Toads and Jewels · Learn Russian through Stories

Toads and Jewels · Learn Russian through Stories

Author: Russian Language Arts January 12, 2021 Duration: 2:46

Russian listening and reading skills practice. Listen to a French fairy tale "Toads and Jewels" in Russian. The transcript of the story is available on the YouTube channel "Russian Language Arts".

Transcript (detail)
Жила́ когда́-то вдова́ и бы́ло у неё две до́чери. Мла́дшая дочь была́ доброду́шной де́вушкой и всегда́ улыба́лась. Ста́ршая дочь была́ вспы́льчивой и жа́дной, как её мать.  

Translation of Expressions
жила когда-то вдова – there was once a widow
было у неё две дочери – who had two daughters
младшая дочь... – the younger daughter was...
добродушной девушкой – a good-natured girl
и всегда улыбалась – and always had a smile on her face
старшая дочь былв... – the older daughter was...
вспыльчивой и жадной – bad-tempered and greedy
как её мать – like her mother


There's a certain magic to getting lost in a good story, and Learning Russian through Stories harnesses that exact feeling for language learning. Instead of dry vocabulary lists, each episode invites you into a short, engaging narrative designed to be both comprehensible and compelling. You'll hear clear, deliberate Russian, allowing your ear to gradually tune into the rhythm and sounds of the language. This podcast from Russian Language Arts believes that context is everything; by following a story, you naturally absorb grammar and word usage in a way that sticks. To support your practice, full transcripts for every episode are available, making it easy to read along or review what you've heard. Whether you're re-discovering the language or building a foundation, these stories offer a gentle, enjoyable path to improvement. It’s a simple premise: consistent, low-pressure exposure through tales that hold your interest. Tune in, follow along, and let the structure of narrative guide your progress. You might just find yourself understanding more than you expected, one story at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 16

Learning Russian through Stories
Podcast Episodes
Learn Russian through Story · New Year Gift [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:15
Russian listening skills practice. Listen to a short story "New Year Gift" in Russian. The transcript of the story is available on the YouTube channel "Russian Language Arts". Transcript (detail) Мари́я и А́нна шли в шко…
Learning Russian through Stories · Hunting Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:07
Russian listening skills practice. Listen to a funny short story "Hunting Story" in Russian. The transcript of the story is available on the YouTube channel "Russian Language Arts". Transcript (detail) Жил был охо́тник.…
Bad Dream · Learning Russian through Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:56
Russian listening and reading skills practice. Listen to a short story "Bad Dream" in Russian. The transcript of the story is available on the YouTube channel "Russian Language Arts". Transcript (detail) На улице стояла…