Free Russian Movies With English Subtitles

Wouldn’t it be nice if learning Russian was as easy as watching a movie?

Before you say “dream on!” you should know—sometimes it can be!

You just need to have the secret sauce.

While learning a language is never as simple as sitting back and pressing a button on the remote, knowing about the secret sauce means that you can use TV shows, movies and YouTube clips to level up your Russian.

Ororo.tv is the great site. I watch there TV series with english subtitles and many of them have Russian subtitles. If some movie doesn’t have needed subtitles, you can always write to their support department, they are very helpful. Free French movies movies in the public domain. Our selection of public domain French movies & short films on Youtube, Archive.org & Vimeo. To turn on English subtitles for Youtube video's you might have to click on the CC Button. You can also buy Russian films on Google Play or iTunes, but make sure you can turn off the subtitles. Some films online have built-in English subtitles, which will keep you from ever enjoying the challenge of Boss Mode. Tip: If you need recommendations, start with this list of Russian movies. Explore YouTube in Russian. Aug 31, 2018  3. Soviet and Russian films with subtitles in English, French, German, and other languages are available on the Soviet Movies website.There’s a huge archive of Russian films ranging from the. Free Russian movies movies in the public domain. Our selection of public domain Russian movies & short films on Youtube, Archive.org & Vimeo. To turn on English subtitles for Youtube video's you might have to click on the CC Button. Free subtitles in all languages. Large database of subtitles for movies, TV series and anime. Find a movie! Movie and TV Subtitles in multiple languages, thousands of translated subtitles uploaded daily. Free download from source, API support, millions of users.

All right, I’ll give you the recipe for this secret sauce—it’s the gold hidden in subtitles.

A lot of people seem to think subtitles are just a crutch for beginners. The truth is, if you know how to play them right, subtitles can help kick your learning into high gear—whether you’re a beginner thirsty for real-life Russian, or an advanced speaker looking to handle slang like a boss.

Subtitles are for any level, and any learner.

The trick is knowing how to use them effectively—and keeping focused long enough to actually learn.

6 Pro Tips for Keeping Your Focus When Learning Russian with Subtitles

1. Warm up your brain with some old-fashioned study time. For maximum focus and motivation, don’t just jump in cold. Activate the Russian you already know by reviewing beforehand. That might mean skimming a textbook, running through some flashcards or listening to a song you’ve basically memorized.

2. Go into it with a mission and game plan. You don’t have to prepare a detailed mission statement about what you want to learn, but you also shouldn’t expect to advance in Russian simply by sitting back and soaking up subtitles. What skill do you want to practice? Is there any special vocabulary you should keep an eye out for? Zero in on your main goal and keep it in mind as you watch.

3. Watch more than once.The first time you watch a video (especially a film or ongoing TV series), it’s easy to get lost in the storyline and turn your attention away from the language. In fact, if that happens, that means you’ve chosen your resources well! But, it also means you should watch at least twice, if possible. The first time, just enjoy the experience. The second time, dig deeper into the language without getting distracted by the unfolding story.

4. Go solo. If you watch alone, you’ll have much better focus than if you watch with a group of friends. It’ll also give you the opportunity to pause and rewind without driving people crazy.

5. Take a trusty notebook along for the ride. You can translate “notebook” as the paper or digital kind (ноутбук means “laptop” in Russian), but either way, having one around is a smart idea when you’re studying subtitles. Not only does it allow you to note down words and phrases you like, but it also serves as a physical reminder that this is primarily study time, not an excuse to veg out.

6. Do follow-up activities to consolidate what you’ve learned. Your learning doesn’t end when the credits roll. After the film, take your notebook and start looking up anything you don’t know.

Don’t be satisfied with one instance in the film—Google the word or phrase to find more context online. Is it slang or formal language? Does it have a positive or negative connotation—or both, depending on the situation? After your research, make a special flashcard deck to quiz yourself later. You could also do a number of dictation-translation activities, which the FluentU French blog did an excellent job of presenting (seriously—try them out, especially if you’re an intermediate or advanced speaker!).

7. Use FluentU for all of the above. FluentU takes real-world videos—like movie trailers, music videos, news and inspiring talks—and uses optional bilingual subtitles and other language learning tools to create personalized language experiences. Just a quick look can give you an idea of the huge variety of content you’ll find in FluentU’s library:

Didn’t catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? FluentU makes native Russian videos approachable through interactive captions. Tap or click on any word to see a definition, in-context usage examples, audio pronunciation, helpful images and more.

Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab. Easily review words and phrases with audio under Vocab.

