Educational Discovery: 33 Steps Across Russia. Letter Е

STEP 6

Letter Е, е

The letter E is естественная (natural), единственная (unique), емкая (capacious)! The letter Е is a letter that embodies both simplicity and the power of meaning.

Origine of the name

The letter E is always there to lend you a hand in a word. It is no coincidence that it is the second most common vowel and the second one you encountered in this column. The letter E is a true workhorse: it doesn't strive for the top spot; instead, it finds it important to be helpful and useful. Without it, many words would fall apart, losing both their meaning and their sound. 

How did the story of this industrious letter begin? The Greek "epsilon" became far more versatile and multifaceted in the Cyrillic alphabet. For the Slavs, the letter did more than just represent a sound; it helped soften consonants, added warmth to words, and made speech sound gentler.

Dear traveler, you will encounter moments and situations where you shouldn't force your way. You need to adapt a little, listen, pick up on nuances, and, of course, help your fellow humans.

Guide words starting with the letter Е:

«Евге́ний Оне́гин» (Yevgeni Onegin/Eugene Onegin)

A novel in verse by Alexander Pushkin 

ЕГЭ́ (EGE/Unified State Exam)

It acts as both a school graduation exam and an entrance exam for higher education institutions in Russia

Екатери́на II (Ekaterina Vtoraya/Catherine II of Russia)

Empress and Autocrat of all Russia from 1762 to 1796. She was called Catherine the Great. 

Екатеринбу́рг (Yekaterinburg)

A picturesque major city in Russia, the administrative center of the Sverdlovsk Region. 

Еле́цкий госуда́рственный университе́т и́мени И. А. Бу́нина (Bunin Yelets State University)

The oldest university in Central Russia

Енисе́й (Yenisey)

The most water-rich river in Russia

Ерма́к (Yermak)

A historical figure and conqueror of Siberia, as well as a character in folklore, folk songs, and legends, in which he appears as a heroic warrior, a defender of Rus, and a conqueror of new lands.

Есе́нин С. А. (Sergey Yesenin)

A Russian poet and a prominent figure in early 20th-century Russian literature.

Guide word

Естествознание (Yestestvoznaniye/Natural science)

This is a word that starts with the letter under study, a step word on your educational path.

The letter E softens the hardness of the letter Д, as if muting a sharp sound to make way for something quiet yet significant. It is like natural science, where one learns to hear the voice of nature itself—even when it is assertive. That is precisely what natural science teaches us: to perceive harmony and to cherish our connection with the world around us.

Естествознание

It is about curiosity and the drive for discovery: experiments turn our traditional ideas about the world upside down.

In Russian universities, natural science forms the foundation of many fields of study. Once enrolled, you will have the unique opportunity to conduct fascinating experiments under the guidance of experienced scientists. Science in action—that is what distinguishes Russian education. You will learn not merely to absorb established facts but to acquire knowledge independently—and every step of this journey will fill you with the joy of realizing your own capabilities. You will become a true researcher and, perhaps, make your own discoveries.

Russian scientific traditions are robust and multifaceted: you will take part in challenging academic competitions, lively study groups where everyone is eager for knowledge and exciting conferences that will inspire you to prepare thoroughly again and again so you can confidently engage in scientific discussions. Everyone has the chance to take their first steps in big science.

Surprisingly, the letter E and natural science have a lot in common.

The letter E and its counterpart Ё are true masters of transformation: subtle shifts in sound can completely alter meanings of words (for instance, “мел” (mel) vs. “мёл” (myol). Natural science also explores transitions and transformations—scientists know how ice turns into water and how energy changes its states. Both the letter and the science turn out to deal with changes! Fascinating, isn't it?

For international students, moving to a new country is a challenge. Everything around them feels unfamiliar. Natural science helps with it by teaching them to observe, compare, test hypotheses, and rely on facts. These skills help students settle in more quickly and feel confident in both their studies and their everyday lives.

History of the word

“Yestestvoznaniye” is a traveler word, eager for knowledge. Like an international student applying to university, it seeks to understand everything—from the tiniest particles to the boundless expanse of the universe.

You hear the word "yestestvoznaniye" and think: "Just another long Russian word!" But in fact, it is very easy to understand.

"Yestestvo" means nature, while "znaniye" (knowledge) is what a person has understood through studying the world. Together, they form the concept of "knowledge of nature." The same notion also exists in other languages: “Naturwissenschaft” in German and “natural science” in English.

The term “yestestvoznaniye” came into use in the 18th century, when Russian science was developing rapidly. Prior to that, the study of nature was described using the phrase "natural history," and researchers were called “yestestvoispytateli” (naturalists), a word that immediately conjures up an image of a passionate scientist.

Fact

Discoveries by Russian natural scientists—from the periodic law to the theory of the biosphere—have largely shaped the development of global science and continue to underpin modern research. Scientists who contributed to natural science include Mikhail Lomonosov, Dmitri Mendeleev, Ivan Sechenov, Ilya Mechnikov, Ivan Pavlov, Kliment Timiryazev, Vladimir Vernadsky, Alexander Oparin, and Nikolay Vavilov.

Tasks

Dear reader, we suggest that you:

1. Write a short story about your favorite natural science. Note that each sentence must contain at least one word starting with [E]. Choose your science:

• physics
• chemistry 
• biology 
• astronomy 
• geography 
• geology 
• ecology, and that's not all!

2. Think of natural science terms that start with [E]

Let's start in English: ecosystem, ecology, electron, element, energy

Riddles

Dear reader, we suggest that you:

Guess the outstanding people of Russia! Try to understand who we are talking about. The clue is in the picture.

• A great empress who strengthened Russia's position on the international stage. Her contribution to the development of culture and enlightenment is particularly significant.

Who are we talking about?

• A renowned Russian poet of the Silver Age. In his work, he celebrated nature, rural life, and sincere love for his homeland. One of his most recognizable poems is "The Birch Tree."

Who are we talking about?

Answers:

Екатерина II (Catherine the Great)

С. А. Есенин (Sergey Yesenin)

See you in the next article! Next to come is the seventh letter of the alphabet: Ё. It's a special one with a unique twist—get ready for some fascinating facts, vivid examples, and moments where language seems to play games with us. We will be happy if you take up the challenge and try to solve our puzzles and riddles!

How to perfect Russian? For the best life hacks, visit the Higher Education Discovery website.