PRIVET (pree-VET)- * The word that getting acquainted with Russia and Russian people should begin with. Other useful words of communication: Spasibo (spa-SEE-ba), Pozhaluista (pa-ZHAH-lui-sta), Do svidanya (da svee-DAHN-ya), S Novym godom (s NO-vym GO-dom).
OFIGET! (ah-fee-GET) - expression of delight and positive emotions. To be pronounced with enthusi¬asm. An equivalent of an English «Wow!». Synonims: Ukh ty! (OOKH ty), Velikolep-no! (ve-lee-ka-LEP-na), Klyovo! (KLYO-va).
CHYORT POBERI! (CHORT pa-bee-REE) - expression of disappoint¬ment. Synonims: Blin gorely!(BLEENga-REH-ly), Mat' moya zhenshchina (MATma-YAHZHEN-shchee-na), Vot zhopa, obidno, da? (vot ZHO-pa, a-BEED-na, DAH?).
DAI ZAKURIT (dai za-koo-REET), SIGARETY NE NAIDYOTSYA? (See-gah-REH-ty ne nai-DYOT-sya) - a popu¬lar way of starting talking to a stranger in public. Said by a woman it means she is flirting with you. If it's a man who is ask¬ing you for a cigarette in a deserted place you are likely to end up being in trouble.
MYACH KRUGLY (myach KROOG-ly) - * a good phrase to keep up a conversation about foot¬ball. Very politically correct and meaningless.
MYASO (MY^sa) and KONI (KOH-ni)-the largest groups of football fans in Moscow. Koni are CSKA fans and prefer red and blue colors. Myaso, or Svinyi, are Spartak fans and wear red and white.
YA BOLEYU ZA... (yah ba-LEH-yu zah) - to be followed by the name of your team.
U MOEGO PRADEDUSHKI BYLI RUSSKIYE KORNI (oohma-yeh-GOH pra-DEH-doosh-ki BY-li ROOS-kee-yeh KOR-ni) - a good phrase to use in any conversation in Russia. Similar phrases: Sir Alex Ferguson - moi stary drug (Sir Alex Fergu¬son - MOI STA-ry droog), Moskva - zamechatelny gorod (mask-VAH za-me-CHAH-tel-ny GO-rod), Khorosho sidim (kha-ra-SHO see-DEEM), Yeshchyo popivu?(ye-SHCHOH pa PEE-voo), Ty menya uvazhayesh? (ty me-NYA oo-va-ZHAH-yesh).
LISHNY BILETIK (LEESH-ny bee-LEH-teek) -tickets sold by individuals near a stadium entrance or next to a ticket office, who turn out to be ticket touts. If you want to buy such a ticket you should ask passers-by «Net li lishnego biletika?» (net lee LEESH-ne-ga bee-LEH-tee-ka). Tickets sold by touts can turn out to be counterfeit.
SEMECHKI (SEH-mech-kee) - a Russian version of popcorn. Cheap snack that stomachs are filled with during sports events. Semechki are roasted sunflower seeds. They are sold wrapped in old newspapers near metro stations or next to a stadium entrance. Shell the husk before enjoying semechki.
MENT (myent) - a disrespectful way of calling a Russian police¬man, an equivalent of an English «cop». Four types of police can be seen at football matches in Moscow: police-peo¬ple with serious faces in grey uniform; internal forces (military police) -soldiers that cordon off the stadium, 0M0N (ah-MOHN) (special police forces) - men in helmets with faceshields armed with batons; detectives in plain clothes. To solve any problems with police you should use a phrase: «Tovarishch militsioner, khotite ya vam sdelayu priglashenie v Angliyu? (ta-VAH-rishch mee-lee-tsee-ah-NEHR, kha-TEE-the yah vahm SDEH-la-you pree-glah-SHEH-nee-yehvANG-lee-yu).
SUMOCHKU OT-KROITE (SOO-match-koo aht-KROI-teh) - A traditional request by police that perform the job of stewards near an entrance to a stadium. For security reasons you will be asked to walk through a metal detector and your bag will be searched for banned items, such as edged and stabbing weap¬ons and items, explosives and alcohol drinks. Also banned are glass bottles, and you will be asked to keep plastic bottles open.
OBEZYANNIK (ah-bez-YAHN-nik) - a barred cell for detained at a police station. A place hard to forget.
BIOTUALET (bio too-ah-LET) - another place hard to forget. Plas¬tic white and blue cabins that Moscow authorities have introduced trying to solve the problem of lack of public toilets. Particu¬larly fastidious people are not recommended to use them. For the rest the fee of 10 to 15 rubles applies.
CHEBUREK (che-boo-RECK) - a popular kind of fast food in Moscow, a piece of fried dough with meat fill¬ing, it's a Tatar dish. If you buy a cheburek out in the street you are likely to satisfy your hunger, but are just as likely to get a stomach ache.
MATRYOSHKA (mat-RYOSH-ka)and USHANKA (ooh-SHAHN-ka) - most popular Moscow souvenirs. As soon as your suitcase is filled up with wooden dolls and big «hairy» hats, you will need a phrase: «Spasibo, mne bolshe nichego ne nuzhno vvashei strane» (spa-SEE-ba, mne BOL-sheh nee-che-GOHneNOOZH-nav VAH-shei strah-NEH).
TYOLKA (TYOL-kah) - a frivolous girl that doesn't feel restricted by rules of social behavior. A most popular Moscow sight. Key phrases to use to meet a tyolka in the street; «Devushka, vy svo-bodny segodnya vecher-om?» (DEH-voosh-kah, vy sva-BOD-ny se-GOD-nya VEH-che-rom), «Kotory seichas chas?» (ka-TOH-ry say-CHAHS chahs), «Как proiti v mavzolei?» (как prai-TEE v mav-za-LAY).
OBMENNIK (ab-MEN-nik) - a private office for foreign currency exchange. Obmenniki can be found almost near every metro station. They can easily be identified thanks to large boards with cur¬rency exchange rates, which are usually lower than in banks. You are likely to be cheated.
SHTUKA (SHTOO-kah) - a slang used for 1,000 rubles. Some of other money-related slang are: chervonets (cher-VOH-nets)-10 rubles, poltinnik (pal-TEEN-nik) - 50 rubles, stolnik (STOL-nik)- 100 rubles, pyatikhatka (pya-tee-KHAT-kah)- 500 rubles.
CHUVAK (choo-VAHK) - a popular way of calling for attention of a man in the street. A popular way of calling for attention of a group of people is «Lyudi dobriye» (LYOO-dee DOB-ry-yeh).
OPOKHMEL (a-pah-KHMEL)-an obligatory morning routine in Russia. If you are hun-gover the morning after a match you absolutely need to perform opokhmel, i.e drink more alcohol. You will immediately feel better.
BARDAK (bar-DAHK) - an extremely popular way of describing a mess in Russia. If your suitcases have been lost, if your hotel room has a view over a rubbish heap and in all of Moscow you can't find an English speaking person, say bardak and you immediately will feel better.
POMOGITE! (Pah-mah~GHEE-the)-Help! An exclamation that you will need once you are in trouble.
