From news to talk shows to documentaries and original Russian classic films, there’s a ton of content to watch in Russian. Fortunately, as a Russian learner, you can use Russian television shows via your Roku to take your listening and comprehension skills to another level.
There aren’t very many Russian channels currently available for the Roku system, but we’ve found and reviewed a few of the best ones available. Check out the entertaining Russian channels below, and add them to your Roku to get a dose of listening practice and cultural insight.
Price: Free with periodic commercials or premium for $6.99 per month
According to the description, Divan TV “is the first and number one interactive service to enjoy Russian and Ukrainian Channels and Movies all over the world.” There are over a hundred Russian and Ukrainian channels available through Divan TV and most of the navigation is in English, so newbies can find content with ease.
This app is also free with periodic commercials. Most of the commercials are in Russian, so they can further improve your listening skills! Some channels on Divan TV have Russian subtitles while others don’t.
One channel you could try watching is Soyuz TV, an Orthodox Christian network in Russian. Even if you’re not a Christian, this channel can provide cultural insight into one of Russia’s biggest religions.
Or try NTV, a free-to-air channel similar to the American PBS. Here, you’ll find mostly talk and variety shows.
eTVnet has a ton of popular Russian news broadcasts, films and television shows, most of which are only available with Russian subtitles. If you want to watch new original Russian films, this channel definitely has quite a variety of more current Russian cinema.
eTVnet costs anywhere from $20 to $40 per month to use, depending on the type of plan you get. They do have a few free shows and films you can watch before buying, though.
Try out “Дочь” (“Daughter”), a psychological drama thriller about a serial killer and a battle of morals.
Coilbook is a children’s development channel brimming with colorful Russian cartoons, educational shows and content that both children and adults can enjoy. This channel is perfect for newbies, as the content presented and Russian spoken is simple and easy to follow. It’s also ideal for those who are learning Russian with a child or are trying to teach a child Russian while also providing them with additional educational material.
This channel is essentially various children’s animated shows made by the same production company. There’s no television guide available and no subtitles at this time.
How Can Watching Roku Help Me Learn Russian?
Listening to Russian, whether scripted or not, can help you get used to the speed at which Russian is spoken. Knowing vocabulary and grammar isn’t all there is to learning a new language. True fluency involves listening to how Russian is spoken and the speed at which words are pronounced. Watching television shows can definitely help your ability to truly listen to Russian.
Many Russian channels on Roku have Russian subtitles, so you can work on understanding Cyrillic script and connecting different written words to spoken words. Watching television shows with subtitles can help you read, listen to and comprehend Russian. It’s why learning programs, such as FluentU, add subtitles to their video content so that they can immerse their viewers in the language.
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.
With Roku, you can enjoy some entertainment during your downtime and still improve your Russian language skills. Breaking up your study plan with some relaxing passive Russian learning is a great way to avoid getting burnt out on learning Russian.
Ready to binge-watch some Russian television on your Roku?
If you love learning Russian and want to immerse yourself with authentic materials from Russia, then I should also tell you more about FluentU.
FluentU naturally and gradually eases you into learning the Russian language and culture. You'll learn real Russian as it's spoken by real Russian people!
FluentU has a very broad range of contemporary videos. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of Russian-language content available on FluentU:
FluentU makes these native Russian videos approachable through interactive transcripts. Tap on any word to look it up instantly.
Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab. Easily review words and phrases with audio under Vocab.
All definitions have multiple examples, and they're written for Russian learners like you. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.
And FluentU has a learn mode which turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples.
The best part? FluentU keeps track of your vocabulary, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You'll have a 100% personalized experience.
