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GRAMMATICAL DIFFICULTIES OF THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE FOR FOREIGN
STUDENTS
Farrukh Bakhramovich Khakimov
Student, Faculty of Philology
Mamun University
Khiva, Uzbekistan
e-mail: slswlasow@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
Studying the grammatical structures of the Russian language is a significant
challenge for speakers of other languages. This article examines the main grammatical
difficulties encountered by learners of Russian as a foreign language. Key aspects include the
case system, verb aspect, word agreement, and the use of prepositions.
Typical errors made by foreign students are analyzed, and methods to overcome these difficulties
are proposed. Emphasis is placed on individualized teaching approaches and the use of diverse
materials and methods to help students effectively master Russian.
Key words:
Russian as a foreign language, grammar, cases, verb aspect, word agreement,
prepositions, negation, teaching methods
INTRODUCTION
Russian is one of the most complex languages for foreign learners due to its rich grammatical
system. Particularly challenging are the case system, verb aspect, agreement of words by gender,
number, and case, as well as the use of prepositions and negative constructions.
For students whose native languages lack these categories, mastering Russian grammatical
structures is especially difficult. The aim of this article is to systematize the main grammatical
challenges, identify common errors, and propose methods to overcome them, thereby improving
the effectiveness of teaching Russian as a foreign language.
METHODS
The following approaches were applied:
Comparative analysis of Russian grammatical categories and their equivalents (or lack thereof)
in English, French, and Chinese to identify specific difficulties.
Content analysis of written and oral works by foreign students to determine frequent errors.
Case study method to demonstrate typical mistakes and ways to correct them.
Pedagogical testing using adapted exercises, tables, and reference materials.
RESULTS
1. Case System
The case system is a key feature of Russian grammar, affecting syntax and word agreement.
Russian has six cases:
Nominative:
"The book is on the table."
Genitive:
"There is no book."
Dative:
"I gave the book a new cover."
Accusative:
"I am reading the book."
Instrumental:
"I am proud of the book."
Prepositional:
"I am thinking about the book."
Common errors:
Volume 15 Issue 09, September 2025
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Incorrect use of cases after prepositions.
Failure to agree adjectives with nouns.
Omission of case endings.
2. Verb Aspect
Russian verbs have a grammatical category of aspect: imperfective and perfective. This is
challenging for learners from languages without aspect distinction (e.g., English).
Examples:
Imperfective: "делать" (doing — ongoing action)
Perfective: "сделать" (to do — completed action)
Typical mistakes:
Using the imperfective aspect where the perfective is required.
Errors in future tense forms:
"I will be doing the homework"
instead of
"I will do the
homework"
.
Misunderstanding nuances of motion verbs:
"I go to the store"
(imperfective) vs
"I went to the
store"
(perfective).
3. Word Agreement
Words in Russian must agree in gender, number, and case.
Examples:
"Красивый дом" (masculine) — "Beautiful house"
"Красивая женщина" (feminine) — "Beautiful woman"
"Красивое дерево" (neuter) — "Beautiful tree"
"Красивые дома" (plural) — "Beautiful houses"
Common errors:
"Красивая дом"
"I see he"
(incorrect pronoun usage)
Mistakes with numerals:
"three book"
instead of
"three books"
4. Prepositions
Russian prepositions govern cases and change meaning depending on context.
Examples:
"I am going to school" — Accusative
"I am at school" — Prepositional
"I don’t have a book" — Genitive
Errors:
omitting prepositions or using the wrong case.
5. Negative Constructions
Russian allows double negatives, which is unusual for English speakers.
Example:
"Никто ничего не знает."
Errors arise when applying English logic:
"Nodiv knows nothing."
6. Methods to Overcome Difficulties
1.
Individual and group lessons
o
Role-plays, dialogues, grammar exercises
2.
Adapted learning materials
o
Conjugation tables, reference guides, error-analysis exercises
3.
Practice with native speakers
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o
Watching films, listening to podcasts, participating in language clubs
These methods help reinforce correct structures and develop oral and written communication
skills.
DISCUSSION
Grammatical difficulties are a major barrier for foreign students in both academic and everyday
Russian. Overcoming them requires a systematic approach, individualized methods, and regular
practice.
Using adapted materials, communicative teaching methods, and practice with native speakers
significantly accelerates mastering complex grammatical categories.
CONCLUSION
The main challenges for foreign students include:
Case system
Verb aspect
Word agreement
Prepositions
Negative constructions
Effective learning requires a combination of individualized lessons, adapted materials, and native
speaker practice. This ensures high literacy levels and successful participation in academic and
social contexts.
REFERENCES
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Russian as a Foreign Language: Theory and Practice.
Moscow:
Prosveshchenie, 2015.
2. Schmidt, M.
Russian Grammar for Foreign Students.
St. Petersburg: Rech, 2010.
3. Gogoleva, I. S.
Difficulties in Translating and Understanding Russian Grammatical
Constructions.
Moscow: Nauka, 2018.
4. Zubova, E. A.
Errors and Difficulties in Russian for Foreigners.
Moscow: Russian Language,
2012.
5. Chernysheva, N. A.
Russian for Foreign Students: Grammatical and Lexical Difficulties.
Moscow: Logos, 2017.
6. Krysin, L. P.
Sociolinguistic Aspects of Modern Russian.
Moscow: Languages of Slavic
Culture, 2017.
7. Golovin, B. N.
Introduction to Linguistics: Textbook.
St. Petersburg: Lan, 2020.
8. Kazakova, T. A.
Scientific Style of Speech: Theory and Practice.
St. Petersburg: Zlatoust,
2018.
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Slang and Its Role in Modern Communication.
Moscow: Flinta, 2019.
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Vendina, T. I.
Russian Argot: Structure, Functioning, History.
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