Don’t stop there, though. Use FluentU’s quizzes to actively practice all the vocabulary in any video. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you’re on.

And FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.

Once you’re ready with your notebook and game plan, it’s time to choose your mode.

Easy Mode: Russian Audio with English Subtitles

Free

How to maximize progress on Easy Mode:

  • Listen first, read second. Do your best to listen without relying on subtitles. It’s tempting to simply read everything, but you’re going to miss a lot of language and visual cues if your eyes are constantly going down. Instead, use subtitles as a back-up to confirm your understanding. And note: even if you don’t have an advanced level of Russian, you can still try to pick up common phrases and patterns.
  • Make use of that rewind button! Remember that tip about going solo? This is where it comes in handy. As you’re watching, actively listen for things you want to learn, according to your game plan—and when you hear them, rewind to listen again. Then pause to write it down.
  • Watch a second time on Boss Mode. Once you’ve got a good idea of the plot of the movie—or the content of the documentary—challenge yourself to watch again, this time without subtitles. This is Boss Mode: full immersion. Keep reading to learn more about Boss Mode.

Where to get your ammo:

  • Order DVDs on Amazon. This option may be a little expensive, but it’s worth it if you want a wider range of options and maximum replayability. You can also buy Russian films on Google Play or iTunes, but make sure you can turn off the subtitles. Some films online have built-in English subtitles, which will keep you from ever enjoying the challenge of Boss Mode. Tip: If you need recommendations, start with this list of Russian movies.
  • Explore YouTube in Russian. Subtitled videos are readily available on YouTube for those who know where to look. Sometimes it’s as easy as typing “Russian films with English subtitles” in the Search bar, or searching specific titles in Russian. To get started, check out the 1967 two-part film of “Anna Karenina” (a personal favorite), an animated version of Pushkin’s “The Tale of Tsar Saltan,” or the subtitled collections on the Mosfilm channel (which include the comedies “Ivan Vassilyevich Changes Occupation” and “Afonya”). Many Russian cartoons are also available with subtitles.
  • Dig up Russian movies on Netflix. Russian-language entertainment may not be as plentiful on Netflix as oh, say, Spanish… but you can still find a number of shows with Russian audio (original or dubbed) on their Russian audio index. Online you can also find curated lists of worthwhile Russian films on Netflix.

Hard Mode: English Audio with Russian Subtitles

How to beat the odds and level up on Hard Mode:

  • Don’t underestimate the speed-reading involved. You might think this should be dubbed Easy Mode, since the audio is in English, but keeping your focus on this mode is actually hard. The pace can be fast, and if you want to keep up with the subtitles, you need to work on your skimming and speed-reading. It’s good practice, though. It’ll help you later if you have to skim information in Russian, like when you’re doing a search online.
  • Pay attention to the translation of idioms, slang and social “scripts.” One problem many language learners share is that we try to direct-translate what we would normally say in our first language into a foreign language. As a result, the native-speaking listener often gets confused… or worse, misunderstands what we’re trying to say. As you’re watching videos in English, pay attention to how the Russian subtitles translate what’s being said. This will give you clues on how Russian speakers might naturally speak in the given situation.
  • Bonus Boss Mode version: Take the mute button challenge. Once you’ve run through the video once or twice and have a pretty good idea of how it goes, try testing your speed-reading one more time by muting the audio. Should be a piece of cake by now, right?
  • Beware inaccurate (and amateur) translations! Not all subtitles are well translated—even if they were “professionally” done. (Once, while watching a classic Russian film, I found myself apologizing to my family for awkward, nearly incomprehensible translations.) You should be especially wary of subtitle files downloaded online, which may be independently created and inaccurate. When studying the translations, try to cross-check with research online.
Free Russian Movies With English Subtitles

Where to get your ammo:

  • Go on a treasure hunt through VK. If you have an account on ВКонтакте (VKontakte, Russia’s version of Facebook), you can do a video search for English-language movies subtitled for Russian audiences. Try searching “фильмы с субтитрами” (films with subtitles), or just browse here.
  • Download subtitle files online. A quick Google search will lead you to a number of websites where you can download subtitles, often in multiple languages. As I mentioned above, though, you have to be careful—some subtitles may be unprofessionally translated.
  • Search Netflix movies and TV shows. Just as you can do a targeted search for Russian-audio films on Netflix, you can also browse materials with Russian subtitles by using this index.
Movies
  • Go to a movie theater in Russia. If you’re fortunate enough to be able to visit a Russian city, browse the websites of local movie theaters to find subtitled films. Frustratingly enough, many movie theaters prefer dubbed films (to the exclusion of original audio), but in a large city, you should be able to find popular films screened in the original.

