[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n
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Do Russians Make Small Talk?<\/h2>\n
Americans are often surprised by the cultural differences around small talk in Russia vs. the U.S. In America, we often use small talk to approach a stranger or to test the waters before delving into more serious discussions.<\/p>\n
However, Russians aren’t as prone to making small talk with strangers. They’re often slower to warm to someone and may even seem unapproachable to foreigners.<\/strong> In fact, Russian doesn’t even have a word for small talk, the closest is “\u0431\u043e\u043b\u0442\u043e\u0432\u043d\u044f,” which is more like “chatter” or “\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440” which literally means “social conversation”<\/p>\n I personally experienced this on a recent trip to Latvia, which was once part of the former Soviet Union and a country where Russian is still predominantly spoken because a large population of residents are of Russian descent. During dinner, I complained to my family members about how unfriendly the locals seemed, and how I wasn’t able to strike up typical conversations with strangers on public transportation or in stores as I do in the U.S.<\/p>\n My Latvian relatives explained that they actually found Americans to be too<\/em> friendly and thought it strange that they smile so much and are so open. They explained that Russians aren’t as used to conversing with strangers.<\/p>\n Once I realized that Russians aren’t into small talk, I just took more time to form relationships or started with asking questions from people I wanted to get to know better.\u00a0I found that although they weren’t prone to speak to me at first, once they got to know me just a little, Russian-speaking strangers became much more open. Some of them even ended up inviting me over to their houses or volunteered to show me parts of their beautiful country.<\/p>\n The fact that Russians aren’t as prone to small talk as Americans shouldn’t deter you from trying. Just be aware of these cultural differences and adapt like I did.\u00a0<\/p>\n Most of the information for Russian speakers about small talk is in teaching them how to make small talk in English, especially which topics are “safe for conversation” in business situations. Reading these Russian-language resources for making small talk is a great way to learn more about the way the culture approaches the idea of having these “social conversations.”<\/p>\n I found these resources to be particularly helpful in learning about small talk in Russian:\u00a0<\/p>\n \r\nFluentU lets you turn authentic media into personalized language lessons, so you can learn Russian exactly the way native speakers use it.<\/a><\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\tWith FluentU\u2019s Chrome extension, you can use our interactive learning tools with any subtitled content on YouTube or Netflix<\/strong>. You can even import your favorite YouTube videos directly into your FluentU account for customized learning!<\/p>\r\n \r\nFluentU also gives you access to a huge library of real-world Russian videos<\/strong>\u2014movie trailers, news clips, music videos, and more\u2014all organized by topic and level.\r\n<\/p> \r\n \r\nNo more stopping to look up words or struggling to keep up with fast speech. While you watch, FluentU\u2019s interactive captions<\/strong> let you tap on any word for an instant definition, audio, image, and example sentences.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\nWorried you\u2019ll forget all those new words from the videos? We\u2019ve got you! Our fun, adaptive quizzes<\/strong> reinforce what you\u2019ve learned and even give you extra practice with words you find difficult, making sure they stick for the long run.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\t \r\nReady to make every video a language lesson? Start using FluentU on your computer or tablet, or download the FluentU app from the App Store or Google Play. Click here to take advantage of our current sale!<\/a>\r\n<\/p><\/span><\/li>\n As we’ve already discussed, Russian culture doesn’t really do small talk, at least not on the way you might be used to. That said, knowing how to start a conversation with a stranger is a valuable skill, especially when you’re a foreigner. There are some safe topics for making small talk with Russian speakers.\u00a0<\/p>\n As I already mentioned, you’re only a stranger until you introduce yourself. If you need or want to say hello to a stranger, introducing yourself is the most straightforward way to break the ice and jump right through the small talk part.<\/p>\n When meeting someone new, it’s best to err on the side of caution and use polite speech. Here are some useful polite phrases for introducing yourself:<\/p>\n The only time when it’s okay to use informal language to greet someone is if they’re around the same age as you, and the situation is casual. For instance, if you’re hanging out at a bar and you want to introduce yourself to a group of people because they seem fun, you’d use one of these casual phrases:\u00a0<\/p>\n Let’s face it: It’s clear at this point that you’re not a local. Lean into this and use it as a starting point to a conversation. Jump right in by saying where you’re from or what brings you to Russia (or wherever you happen to be):<\/p>\n Another good way to start a conversation with a stranger is by commenting on something that’s happening at the moment. These kinds of observational comments include talking about the weather. For instance, if it’s exceptionally hot or cold outside, you can use these neutral formality phrases:<\/p>\n Likewise, you can comment on anything that’s currently happening, from the mundane to the more unusual:<\/p>\nResources to Learn Russian Small Talk<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\r\nHow to Start a Conversation in Russian<\/h2>\n
Introducing Yourself<\/h3>\n
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Observational Comments<\/h3>\n
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