Articles by Michele A. Berdy

obituary

Director Marlen Khutsiev Has Died

One of the country's most beloved film directors passed away in Moscow.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

A Russian Boyfriend

What do you call the guy bringing you flowers and serenading you? In Russian it's tricky.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Russian Boys Just Want to Have Fun

I finally figured out why Russian words for young men are so confusing. We think of age differently.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Stand By Your Russian What?

What you call your male Significant Other in Russian is a linguistic mine-field.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Pulling Strings for Fun and Profit

Oh the tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive. In Russian, too.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Baby, It's Cold Outside

By popular demand — and knowing Moscow weather — here's a short primer on how to chill in Russian.
Big Screen

'DAU': A Preview

Russia's most genre-breaking, revolutionary film project may never be shown in Russia.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

The Secret of Russian Mysteries

I love a good Russian language question. Keep those cards and letters coming, folks!
Heist of Century

A Daring Theft in a Moscow Museum

A man walked into the Tretyakov Gallery and walked out with a million-dollar painting.
Father of Futurism

David Burliuk Comes Back to Moscow

If you haven't seen this amazing show of avant-garde Russian art, poetry and culture, run and see it before it closes on Sunday.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Ode to a Preposition

I started thinking about the preposition при and stopped thinking about it three days later. Here's why.
Arts and life

Pushkin House Book Prize: Let the Reading Begin

If you want to read the very best new books about Russia, keep your eye on this space.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

No Brexit For Russia

Rumors of a new Russian verb flew around the interwebs -- but are the rumors true?
Contemporary art

Hopes and Fears in the Arts

Before last year ended, we asked a variety of people in Russian culture and the arts about the year ahead. Are they nervous or excited? Or both?
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Catastrophes, Geopolitical and Otherwise

What did Vladimir Putin mean about that geopolitical catastrophe? It's still being argued over 14 years later.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Happy New Year From Your Leader

What will you be doing at 11:55 p.m. on Dec. 31 in Russia? Listening to the presidential address, of course!
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Russian Words of the Dreary Year

Want to know what words and expressions a panel of linguists chose as Russian words of the year? Pour a stiff one before reading.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

How To Dress Your Russian Holiday Tree

A Russian primer on holiday tree decoration from an expert. No, really.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

The Year of Living Toxically

What's a toxic relationship? A toxic crowd? A toxic person? Who knows? But it sounds bad.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Eat Your Grammar Spinach

A simple query led to grammatical confusion -- among experts! If grammarians are confused, what's a poor foreigner to do?
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Russian Wisdom and Wiseguys

In Russian being wise is good and being a wiseguy is bad. The hard part is figuring out which is which.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

How Sweet It Is in Russian

On Moscow baristas, polite cliches, and the mysteries of ancient Russian taste buds. Happy Friday.
Arts and life

The Women's Century: Five Russian Writers to Watch

Today, Russia has no dearth of successful, celebrated women writers.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

How Good is a Russian Not Bad?

Why oh why can't Russians just say "good"? Why do they say "very even not bad"?
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

What's the Story, Morning Glory?

When a story is history, and when it's, like, you know, a thing.
Arts and life

The Russia Buzz

Is it a movie, a critique of Russia, or a code for living?
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Extreme Russian Grammar

The spelling of fried - жареНый or жареННый - depends on when you add ingredients. Really, Russian?
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Russian Autumn Fun

Что такое осень? (What's autumn?) A song by DDT? Well yes, but much more.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Of Meat and Men

To understand Russian politics, sometimes you need a culinary education. I'm on it.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Seventeen Moments, Seventeen Thousand Jokes

In all the spy talk this week, you'll be hearing about the greatest spy of all: Stierlitz.
Art

The Russian Path: Through Impressionism to the Avant-Garde

See this fascinating show at the Museum of Russian Impressionism to prepare for their upcoming David Burliuk exhibition, or just because it's gorgeous...
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

What Do They Say About Moscow?