Boss Mode: Russian Audio with Russian Subtitles

How to be a boss on the Boss Mode:

  • Watch in layers: first the forest, then the trees. The first time you watch the video, run through it without pause or rewind in order to get a general impression. (And test how much you understand!) Then play it a second or third time, this time with stops to pick up details and check your understanding.
  • Match up the words on the screen to how they’re actually spoken. What intonation patterns do you notice? Which words are stressed? Which are so unstressed they’re almost swallowed? Honing in on these details will sharpen your ear for authentic Russian conversation.
  • Write down whole scenes and study the text. When you come across a particularly interesting scene, take advantage of the Pause button to write down the whole dialogue from subtitles. Later, sit down with the text and write a translation—or simply perform it aloud to practice your pronunciation. (Pro tip: this is another good time to go solo, unless you’ve got a loyal language buddy who won’t think you’re crazy!)

Where to get your ammo:

  • Raid Netflix’s small but serviceable treasury. Sift through the Russian subtitle and audio indexes on Netflix for things that overlap—that is, shows that have both subtitles and audio in Russian. Your best best is anything originally filmed in Russian, like the cartoon “Маша и Медведь” (Masha and the Bear) or any of the films on this list.
  • Search for captioned YouTube videos. Mosfilm provides some Russian films subtitled in Russian, including the comedy “Афоня” (Afonya). Lower levels will also be happy to know there’s a series of animated children’s books in Russian on the Book Box channel. I recommend “The First Well,”“Four Friends” and “The Little Pianist.” (All super cute.)
  • Order DVDs on Amazon. Buying a DVD outright is a great way to get your hands on a resource you can watch and re-watch to your heart’s content… but be careful. Not all Russian movies come with Russian subtitles, which is sadly the case with my own favorite, that 1967 “Anna Karenina.”

After you’ve chosen your game plan and difficulty level, you’re halfway into a new adventure with your Russian-learning “secret sauce.”

The other half is just doing it. So get out there and start watching!

Приятного просмотра! (Enjoy the show!)

Randi Anderson is a writer, teacher and traveler hooked on language learning. She has studied several languages, most recently Russian—which she learned while living and working in Siberia. You can follow her writing and other adventures on her website, RandiAnderson.com.

Russian Dvds With English Subtitles

If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn Russian with real-world videos.

You like your tea served from a proper samovar.

You enjoy your blinis with a high-end caviar.

You prefer your sauna experience with a shot of vodka and a good birch branch thrashing. (Bruises? Who minds those?)

And when you want things to be all Russian, all the time, you’ll need your Russian films with Russian subtitles, of course.

Russian War Movies English Subtitles

It’s no big secret that you can learn Russian with subtitles.

There’s a good chance you’ve already done it or at least strongly considered doing it. Maybe you’ve watched Russian-language videos with English-language subtitles to help you along.

However, if you want to take your learning to the next level, it’s time to upgrade to some Russian-on-Russian subtitling action.

Thankfully, Russian students aren’t lacking for online Russian movie options, and plenty of these options have Russian subtitles.

So if you’re ready for a Russian learning experience unlike any other, check out these five great sources for Russian movies with Russian subtitles.

Why Watch Russian Movies with Russian Subtitles?

One great reason to watch Russian movies with Russian subtitles is that they offer a more immersive Russian experience. After all, there’s no English to get in the way of all the Russian learning goodness, allowing you to focus more fully on the Russian language.

Plus, watching Russian movies with Russian subtitles can help you better make out individual words. Listening to native speakers can be challenging, particularly since words can seem to run together, making it difficult to tell where each word starts and stops. Subtitles can help you quickly distinguish between words and help train your ear to hear these cutoffs.

Watching Russian movies with Russian subtitles is also a great learning method to combine with FluentU, where it’s easy to find a ton of great Russian learning material with reliable Russian subtitles (there are English subtitles, too, but you can easily switch any subtitles on or off).

FluentU takes real-world videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of Russian-language content available on FluentU:

Movies With Russian Subtitles

Didn’t catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? FluentU makes native Russian videos approachable through interactive captions. Tap or click on any word to see a definition, in-context usage examples, audio pronunciation, helpful images and more.

Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab and easily review words and phrases with audio under Vocab.

Don’t stop there, though! Use FluentU’s quizzes to actively practice all the vocabulary in any video. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you’re on.

Best of all, FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning, then recommends videos and examples based on your studies to create a 100% personalized experience.

