Week 13, Lesson 25, Thursday
Say what you like and don't like
Russian turns liking around: the thing pleases you. Learn seven small pronoun forms and the whole topic opens up.
1Recap 5 minutes
Three questions from Month 3, before anything new.
2Goal 1 minute
I can say what I like, love and hate, and ask others what they like.
3The lesson 20 minutes
In this lesson
- Мне нравится: it pleases me
- To whom? The pronouns
- From hate to love
Мне нравится: it pleases me
Two friends compare tastes. Notice that the person who likes something is not the subject of the sentence.
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Мне нравится джаз. | I like jazz. |
| Мне нравится этот фильм. | I like this film. |
| Мне нравятся фильмы. | I like films. (several: нравятся) |
| Мне нравится слушать музыку. | I like listening to music. |
The thing you like is the subject, so it decides the verb: нравится for one thing, нравятся for several. You become мне.
To whom? The pronouns
Seven pronouns, seven new forms. They mean to me, to you, and so on, and they come back with many verbs later in the course.
| Person | To whom |
|---|---|
| я | мне |
| ты | тебе |
| он | ему |
| она | ей |
| мы | нам |
| вы | вам |
| они | им |
Тебе нравится рок? — Да, мне нравится. Ей не нравится опера.
From hate to love
Five steps from hate to love. Most everyday opinions sit in the middle three.
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Я ненавижу … | I hate … |
| Я не люблю … | I don't like … |
| Мне нравится … | I like … |
| Я люблю … | I love … |
| Я обожаю … | I adore … |
Я люблю джаз and Мне нравится джаз mean almost the same; люблю is a little stronger.
4Listen and say 5 minutes
Sound of the lesson: Soft л in люблю́
The л in люблю́ and in нра́вится is soft: the tongue is flat and wide, as if a y hides inside the л.
- люблю́ [lyu-BLYU] Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
- нра́вится [NRA-vi-tsa] 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.
- Мне нра́вится …I like …
- Тебе́ нра́вится …?Do you like …?
- Я обожа́ю …I adore …
- Я ненави́жу …I hate …
Words to read aloud
Read each one aloud, then open it to check.
нра́вится, нра́вятся
pleases, please (I like)
тебе́
ему́, ей
to him, to her
нам, вам, им
to us, to you, to them
ненави́жу
обожа́ю
му́зыка
джаз, рок
jazz, rock
о́пера
бале́т
конце́рт
актёр, актри́са
actor, actress
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 what music, films and books you like, with мне нравится and я люблю.
- Ask: А вам нравится …?
Ника
- Ask about three kinds of music.
- Disagree once: Нет, мне не нравится.
7Your turn 5 minutes
Write what you like and what you don't, in four sentences.
See a model answer
Мне нравится джаз. Я люблю кино. Я не люблю оперу. Я обожаю кофе.
Saved as you type. It goes to Ника together with Homework 25.
8Mini questionnaire required, 80% to pass
9Feedback 5 minutes
10Check your goal 1 minute
I can say what I like, love and hate, and ask others what they like.
Can you do this now? Be honest: the answer decides your next step.
11Homework
Homework 25 on Saturday: likes and dislikes, yours and your family's.
I can say what I like, love and hate, and ask others what they like.