Home Courses Languages Russian Courses Russian Courses CoursesBeauty and Fashion Courses Culture, Society and Environment Courses Dance Courses Handicrafts Courses Languages Arabic Courses Chinese Courses Danish courses Dutch Courses English Courses Estonian Courses Finnish Courses French Courses German Courses Greek Courses Italian Courses Japanese Courses Korean Courses Latin Courses Persian Courses Polish Courses Portuguese Courses Russian Courses Spanish Courses Swedish Courses Thai courses Ukrainian courses Benefits for Members of the Pro Trade Union Media, Computer skills and Photography Music Courses Sports Courses Theatre and Improvisation Visual arts Well-being Courses Written Expression and Communication Open University Studies Benefits for Union Members Tiivistelmä On our Russian courses at Helsingin aikuisopisto you can learn Russian from complete beginner to intermediate level (level 0–B1). In spring 2027 we offer an intensive beginners’ course, beginner-level continuation courses, a speaking and listening course and courses at elementary and intermediate level. You learn the Cyrillic alphabet and pronunciation and practise speaking and listening in everyday situations. Classes are held at our building in Töölö (Runeberginkatu 22–24), and two courses can also be joined online on Zoom. The courses start from January 2027 and cost €75–134. Please note that our Russian courses are taught in Finnish and Russian. On the beginners’ courses most of the teaching is in Finnish, and the more advanced the course, the more Russian is used. The language of instruction is always shown in the course details in the registration system. See all our courses taught in English. Courses Frequently asked questions Registration Which course is right for you? If you want to…Explorestart Russian from scratchIntensive Russian for beginnerscontinue after about one term or revise the basicsRussian beginners’ continuation, Intensive Russian, continuationpractise speaking and listening in particularSpeak and listen to Russianbuild vocabulary and conversation skills at elementary levelRussian 5read authentic texts and talk in RussianDeepen and revise your Russianjoin online from homeOnline participation Courses in spring 2027 This list is based on the published spring 2027 programme. You can always find up-to-date information, course descriptions and available places in the registration system. Courses are held at Runeberginkatu 22–24, and two courses can also be joined on Zoom. The Finnish course name is shown in brackets. Beginner level (level 0–A1.3) On the beginner-level courses you start with the Cyrillic alphabet and pronunciation and move on to simple everyday speaking and listening situations with basic vocabulary and grammar. On the continuation courses you practise talking about family, housing and Russian food, for example, and making phone calls. The textbook is Kafe Piter 1. Intensive Russian for beginners, level 0 (Venäjän intensiivialkeet): Tue 18.40–20.40, 19 Jan – 16 Mar 2027, Raissa Tsehhovskaja, €117. No previous study needed. Russian beginners’ continuation, A1.1 (Venäjän alkeiden jatko): Mon 18.40–20.10, 11 Jan – 12 Apr 2027 (also on Zoom), Raissa Tsehhovskaja, €134. For learners with about one term of Russian, the intensive beginners’ course or similar knowledge. Also suits learners revising the basics. Intensive Russian for beginners, continuation, A1.1 (Venäjän intensiivialkeiden jatko): Tue 18.40–20.40, 30 Mar – 18 May 2027, Raissa Tsehhovskaja, €117. Follows on from the intensive beginners’ course. For learners with about one term of Russian or similar knowledge. Russian 2, A1.2 (Venäjän jatko 2): Tue 17.00–18.30, 12 Jan – 6 Apr 2027 (also on Zoom), Raissa Tsehhovskaja, €134. For learners with about one and a half years of Russian. Also suits learners revising. Speak and listen to Russian, A1.3 (Puhu ja kuuntele venäjää): Mon 17.00–19.00, 26 Apr – 24 May 2027, Raissa Tsehhovskaja, €75. Phrases and speaking practice for small talk, restaurants and shopping, for example, in pairs and small groups. For learners with about two years of Russian. Materials are included in the price. Elementary level (A2.2) At elementary level you expand your vocabulary and grammar and practise speaking and listening in many ways. Russian 5, A2.2 (Venäjän jatko 5): Tue 17.00–18.30, 12 Jan – 6 Apr 2027, Julia Zsembery, €134. Topics include work and living in the city and the countryside. For learners with about four to five years of Russian. Intermediate level (B1) At intermediate level you