Book excerpt: Does learning Russian have to be so hard? Nyet! Learn the basics of the Russian language without getting discouraged. This friendly, fun, and practical approach offers first-time learners and re-learners of Russian the basics of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and conversation. Whether learning Russian for business, school, or travel, or just to have a friendly conversation, this book is a must. One of the five official languages of the UN An increasingly important language for business, trade, and science Russian is the third most popular language for multilingual skills in the U.S.