Language/Russian/Grammar/Punctuation

Hi Russian learners,

In today's lesson you will learn about the punctuation in Russian.

Russian punctuation has some important particularities.

Here are the main ones:

Comma

It should be used to separate the main proposition from the subordinate:

• I do not understand what you are talking about. = Я не понимаю, о чём вы говорите.

On the other hand, we do not put it after a circumstantial complement, if it is placed at the beginning of the sentence:

• Last year, we went to Russia. = В прошлом году мы ездили в Россию. 

Dash

It replaces the verb to be in the present between two nouns.

• Sonia is Vania's sister. Соня — сестра Вани

However, we don't put it between a pronoun and a noun, or a noun and an adjective

• He's an engineer. = Он инженер.
• Katia is beautiful = Катя красивая

Sources

http://russe.inalco.chez.com/L0GRAM/GRAM_LO/ponctuation.htm