Russian, from zero to B1

Week 49, Lesson 97, Thursday

Read a Pushkin fairy tale

Every Russian knows this tale from childhood: a poor fisherman catches a golden fish that grants wishes, and his wife never has enough.

In this lessonabout 70 minutes
New words9
Focusan adapted classic, the words of the tale, past forms in a story

1Recap 5 minutes

Three questions from Month 12, before anything new.

2Goal 1 minute

I can read an adapted Pushkin fairy tale and follow what happens.

3The lesson 20 minutes

In this lesson

  1. The tale, retold
  2. The wishes

The tale, retold

Four wishes, each bigger than the last. Read them before the tale.

1A newwashtubкорыто2A newhouseизба3Tsaritsaцарица4Ruler ofthe seaморе
The wishes grow until the fish says no.
RussianMeaning
Жил старик со своею старухой у самого синего моря.An old man lived with his old wife by the very blue sea.
Однажды старик поймал золотую рыбку.One day the old man caught a golden fish.
Рыбка сказала: «Отпусти меня, я дам тебе всё, что хочешь».The fish said: let me go, I'll give you whatever you want.
Старик её отпустил и ничего не попросил.The old man let it go and asked for nothing.

The first line follows Pushkin's own opening; the rest is a simple retelling.

The wishes

RussianMeaning
Старуха попросила новое корыто.The old woman asked for a new washtub.
Потом она захотела новую избу.Then she wanted a new house.
Потом она захотела стать царицей.Then she wanted to become tsaritsa.
В конце она хотела стать владычицей моря.In the end she wanted to rule the sea.
Отпусти меня,старик!Let me go, old man!РСтупай себев синее море.Off you go into the blue sea.С
The old man's reply is Pushkin's own line.
Week 49 on one plate. Lesson 97: золотая рыбка; Старик поймал рыбку; новое корыто; стать царицей. Lesson 98: сначала, потом; в конце; у разбитого корыта; жадность.
Week 49 on one plate. This lesson is band L97.

4Listen and say 5 minutes

Sound of the lesson: ры́бка

ры́бка: the stress is on ры, and ы is said with the tongue pulled back.

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.

Words to read aloud

Read each one aloud, then open it to check.

стари́к, стару́ха

old man, old woman

мо́ре
ры́бка
золота́я ры́бка

the golden fish

коры́то
изба́
цари́ца
пойма́ть
попроси́ть

6Class exercises 15 minutes

Checked instantly. Get one wrong and you can try it again.

In class. With Ника: read the retelling aloud, then she reads you four lines of Pushkin's original.

Role-play

Take one card each. Swap roles for a second round.

You

  • Retell the tale in five sentences.

Ника

  • Play the golden fish: answer each wish with Не печалься, ступай себе с Богом.

7Your turn 5 minutes

Write what the old woman asked for first and last.

See a model answer

Сначала она попросила новое корыто, а в конце захотела стать владычицей моря.

Saved as you type. It goes to Ника together with Homework 97.

8Mini questionnaire required, 80% to pass

9Feedback 5 minutes

10Check your goal 1 minute

I can read an adapted Pushkin fairy tale and follow what happens.

Can you do this now? Be honest: the answer decides your next step.

11Homework

Homework 97 on Saturday: the tale.

I can read an adapted Pushkin fairy tale and follow what happens.

Can you do this now?