Useful Russian Essay Phrases to Help Improve Your Writing
Published July 22, 2020 · My Daily Russian
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A clear Russian essay needs a focused argument, supporting examples, and a conclusion. Useful connecting phrases can help readers follow that argument. They cannot replace evidence, and a teacher does not expect every essay to use the same set of expressions. Choose phrases that fit the assignment and your own meaning.
Речевые клише are conventional phrases or ready-made formulations. Вводные слова are introductory / parenthetical words that comment on a statement; they can appear in the middle of a sentence, not only at its beginning. This guide includes both kinds of expression, as well as ordinary clauses and adverbs. Their punctuation differs.
Phrases for an introduction
Several of these openings comment on a quotation or an author’s ideas. Use them only when your essay actually discusses a text. Emotional openings suit a personal response more readily than a neutral research essay. Ellipses show where you must complete the thought.
Russian
English / usage
Выбор данной темы продиктован следующими соображениями: …
The choice of this topic is motivated by the following considerations: …
Задумываясь над этой фразой, приходишь к мнению, что…
Reflecting on this phrase, one comes to the view that…
Удивляет нестандартный подход к проблеме.
The unconventional approach to the problem is surprising.
Никогда не думал / не думала, что меня заденет за живое идея о том, что…
I never thought that the idea that… would touch me so deeply. Use думал for a male writer and думала for a female writer.
Поражает глубина мысли автора.
The depth of the author’s thought is striking. Name the author if the context is not clear.
Поразительный простор для мысли открывает это короткое высказывание.
This short statement opens up a remarkable range of possibilities for reflection.
Для меня эта фраза является ключом к пониманию…
For me, this phrase is the key to understanding…
Эта ёмкая фраза заставляет переосмыслить…
This concise, expressive phrase makes us rethink…
Нельзя не разделить мнение автора о том, что…
One cannot help agreeing with the author’s view that…
Phrases for the main body
Russian
English / usage
Проиллюстрируем это положение следующим примером: …
Let us illustrate this point with the following example: …
Рассмотрим несколько подходов к…
Let us consider several approaches to…
Посмотрим на проблему с другой стороны.
Let us look at the problem from another angle.
С незапамятных времён бытовало мнение, что…
Since time immemorial, there has been a belief that… This is a strong historical claim: use it only if you can support it.
С одной стороны, … С другой стороны, …
On the one hand, … On the other hand, …
Необходимо заметить, что…
It is necessary to point out that…
Приводя следующий пример, я хочу показать, что…
By giving the following example, I want to show that… The person giving the example must also be the subject of the main clause.
Во-первых, … Во-вторых, … В-третьих, …
Firstly, … Secondly, … Thirdly, …
Следует отметить, что…
It should be noted that…
Существует несколько подходов к…
There are several approaches to…
Phrases for a conclusion
Russian
English / usage
Исходя из вышесказанного, можно сделать вывод, что…
On the basis of the above, one can conclude that… Вышесказанного is written as one word.
Именно поэтому я не могу согласиться с…
That is precisely why I cannot agree with…
Вот почему я согласен / согласна с мнением…
That is why I agree with the view… Согласен is masculine; согласна is feminine.
Резюмируя сказанное, следует отметить, что…
Summarizing what has been said, it should be noted that…
Подведём общий итог рассуждению.
Let us summarize the discussion.
Подводя итог размышлениям, я прихожу к выводу, что…
Summing up these reflections, I come to the conclusion that…
Можем сделать вывод, что…
We can conclude that…
В заключение можно сказать, что…
In conclusion, one can say that… Use заключение here, and no comma immediately after this phrase.
Таким образом, получаем…
Thus, we obtain…
Приходим к выводу, что…
We come to the conclusion that…
Connectors and expressions for your argument
These entries are grouped by purpose. They are not all grammatically “introductory words,” and some are more conversational than academic. The English translations show the meaning in the intended context.
