Russian words: my memory aids for Duolingo words

I'm struggling to remember the Russian words. Here are my hints to myself which I hope will help you. I learn the word on Duolingo then go back to test myself.

When you repeat the words several times you remember them. When you are just learning you need to be able to recognise the word - and to remember it when translating the other way, back from English into Russian.

Teaching somebody else reinforces your own memory.

I try to look for similar letters and associations.

Moi - my (m-i) M I
sestri - sisters S ST R revers the vowels in Russia e then i but in English i then e

Girls - devochki - DEV CH_K devoted to chicks - slang for girls in English.The chicks are devoted to chicks. Picture girls cuddling tiny newborn chickens.The chicks are small but the girls are big. The word devochki means girls.

U tebya est' koshki - do you have cats - (think do you take in kittens  T...A  K....I
est mens is in French - not the same but at least you know the middle of the sentence is a verb - I think you take in is it kittens = do you have cats

Plates - in Russian this word has the l and e reversed if you read the word backwards.

e d y a t  (no spaces - but spellcheck keeps changing the word) - eat
E d y A T - EAT

PLAN - PLAN same word in Russian and English

BRaT - BRoTher - (my brother is brat)

Angela Lansbury

French words of the day: Chez

Where are we meeting, your place or mine?
Chez moi. My place. 
No, too far. Non, trop lion.
OK. Chez vous. Your place.
Oui, d'accord - chez nous. (Yes, agreed - in accord or accordance. That's right - our place, the spouse or colleague agrees.)

Glossary
Chez - in/at the home of
Chez moi - my place
chez vous - your place
oui - yes
loin - distant, as in long way, also long time to get there!
moi - me/mine
non - no
notre - our (Notre Dame cathedral in Paris - our lady)
nous - we/ours
trop - too much (Silent last letter p. Pronounced trow to rhyme with throw. Memory aid - think of a whole troupe traipsing into your small house or shop)
votre - yours
vous - you/yours

Angela Lansbury B A Hons, teacher and home tutor, French and English conversation, spelling, grammar, proof-reading, packaging, translation and websites,

French words of the day: culottes, concierge, moi!

Sometimes a simple translation is not enough, because of the implications, or alternative possibilities, often depending on context.

culottes - cut trousers, short trousers, can be below knee or above, like short bell bottoms, sometimes called a divided skirt

concierge - not a porter who carries bags, but a front desk person dealing with travel, restaurant bookings, recommendations for shopping and other bookings and needs outside the hotel,

- in a block of flats a receptionist and manager, checking visitors are expected by phoning to alert flat owners, checking credentials, taking parcels, helping workers on site

moi - literally me, used as an expression of affected surprise, (you don't mean me - surely not, certainly not) not me, never me, would I ever - sometimes ironic.

Chocolate Museum, Minsk, Belarus.

Angela Lansbury B A Hons, chocoholic author, photographer, speaker.