In honor of Moscow's birthday bash, I look at Moscow's image in words over the last 871 years, give or take a decade.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Russian Chickens Get a Bad Rap

Why do you only count rubles in the fall? I have no idea, but there are chickens involved.
Arts and life

Come See the Biggest Battle of 1812

This weekend get out of town - in fact, get out of this century - to see the biggest battle reenactment in Europe.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Russian Horseradish With a Real Kick

A root, a sauce and an all-purpose euphemism. Хрен is a great little word.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Falling For Cheburashka

Prices fall, kids do belly-flops, tired workers plunk themselves down on the couch. What did Cheburashka do?
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

What’s in a Russian Word? Just About Everything

You know you're in trouble with a Russian word that means everything from a piece of equipment to mentality.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Blowing Your Top the Russian Way

Feeling a little testy? Experiencing some rage? Losing it? Great. Here are some ways to say that in Russian.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Let's Play in Russian

"So how about those Mets?" sounds different in Russian.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Muddling the Masses, Russian Style

What do you call that unpopular new law? Oh, something good. Something really good.
Arts and life

Celebrate Life and Art with Anatoly Zverev

The AZ (Anatoly Zverev) Museum is celebrating its third anniversary with a gift for us: three floors of Zverev's joyful, playful, masterful works. Don't...
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Thanks For the (Linguistic) Memories

Foreigners leave Russia with kokoshniki and happy memories. What do they leave behind? Words, of course!
Contemporary art

Vadim Kosmatschof’s Revolution in Art

The solo exhibition of works by Vadim Kosmatschof at the New Tretyakov Gallery will change your understanding of sculpture if you let it.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Moscow's Merchants, Malls, and Walls

The names of Moscow's most important landmarks might not mean what you think.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Russia's Summer Folk Head Out to the Dacha

It's a summer Saturday afternoon in Moscow - and the city is empty. Where did everyone go? Where you should be - at the dacha!
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

The Cranky Tourist's Russian Phrasebook

Do not believe Russian phrasebooks. They lie. Believe me instead.
Arts and life

Pushkin House Celebrates Russia on the Page

This year the Pushkin House Prize was awarded to books that are witnesses to Russian history, past and present.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

A Butterfly on the Football Field

Butterflies, roses, mouse-traps... say what? In honor of the World Cup, I unlock some of the mysteries of Russian football fan slang.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Russian Grammar? Really?

Do you mutter and slur and cough to hide uncertain grammatical forms? There's no shame in that. Admit it. The Grammar Doctor will see you now.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

The Strange Case of a Russian Provocation

How can a murder be a provocation? Oh, easy, if it's being discussed in Russian.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Why Is Russia Bombing Its Own City?

How to be spiteful in Russian and how the laws of karma will get you.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Putin's Bad Russian Conservatism

How five words in Vladimir Putin's inaugural address can take two days to translate.
Arts and life

Get Some Moscow Flower Power

The best way to get into a spring mood is to visit a blooming garden! Here are our top five faves.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Putin's Language (R)Evolution

If you've only been listening to President Putin speak for a few years, you can't imagine what a lively, bawdy, funny, folksy speaker he used to be.
Arts and life

What's On in Moscow May 9

Get ready for Russia's non-stop celebration of Victory in 1945.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Russian Hell Hath No Fury

I need to up my game in Russian expressions of outrage. Come on, let’s get furious! Let’s bounce off the walls and hit the ceiling and blow a gasket...
Arts and life

On Your Marks, Get Set, Go!

The sun is shining, the leaves are green, the streets are clean... perfect weather for a run.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

In Russian, Blame the Cat

Friend alert! Never let a cat run between you and your friend or relative. Why? It's a long story.
Arts and life

Get a Jump on Summer: How to Rent a Dacha

Do you experience dacha-envy? Are your dacha-owning friends sick of you sleeping on their porch couch? Do it right this year!
Arts and life

Pushkin House Announces Book Prize Short List

On Friday executive director Clementine Cecil of the Pushkin House came to Moscow and announced the shortlist for their annual Book Prize.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Why Does a Russian Cat Weep?

Weeping fat cats having their tails pulled... these are a few of my least favorite things. But they are such interesting expressions in Russian.
Arts and life

Bergman in Moscow

One of the special programs of the Moscow International Film Festival is a festival of 21 Ingmar Bergman films.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

The Bear Russian Truth

Never ask a bear to do you a favor.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Of Robes and Irresponsibility in Russian

Two words keep coming up when officials and citizens discuss the horror in Kemerovo.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

What Kind of Leader is Vladimir Putin?

What is вождь? Is вождь some special kind of leader? How does a вождь differ from a президент?
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Theresa May Ate What?