practise conversation skills in particular and expand your vocabulary with current authentic texts. The course is taught mainly in Russian. Deepen and revise your Russian, B1 (Venäjää syventäen ja kerraten): Thu 17.00–18.30, 14 Jan – 8 Apr 2027, Julia Zsembery, €134. Conversation practice on etiquette and food, for example, and texts from online publications. For learners with about five to six years of Russian. Textbooks: Kafe Piter 1 at beginner level, Точка Ру / Tochka Ru A2 at elementary level and Tochka Ru B1 at intermediate level. The exact chapters are shown in the course details. You can download the audio files for Kafe Piter 1 free of charge from the publisher’s Nova app. Online participation on Zoom You can also join Russian beginners’ continuation and Russian 2 online on Zoom, which is easy to use. You receive an invitation link and instructions before the course starts, so please register at least three days before the start. In addition to an internet connection, you need basic skills in using your device, speakers or headphones and a microphone. Zoom guide for students. Good to know Location: Runeberginkatu 22–24, Helsinki. How to find us. Language of instruction: On the beginners’ courses teaching is mainly in Finnish with some Russian. The more advanced the course, the more Russian is used. At intermediate level teaching is mainly in Russian. Levels: The course levels follow the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (level 0, A1, A2, B1). Language proficiency scale • Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Textbooks: Textbooks are not included in the course fee unless the course details say otherwise. We recommend that you buy the textbook right after the first class. You can buy textbooks from bookshops, online bookshops and publishers’ websites. We do not supply textbooks. Payment: Language courses cannot be paid for with Edenred or Epassi culture and sport benefits. If your employer offers a tax-free culture benefit (up to €400 a year) that you would like to use for language studies, we can make a separate agreement with your employer. You choose the course, and we invoice the full fee or the part your employer covers directly to your employer. Please contact our study guidance or office for more information. Certificate: You can request a certificate from our office once the course has ended. Frequently asked questions Are the Russian courses taught in English? No. The courses are taught in Finnish and Russian. If you would like to learn an East Slavic language with English as the supporting language, see our online Ukrainian courses. Can I start Russian from scratch in spring? Yes. Intensive Russian for beginners (level 0) starts in January, and no previous study is needed. Do I need to know the Cyrillic alphabet before the course? No. The intensive beginners’ course starts with the Cyrillic alphabet and pronunciation. I studied Russian some time ago. Where should I start? Russian beginners’ continuation and Russian 2 also suit learners who want to revise. Each course lists how much previous study it requires. You can also ask our study guidance for advice. Can I join a course that has already started? Yes, on most courses. Register for the course but do not pay, and email toimisto@helao.fi to tell us when you will start. We will send you a payment link with an adjusted price. How much do the courses cost? Weekly courses cost €134, the intensive courses €117 and Speak and listen to Russian €75. Textbooks are not included unless the course details say otherwise. Can I pay with Edenred or Epassi? No. Language courses cannot be paid for with culture and sport benefits. You can, however, use a tax-free culture benefit from your employer through a separate agreement. Please contact our office for more information. See also Language courses: all the languages we teach. Ukrainian courses: another East Slavic language, taught online with English as the supporting language. Polish courses: a West Slavic language from beginner level. Finnish courses: the Suomen mestari 3 online courses use Russian and English as supporting languages. Study languages from home: how our online language classes on Zoom work. Teachers of our language courses: meet our teachers. Registration Browse all our Russian courses and register online. Our study guidance can help you choose a course and answer questions about your studies. For more information about our Russian courses, please contact Niina Kerppola, Head of Foreign Languages, at niina.kerppola@helao.fi.
