Period (.) Comma (,) Question mark (?) Exclamation point (!) Dash (–) Colon (:) Period (.) Comma (,) Question mark (?) Exclamation point (!) Dash (–) Colon (:)

Introduction Dear friends! You need to know six main punctuation marks in Russian. Remember to use them appropriately! Look, read, and try to memorize them! Good luck!

Period (.) (.) A period is placed at the end of an affirmative sentence: Это мой друг Антон. This is my friend Anton. Антон учится в университете. Anton studies at the university.

Comma (,) (,) A comma is placed within a sentence during enumeration, after a vocative, and after the words "yes" and "no" if the phrase continues. Антон, Нина, Борис − мои друзья. Anton, Nina, and Boris are my friends. Друзья, приходите завтра вечером ко мне в гости! Friends, come tomorrow evening to see me! Вы поедете в субботу на экскурсию? Will you go on the excursion on Saturday? – Да, поедем./Нет, не поедем. Yes, we will/No, we will not.

Question mark(?) (?) A question mark is placed at the end of an interrogative sentence. Кто хочет поехать в субботу на экскурсию? Who wants to go on the excursion on Saturday? Когда будут экзамены? When will the exams be? У тебя есть деньги? Do you have money?

Exclamation point (!) (!) An exclamation point is placed at the end of an exclamatory sentence or after a stand-alone vocative. Какой красивый город! What a beautiful city! Студенты! Кто хочет поехать в субботу на экскурсию? Students! Who wants to go on an excursion on Saturday?

Dash (–) (–) A dash is used in sentences that lack a verb or linking verb. Антон учится в университете, а его сестра – в школе. Anton studies at the university, and his sister – at school. Москва – столица России. Moscow is the capital of Russia.

Colon (:) (:) A colon is used before a list or an explanation that is preceded by a clause that can stand by itself. Мария купила в магазине разные продукты: рис, мясо, помидоры, хлеб, молоко и сыр. In the shop, Mary bought different kinds of food: rice, meat, tomatoes, bread, milk, and cheese.

Note №1 а) These punctuation marks are placed at the end of sentences: (.)(?)(!). b) Each new sentence begins with a capital letter. Это красивый город. В нём живёт моя семья. That is a beautiful city. My family lives there. Москва красивый город? Да, красивый. Is Moscow a beautiful city? Yes, it is. Какой красивый город! Я хочу поехать туда. What a beautiful city! I want to go there.

Note №2 The punctuation marks (,) and (:) are placed only within a sentence. Мария купила в магазине разные продукты: рис, мясо, помидоры, хлеб, молоко и сыр. In the shop, Mary bought different kinds of food: rice, meat, tomatoes, bread, milk, and cheese.

Note №3 The correct placement of punctuation marks in Russian sentences is important, because the meaning of a phrase may depend on it!

List of references Правила русской орфографии и пунктуации. Полный академический справочник / под ред. В.В. Лопатина. – М.: Эксмо, – 480 с.

Text and presentation by I. Shigina Translation consultants: Karen Chilstrom (USA), A. Leonov, PhD