Certainty
Russian
English / usage
Конечно
of course
Разумеется
of course / naturally
Бесспорно
indisputably
Несомненно
undoubtedly
Само собой
naturally / of course; conversational
Uncertainty
Russian
English / usage
Наверное
probably
Как кажется
as it seems
Вероятно
probably / likely
По-видимому
apparently
Может быть
perhaps / maybe
Assumptions
Russian
English / usage
Думается
it seems / one would think
Надо полагать
presumably / one must suppose
Положим
let us suppose
Предположим
let us suppose
Допустим
let us assume / say
Positive reactions
Russian
English / usage
На счастье
fortunately; к счастью is also common
К радости…
to the delight of…; usually completed, e.g. к радости читателей
Что хорошо, …
what is good is…; a clause, not a universal comma-set connector
Regret
Russian
English / usage
К несчастью
unfortunately
На беду
unfortunately / as bad luck would have it
Что ещё хуже
what is worse / worse still
Surprise
Russian
English / usage
К удивлению…
to the surprise of…; usually completed, e.g. к моему удивлению
Странно, что…
it is strange that…
Непонятное дело
a puzzling matter; conversational
Perspective and frankness
Russian
English / usage
По сути
in essence
В сущности
essentially
Говоря по существу
speaking to the substance of the matter
По правде сказать
to tell the truth
Между нами говоря
between you and me; conversational, usually unsuitable for formal essays
Source of information
Russian
English / usage
По мнению кого-либо
in someone’s opinion; name the person or source
Как указывалось
as was pointed out
Как оказалось
as it turned out
На мой взгляд
in my view
Relations between ideas
Russian
English / usage
Напротив
on the contrary
Кроме того
moreover / in addition
В довершение всего
to top it all off / on top of everything; often emotional
Стало быть
therefore / so
Кстати сказать
incidentally / by the way
Clarification
Russian
English / usage
Одним словом
in a word / in short
Иначе говоря
in other words
Вернее
more precisely / rather
Проще сказать
to put it more simply
Что называется
as they say / so to speak
Extent and frequency
Russian
English / usage
По меньшей мере
at least
По крайней мере
at least / at any rate; not “at best”
В той или иной степени
to some extent / to one degree or another
Как и всегда
as always
Иногда
sometimes; an ordinary adverb, not an introductory word
Drawing attention
Russian
English / usage
Видите (ли)
you see; conversational
Знаете (ли)
you know; conversational
Представьте себе
imagine
Заметьте
note / notice
Что существенно, …
what is significant is…; a clause whose punctuation depends on the full sentence
Writing tips
Use clear sentences
Match your tone to the assignment. Literary analysis may discuss imagery; a scientific or analytical essay still needs precise wording. Break up a long sentence when its structure becomes hard to follow. Reading aloud can help you notice a problem, but sentence length alone does not determine quality.
Check what each comma does
Introductory words are generally separated by commas: Вероятно, он прав. (“He is probably right.”) But removing a word without destroying the sentence is only a clue, not a reliable punctuation test. Identify its grammatical role and check the whole sentence.
Он иногда читает вечером. (“He sometimes reads in the evening.”) has no commas around иногда. Compare Таким образом, мы решили задачу. (“Thus, we solved the problem.”) with Мы решили задачу таким образом. (“We solved the problem in this way.”) In the second sentence, таким образом describes the method and is part of the sentence.
По крайней мере три примера нужны для этого задания. (“At least three examples are needed for this assignment.”) uses the phrase to specify a minimum quantity, without a comma. Consult Gramota’s guide to introductory constructions and its entry on по крайней мере for context-dependent cases.
Keep handwriting legible
If the assignment is handwritten, follow your teacher’s requirements and write letters clearly. Ordinary handwriting does not have to be calligraphy. Check that similar-looking letters can be distinguished.
Choose precise verbs
Avoid unnecessary repetition, but do not change a word simply because another looks like a synonym. Prefixes often change a verb’s meaning. These motion verbs are related, but they are not interchangeable:
Russian
English / usage
идти
go / walk in one direction
выходить
go out / leave
обходить
go around / bypass
переходить
cross / move from one place to another
заходить
go in / drop by
проходить
pass / go through
Before submitting, check that every example supports your claim, that pronouns and verb forms agree, and that the conclusion follows from the argument. Which expression would help you write your next paragraph?