Start using FluentU on the website or better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes store or Google Play store.

Finally, watching Russian movies with Russian subtitles can give you both reading and listening practice. Feel like reading? You can focus on just the subtitles. Prefer a little listening practice? Ignore the subtitles if you want. But why settle for working on just one skill when you can practice both simultaneously?

Star Media

Founded in 2006, Star Media produces and distributes movies, TV shows and more. And lucky for Russian students, they also maintain an active, popular YouTube channel.

In addition to a nice selection of their productions, Star Media has a playlist specifically dedicated to subtitled movies: “Фильмы с Русскими Субтитрами” (“Movies with Russian Subtitles”) offers over 160 videos. Okay, the name of the playlist may be misleading—some TV shows definitely sneaked on there. However, there are also enough full-length movies to satisfy any Russian student.

For instance, you might enjoy “Любовь на Два Полюса” (“Love Between Two Poles”), a 2011 TV movie, in which a woman must choose between two love interests, her husband, who works for the prosecutor’s office, and a criminal who her husband is investigating. This sort of captivating plot might be just what you need to propel you towards fluency!

To get subtitles with Star Media, all you have to do is make sure the “CC” button is highlighted and the Russian subtitles are selected. And don’t worry—these subtitles are so much better than the auto-generated variety.

Киноконцерн “Мосфильм”

Киноконцерн “Мосфильм” (Mosfilm Studio) is the YouTube channel of one of the largest film studios in Russia. Founded in 1920, it’s also one of the oldest film studios in Russia, so it should come as no surprise that they have a lot of movies in their catalog.

Plus, Киноконцерн “Мосфильм” has created a convenient playlist for subtitle aficionados: “Фильмы с субтитрами” (“Films with subtitles”). This playlist has a mixture of English and Russian subtitled movies, so be sure to pay attention to the film title when selecting what you want to watch. Many of the options are a little older, so if you like vintage films, this is the perfect channel for you.

Check out “Москва слезам не верит” (“Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears”), a 1980 film that won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It follows small-town women who live together in a workers’ dormitory in Moscow, and is a good way to learn about Soviet-era culture while enjoying a great movie.

ivi

Let’s face facts—there aren’t a ton of places to find Russian movies that are subtitled in Russian. Your main option is YouTube. Luckily, though, there’s one other great option: ivi.

Ivi is an online streaming service that users can subscribe to to access movies and other great video content, like TV and cartoons. It even works on an array of devices, including smart TVs and iOS devices.

While not all of ivi’s options are subtitled, there are a handful of good options. For instance, Russian film fans can dive in with recent releases, like “Гоголь. Вий” (“Gogol. Viy”), a 2018 fantasy-horror film that’s a sequel to “Гоголь. Начало” (“Gogol. The Beginning”), based loosely on works of famed dramatist Nikolai Gogol. You’re bound to get a fantastical vocabulary lesson, and with the tie to Gogol, the movie is pretty irresistible.

vvord.ru

This free website provides movie transcripts for a variety of great Russian movies. While it’s not quite subtitling, you can use vvord.ru much in the same way. Just have the transcripts handy as you’re watching the movie. This way, you can refer to them as needed, but you won’t find yourself looking at them if you want to focus on the spoken words alone.

For example, let’s say you want to check out “Летят журавли” (“The Cranes are Flying”), the 1957 film about World War II. You can purchase the DVD on Amazon. To read along, just pair it with the free Russian text from vvord.ru.

User-created YouTube playlists

One of the biggest treasure troves of Russian movies with Russian subtitles is the user-created playlists on YouTube. Find the right search terms, and you’ll probably never run out of content. Using English-language search terms, like “Russian movies with Russian subtitles,” will yield a handful of results. Using Russian-language search terms, though, is your ticket to a seemingly endless array of options.

One such useful term is “русские фильмы с русскими субтитрами” (Russian movies with Russian subtitles). Still can’t get enough options? Try searching “русские фильмы с субтитрами” (Russian movies with subtitles). While you’ll have to weed out some Russian movies with English subtitles and some movies in other languages with Russian subtitles, you’ll also find many options that are actually in Russian with Russian subtitles.

For instance, “Фильм субтитры” (“Movie subtitles”) is a playlist of 33 different videos, most of which have Russian audio and subtitles. But keep your eyes and ears open—some of the videos on this playlist (and other similar playlists) actually have audio in languages other than Russian.

So if you want to surround yourself in the Russian language like it’s a fur coat on a Siberian night, look no further than these five great sources for Russian movies with Russian subtitles.

If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn Russian with real-world videos.

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