Reading the Russian news begins with reading the headline. And sometimes that's where it ends.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Harassment Russian Style

There has been so much harassment this week, I had to write about it.
Arts and life

Ancient Church Reborn in Vladimir

And now for some good news: the most beautiful medieval church in Russia is now even more glorious.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

An Ode to У

What do you know about the preposition "у"? It's so much cooler than you ever imagined.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Who's Sorry Now?

In the Orthodox Church the last Sunday before Lent is Прощённое воскресенье (Forgiveness Sunday). So how do you ask forgiveness in...
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Be My Russian Valentine

When it comes to love, the Russian language is just spectacular.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

I Get a (Russian) Thrill Out of You

What's the Russian for excitement mixed with pleasure, fear and delight? Um...
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

(Not) Speaking Ill of the Dead in Russian

In the many articles about "The Death of Stalin," I was less interested in the opinions than the lovely word пасквиль.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

What Did Trump Call Them? What's the Russian for That?

I wish President Trump would time his outrageous statements to better fit my publishing schedule.
Arts and life

Old New Year's Eve in Moscow

The great thing about the holidays in Russia is that you get to celebrate all of them twice. Up next: Old New Year's.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Scary and Weird Russian Slang

С Новым годом! Happy New Year! Just like every other year, my neighbors and I are relieved that the holidays are almost over. Стрёмно...
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Russian Words of the Year for 2017

This year's list of nominations for Russian words of the year are definitely on the grim side. But then, it was definitely a grim year.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

A Modern Russian Christmas Carol

Sung to the tune of “We Three Kings”
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

More Fun With Russian Measures

We’ve gotten a bit lax lately in the Word’s Worth office, which means just one thing: it’s time for a Friday pop quiz.
Contemporary art

ArtDocFest Under Fire Over Ukraine Films

In its tenth year, the popular Russian festival of documentary films continues to attract controversy
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Measuring Up the Old Russian Way

How about a refresher course in ancient Russian measurements? Get a tape measure and get measuring.
Contemporary art

Moscow Gets a New Museum

The Museum of Moscow opens a new exhibition space named after Moscow's most famous chronicler, Vladimir Gilyarovsky.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

The Winds of Russian Change

Do Russians deal with change better than other nations? They sure have lots of ways of describing it.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

The Ungrateful Russian Wretch

Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful. Or not. The interesting case of Russian gratitude.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

A Very Russian Mishmash

Studies show that there is a direct correlation between level of turmoil and number of consonants in Russian words used to describe it
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

The Soviet Language Revolution

The Soviet revolution in the Russian language was monumental.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Sounding Smart in Russian — Sometimes

I am a big fan of what Russians call вводные слова (parenthetical words), often used at the beginning of a sentence.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Love as a Russian Chemistry Experiment

You know that chemistry between Marshall and Lily? In Russian it's not химия. Really.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Coming Unglued in Russian

Want to know the meaning of закон подлости? It’s when you go south to improve your health and come back sicker than when you left.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

25 Russian Words For 25 Years: Part Two

This week I begin my trek through time stuck in a traffic jam. The place: Moscow. The year: 2005.
news

Derk Sauer on Journalism, Russia and Being a Black Sheep

The founder of The Moscow Times looks back
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

25 Russian Words For 25 Years: Part One

To celebrate The Moscow Times' 25th anniversary, I'm walking down a linguistic memory lane...
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

That's a Russian Laugh and a Half

A funny thing happened on the way to work this morning…
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

The Sweet Smell of Russian Money

It's not always proper to discuss money in Russia and in Russian, but sometimes you have to. And if you have to, you might as well do it right.
Arts and life

The Russian Shame Game

It's fascinating how many words there are in Russian to describe inappropriate behavior.
Arts and life

Russian Grammar Friday

Okay, since it’s the start of a new school year, this is Grammar Friday. Hey, come on! Where are you guys going?
Contemporary art

Russian Artist Pavel Kaplevich's Dialog with a Russian Masterpiece

In the courtyard of the Tretyakov Gallery is a pavilion that shelters a new work of art by Pavel Kaplevich. But before you enter, go into the museum to...
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Being Knowledgeable in Russian Is Harder Than You Think

September 1 is big deal in Russia and the other countries that once made up the Soviet Union.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Shawurma? Shawerma? What Do You Call the Scent of Russian Summer?

You suddenly have a craving for a gyro. What do you ask for in Russian? (This is a trick question.)
opinion
Michele A. Berdy

Russian Fun Fact Friday

I’ve been so caught up in false friends and politics that I’d forgotten some of the finer pleasures of language acquisition: fun facts.