Russian Slang

What exactly is slang? Why is it so important to understand it? How to use it properly? This is what this ebook is all about. It’s not that easy to identify slang, but here are a few of its characteristics:– informal, non-standard language;– euphemisms for uncomfortable topics (bodily functions, sex, etc.); – jargon of a group of specialists (doctors, lawyers, etc.).It is very important to understand that no one speaks Pushkin’s and Dostoevsky’s «proper» language in real, everyday life. It sounds rather weird and unnatural. Here we will focus on common slang – the language of teenagers, friends, common people. This language is informal, less serious, more emotional, and what’s important – we use it all the time!Where to use slang? Use it when joking around with friends, but never use it when talking with a teacher, boss, and maybe even your grandparents! Keep in mind that some words can be very offensive! You certainly don’t want to embarrass yourself and people around you.Also, you should remember that slang changes very quickly. Some words officially become a part of the language, some words go out of fashion and sound ridiculous and funny.This ebook presents a selection of the most common modern Russian slang words and expressions, organized by topic, with examples to show you exactly how to use them.Each word is also classified according to how offensive it is:Red = Extremely offensiveYellow = Somewhat offensiveGreen = Non-offensive – but even these words are “informal” and should not be used in more formal situations.