this song, by Yuri Shevchuk, the lead singer and original member of the popular Russian rock band \u0414\u0414\u0422 (DDT),\u00a0bring to life the epitome of a real Russian autumn.<\/p>\n

The song provides an opportunity to learn vocabulary to describe seasons and weather, as the singer describes a cloudy fall sky, rainwater, puddles, wind and falling leaves.<\/p>\n

12. “\u041e\u0439, \u0434\u0430 \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440” (“Oh, It\u2019s Not Evening Yet”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

Pelageya, a Russian folk singer, shares a bit of Russian history when she sings about Stepan (Stenka) Razin, a Cossack leader who was responsible for an uprising against the royalty and nobility in Southern Russia in the late 1600s.<\/p>\n

The song describes a dream that Razin had in which he envisioned his own death. The lyrics offer a great opportunity to observe word tenses in Russian. After listening to the words sung in Russian, read the lyrics\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

13. “\u0412 \u043b\u0435\u0441\u0443 \u0440\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c \u0451\u043b\u043e\u0447\u043a\u0430” (“A Pine Tree Was Born in the Woods”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

\u201c\u0412 \u043b\u0435\u0441\u0443 \u0440\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c \u0451\u043b\u043e\u0447\u043a\u0430\u201d is an easy song to understand and sing along to because it\u2019s slow and the words are sung very clearly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This song is a favorite among\u00a0Russian children to sing during the Russian New Year! A big part of learning about a country\u2019s culture is being familiar with the holidays, and there\u2019s no bigger holiday in Russian than this one!<\/p>\n

You might be surprised that the New Year is celebrated\u00a0in a very similar way to American Christmas<\/a>.\u00a0Families decorate pine trees and a Santa Claus-type figure (called Grandpa Frost) leaves presents under the tree at midnight.<\/p>\n

The interesting distinction is that the Russian New Year is a secular holiday, and an Orthodox Russian Christmas is celebrated on another day.<\/p>\n

14. “M\u0430\u043c\u0430 \u2014 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u043e\u0435 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u043e” (“Mama is the First Word”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

When learning Russian, it\u2019s fitting to hear a song about most children\u2019s first word in many languages\u2014mama. This song is performed by the children\u2019s music group \u041d\u0435\u043f\u043e\u0441\u0435\u0434\u044b (Neposedi), which refers to fidgety children not able to sit still.<\/p>\n

The song is very easy to follow, as the lyrics are sung slowly and clearly. Read the accompanying English translation to learn the Russian words, while listening to their pronunciation.<\/p>\n

15. “\u041a\u0443\u0434\u0430 \u0443\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0442 \u0434\u0435\u0442\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e” (“Where Does Childhood Go?”)<\/h2>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not possible to discuss Russian songs without an honorable mention of the most famous Russian singer of all time, \u0410\u043b\u043b\u0430 \u041f\u0443\u0433\u0430\u0447\u0435\u0432\u0430 (Alla Pugacheva).<\/p>\n

In this hit from 1977, Pugacheva reminisces about the joys of childhood and the sentimental feelings of remembering your younger years as you grow older.<\/p>\n

As it talks about trying to find your childhood, this song actually provides helpful vocabulary to use in conversation should you need help in finding a location in a Russian-speaking country. Great examples are\u00a0\u043d\u0430\u0439\u0442\u0438 (find),\u00a0\u043f\u043e\u043f\u0430\u0441\u0442\u044c (get there) and\u00a0\u0437\u0434\u0435\u0441\u044c (here).<\/p>\n

Why Learn Russian with Songs?<\/h2>\n