Week 9, Lesson 18, Friday
Say where you were, and when
Russian has no is in the present, but it does have was: был, была, были. Add the days of the week and you can talk about any day.
1Recap 5 minutes
Three questions from Monday, before anything new.
2Goal 1 minute
I can say where I was on each day of the week, and where I was not.
3The lesson 20 minutes
In this lesson
- Где вы были? — был, была, было, были
- No, I was not: не был
- The days of the week
Где вы были? — был, была, было, были
Monday morning at work. Two colleagues ask about the weekend; notice how was changes with the person, and how a day is said.
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Он был дома. | He was at home. |
| Она была в кино. | She was at the cinema. |
| Было интересно. | It was interesting. |
| Они были в Москве. | They were in Moscow. |
No, I was not: не был
Say every form aloud and lean on the red syllable. In three of the negative forms, the stress jumps onto не.
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Я не был на работе. | I wasn't at work. (a man) |
| Я не была на работе. | I wasn't at work. (a woman) |
| Мы не были дома. | We weren't at home. |
The stress jumps to не in не был, не было, не были. Only не была keeps it on the ending.
The days of the week
Seven days, each with its on that day form. Only the days ending in -а change, and вторник borrows an о.
| Day | On that day |
|---|---|
| понедельник | в понедельник |
| вторник | во вторник |
| среда | в среду |
| четверг | в четверг |
| пятница | в пятницу |
| суббота | в субботу |
| воскресенье | в воскресенье |
After в, -а becomes -у; во makes вторник easier to say. To ask the day: Какой сегодня день? — Сегодня понедельник.
4Listen and say 5 minutes
Sound of the lesson: A г that sounds like в
In сего́дня the г is said as в. You will meet the same thing later in the endings -ого and -его.
- сего́дня [si-VOD-nya] Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
- ничего́ [ni-chi-VO] Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
Listen to the textbook
The book's own recordings for this topic, free on the publisher's site. Listen once for the gist, then again with the book open.
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.
- Где вы бы́ли?Where were you?
- Я был в кино́.I was at the cinema.
- Бы́ло интере́сно!It was interesting!
- Како́й сего́дня день?What day is it today?
Words to read aloud
Read each one aloud, then open it to check.
был, была́, бы́ло, бы́ли
was, were
не́ был
was not
сего́дня
понеде́льник
вто́рник
среда́
четве́рг
пя́тница
суббо́та
воскресе́нье
кино́
интере́сно
interesting
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
- Say where you were on Saturday and on Sunday.
- Say one thing that was interesting: Было интересно!
Ника
- Ask: Где вы были в субботу?
- Ask about two more days of the week, and one place you were not.
7Your turn 5 minutes
Write where you were on three days last week.
See a model answer
В понедельник я был на работе. В среду я был дома. В субботу я был в кино.
Saved as you type. It goes to Ника together with Homework 18.
8Mini questionnaire required, 80% to pass
9Feedback 5 minutes
10Check your goal 1 minute
I can say where I was on each day of the week, and where I was not.
Can you do this now? Be honest: the answer decides your next step.
11Homework
Homework 18 on Monday: the days of the week, был and не был, and your last week in writing.
I can say where I was on each day of the week, and where I was not.