Simple Russian Stories

Today's episode is for upper beginner and intermediate learners of Russian. We are going to travel along one of the most famous tourist routes in Russia — the Golden Ring. We will talk about what the Golden Ring is, why it is so important in Russian culture, and visit some of its most famous cities. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_podcast 🎥 Follow me on TikTok: htt...

In this episode, we follow Jan, an American student learning Russian in Moscow, as he plans his summer vacation to Sochi. You'll practice the simple future tense, learn travel and vacation vocabulary, and discover interesting facts about one of Russia's most popular seaside destinations. Perfect for beginner Russian learners. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_podcast...

In this intermediate Russian podcast episode (B1–B2), I talk about how I usually plan my travels around Asia. You'll learn vocabulary related to transportation, hotels, packing, sightseeing, and travel planning. I also share why I dislike sleeper buses, how I choose accommodation, and what I always take with me on a trip. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_podcast 🎥 F...

Discover how Russians spend their summer holidays. In this episode, you'll learn about popular destinations such as Sochi, the Black Sea, Lake Baikal, Karelia, Altai, and the Russian dacha tradition. Perfect for A1+ – A2 learners who want to improve their Russian through simple and interesting stories about travel and summer culture. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_...

Many Russian learners reach the B1 or B2 level and suddenly lose motivation. Why does this happen? Do you really need to keep studying if you can already communicate in Russian? In this episode, we talk about language-learning motivation, the B1 plateau, common mistakes learners make, and why the most successful students are not always the most talented ones. A useful episode for intermediate and...

In this episode, we read and discuss the famous Russian fairy tale *Under the Mushroom* (Под грибом), adapted for A2 learners. At the end of the episode, test your understanding with listening comprehension questions and a vocabulary challenge. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_podcast 🎥 Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@russian.with.mary Online lessons wi...

Friends, sorry about the sound quality in this episode. I bought a new microphone and I still can’t set it up properly. This episode about Dostoevsky became very long, and I really didn’t want to record it again. I tried to improve the sound during editing, but unfortunately I couldn’t make the volume as loud and clear as in the previous episodes. I hope you still enjoy the episode and find it int...

In this episode, you’ll learn simple Russian through a story about a Russian student named Anya, her family, university life, friends, hobbies, and daily routine. Perfect for A1 - A2 learners who want to practice the instrumental case naturally through everyday conversations and daily life vocabulary. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_podcast 🎥 Follow me on TikTok: h...

Welcome back to the Simple Russian Stories podcast, where we make learning Russian fun and easy. In today’s episode we’re going to talk about something very practical - household chores. What people usually do at home, who does what, how it works in different families, and I’ll also share some personal stories. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_podcast 🎥 Follow me on...

In this episode, you will learn Russian with a real story about young athletes from Russia. We talk about a tennis player, a figure skater, and esports players. You will hear simple Russian, useful vocabulary, and real-life contexts. This episode is perfect for A1–A2 learners who want to improve listening and learn how Russian sounds in natural speech. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: h...

How do you say “excuse me” to a stranger in Russian without sounding rude? Should you say девушка, женщина, or something else? In this episode, you’ll learn how Russians address people in everyday situations and why it’s not just about age — it’s about culture, politeness, and perception. We’ll also look at historical forms like “товарищ” and how modern Russian speakers actually talk in real life....

In this episode, you’ll learn Russian while discovering one of the most beautiful cities in Siberia — Krasnoyarsk. This A1–A2 level podcast is perfect for beginners who want to improve their listening skills with clear and simple Russian. We talk about famous places in the city: the Yenisei River, the embankment, parks, bridges, museums, and theatres. You’ll also learn how people spend their time...

In this episode, you’ll learn Russian through one of the most fascinating topics — space exploration. We’ll talk about the first Soviet cosmonauts, including Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, German Titov, and Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space. You’ll also hear the story of famous space dogs Belka and Strelka and learn why animals were sent to space before humans. This episode i...

In this episode, you will listen to an adapted version of the classic Russian story “An Easter Visit” by Sasha Chorny. This story is perfect for A2–B1 learners. It’s slow, clear, and helps you improve your listening skills while learning new vocabulary in context. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_podcast 🎥 Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@russian.with.ma...

In this A1–A2 level episode, you’ll follow a simple and engaging story about Yan, a student who usually shops at a supermarket but decides to go to a local market for the first time. This episode is designed to help you practice perfective and imperfective verbs in a natural context. You’ll hear how Russians talk about routine actions (what we usually do) and completed actions (what happened once)...

In this episode we talk about “owls” and “larks” — people who prefer staying up late or waking up early. You will also learn why modern society is often organized around early schedules and why this can be difficult for some people. This episode is designed for B1-B2 learners of Russian and includes clear, natural speech and useful everyday vocabulary. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: h...

In this episode you will listen to an adapted version of the famous fairy tale Красная Шапочка (Little Red Riding Hood). This story is told in slow and clear Russian and is perfect for A2 learners. While listening, you will learn useful vocabulary about family, the forest, everyday actions, and simple past tense verbs. Fairy tales are great for language learning because the story is easy to follow...

In this episode we talk about a birthday celebration. You will learn:
 how to congratulate someone
 vocabulary about gifts and parties
 simple verbs in the present tense
 common phrases for everyday situations Perfect for beginners who want to understand simple stories in Russian. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_podcast 🎥 Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com...

Why do Russians say “Pushkin is our everything”? In this B2-level episode, we explore the life, personality, and cultural legacy of Alexander Pushkin — the founder of modern Russian literature. You’ll learn about his childhood, education, exile, relationships with the emperor, superstitions and duels. We also discuss cultural references to Pushkin in modern Russia and why he remains so influential...

In this episode, we go to a Russian supermarket and practice real-life dialogues for A1 learners. You will learn:
how to ask about prices, numbers, useful phrases at the checkout, how to use “этот” and “тот” (this/that), common shopping vocabulary. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_podcast 🎥 Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@russian.with.mary Online lesson...

Valentine’s Day in Russian — from A1 to C1 ❤️ In this special episode, you will hear one romantic story told at five different language levels: A1, A2, B1, B2 and C1. But the grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure become more complex with each level. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_podcast 🎥 Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@russian.with.mary Online...

Weird Russian Habits: What Surprises Foreigners in Russia? Why do Russians keep a “bag of bags”? Why do men shake hands every single day? And why do balconies often look like storage rooms? In this B2-level episode, we talk about everyday Russian habits that surprise foreigners. Based on a popular article and my personal experience — we explore cultural differences, historical context, and the log...

In this episode of Simple Russian Stories, we listen to a simplified version of the classic Russian fairy tale Teremok. The story is told in clear, slow Russian and is suitable for A2-level learners. You will practice basic verbs, simple dialogues, and common structures used in everyday speech. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/rustor_podcast 🎥 Follow me on TikTok: https://...

In this episode, I share my personal travel experience in China. I talk about my trip to Guangzhou, Sanya, Guilin, Yangshuo, and the rice terraces. You’ll hear about big Chinese cities, high-speed trains, local food, long journeys, and what it feels like to travel across very different regions of one country. I also share some real moments from the trip — including getting sick on the rice terrace...

In this A1–A2 episode we explore the coldest places in Russia — Yakutia, Oymyakon and Verkhoyansk.
You’ll learn how people live in extreme frost, what they wear, what they eat, and why winter in these regions is so unique.
A simple and engaging story for beginner learners who want to expand their vocabulary and listen to real, easy Russian. 📄 Transcript + Quizlet set in my Telegram: https://t.me/...