New to Preply? Get 50% off with our linkClaim it →
Get 50% off

Learn Russian with a real person.

Cyrillic takes a few days, the cases take longer. A tutor drills them in conversation so you stop building sentences in your head.

Find a Russian tutor, 50% off →
Learner in an armchair taking notes during an online Russian lesson, tea in a metal glass holder on the side table

Why are you learning Russian?

Start from zero

Cyrillic in a few days, then the sounds that don’t exist in English.

Read the guide →

The six cases

Drilled in conversation until the endings come without thinking.

TORFL (TRKI)

Prep for the Russian state test, from elementary to level IV.

Family & heritage

Speak with grandparents, or turn passive Russian into active Russian.

Literature & film

Read Chekhov in the original, with a tutor who explains the context.

Verbs of motion

Идти, ходить, ехать: finally know which one to pick.

5 Russian phrases for lesson one

Tap a card to flip it.

Questions about learning Russian

How long does it take to learn Russian?

The US Foreign Service Institute estimates about 44 weeks of full-time classes (1,100 class hours) for English speakers to reach professional working proficiency. Part-time learners take longer, but everyday conversations come within months of regular lessons.

Is Russian hard for English speakers?

Harder than Spanish or French, easier than Japanese or Korean in FSI’s ranking (Category III). The alphabet is quick; noun cases, verb aspect and verbs of motion need steady practice.

What is the TORFL?

The Test of Russian as a Foreign Language (TORFL, or TRKI), Russia’s state test system. It has six levels from elementary (A1) to the fourth certification level (C2) and covers reading, writing, listening, speaking, and grammar and vocabulary.

Can heritage speakers learn Russian with a tutor?

Yes, and it is a common case: you understand your family but struggle to answer or write. Tell the tutor, and ask them to focus on speaking and on the case endings you guess at.

Can I learn Russian online with a private tutor?

Yes. Pick a tutor who explains grammar in English if you are a beginner, and book a short trial to check the pace suits you.

SOURCES
  1. US Foreign Service Institute: language learning timelines
  2. St Petersburg State University: TORFL
Your first Russian lesson, this week

Pick a tutor, book a trial lesson and get 50% off through our link.

  • Pick any tutor, any budget
  • Free tutor switch if the first isn’t a fit
  • Cancel anytime
Find my tutor, 50% off →
WELCOME
Let’s find your level.
I speak…
I want to learn…