Week 65, Lesson 129, Thursday
Choose ты or вы
Choosing ты or вы is the first decision in any Russian conversation. B1 asks you to make it confidently, and to know how Russians agree to switch.
1Recap 5 minutes
Three questions from Month 16, before anything new.
2Goal 1 minute
I can choose ты or вы, address people correctly and agree to switch to ты.
3The lesson 20 minutes
In this lesson
- ты or вы
- Switching to ты
ты or вы
Three ways to address someone.
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Извините, вы не знаете, где метро? | Excuse me, do you know where the metro is? |
| Маша, ты придёшь? | Masha, are you coming? |
| Иван Петрович, вы свободны? | Ivan Petrovich, are you free? |
вы: strangers, older people, colleagues, officials. ты: friends, family, children. In formal letters, Вы has a capital.
Switching to ты
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Давайте перейдём на ты. | Let's switch to ты. |
| Давай на ты? | Shall we use ты? |
| Разрешите представиться. | Allow me to introduce myself. |
4Listen and say 5 minutes
Sound of the lesson: Здра́вствуйте
Здра́вствуйте: the first в is silent, ZDRAST-vuy-tye.
- Здра́вствуйте [ZDRAST-vuy-tye] Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
- о́тчество [OT-chist-va] Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
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.
- Извини́те, вы не зна́ете …?Excuse me, do you know …?
- Дава́йте перейдём на ты.Let's switch to ты.
- Разреши́те предста́виться.Allow me to introduce myself.
Words to read aloud
Read each one aloud, then open it to check.
ты и́ли вы
informal or formal you
обраще́ние
form of address
Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)по и́мени и о́тчеству
by name and patronymic
Дава́йте перейдём на ты.
Let's switch to ты.
Разреши́те предста́виться.
Allow me to introduce myself.
Здра́вствуйте! / Приве́т!
Hello (formal / informal)
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
- Introduce yourself formally at work, then agree to switch to ты.
Ника
- Play a new colleague, older than you.
7Your turn 5 minutes
Write how you'd ask a stranger and a friend the same question.
See a model answer
Извините, вы не знаете, где метро? — Маша, ты не знаешь, где метро?
Saved as you type. It goes to Ника together with Homework 129.
8Mini questionnaire required, 80% to pass
9Feedback 5 minutes
10Check your goal 1 minute
I can choose ты or вы, address people correctly and agree to switch to ты.
Can you do this now? Be honest: the answer decides your next step.
11Homework
Homework 129 on Saturday: ты or вы.
I can choose ты or вы, address people correctly and agree to switch to ты.