The following bilingual Russian MiniLesson is meant to build your vocabulary by providing Russian phrases within English text. Hover over the bold Russian to reveal its English translation.
In the Soviet era, Russians had more limited choice of winter clothes than nowadays. Both men and women used to commonly wear a type of
. If a person wanted to look more fashionable, he/she wore rather than the драповое пальто.Nowadays, of course, people still wear a
of some sort, but the most popular kind is . Дубленка is popular as a more expensive option, but the most common and cheapest winter coat is . These are usually made of a synthetic outer layer, but stuffed with natural down. A thick layer of natural down is a very good insulator and can keep one warm a long time in sub-zero temperatures.The warmest winter coat, though, is the
. These are still very common and very popular in Russia, where the anti-fur movement has made little headway in dissuading Russians from what they consider a very practical and comfortable choice of clothing. The second warmest option is the . The is rated third. The , while popular in the west, is one of the least practical options for living through a harsh winter.As for the шуба, when choosing a material,
is that of and . The fur of male animals is considered warmer than the fur of female animals.can be assessed by . You should be able to hear the , distinctly, then the fur is considered to be of good quality.
Another way is
, , it means that the fur is of good quality.As for пуховик, the warmest
is that of the , then , and . is considered to have . The best for пуховик is a of .In cities, Russians often wear
as winter footwear. These are often leather with a lining of insulation. In smaller towns, villages, and regions of the North, and can be seen. Валенки are often fitted with галоши, a protective rubber or plastic outer portion. Designer валенки are also gaining popularity in cities as well. Russian soldiers are outfitted with валенки as part of their standard issue winter uniforms. They are best suited for a and are generally not worn after the spring thaw begins.Russians generally favor
made of .An important principle is that
. It is better to have rather than one very thick sweater. This creates more layers of airs between you and the elements – which is what, in the end, will keep you warm.In winter, one should by adding more meat, fish, and fat.
There are some rules to keep to avoid
. should be .. In frosty weather, more blood is removed from limbs to heart and brain, making the limbs more vulnerable to frostbite.