--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Although I don't understand Russian, I…" description: "\"Although I don't understand Russian, I like the sound.\" — Ryuichi Sakamoto" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_learning_although-i-don-t-understand-russian-i-li_1278710.jpg" --- # Although I don't understand Russian, I like the sound. ![“Although I don't understand Russian, I like the sound.” quote by Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_learning_although-i-don-t-understand-russian-i-li_1278710.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_learning_although-i-don-t-understand-russian-i-li_1278710.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_learning_although-i-don-t-understand-russian-i-li_1278710.jpg) > “Although I don't understand Russian, I like the sound.” [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Appreciation can arise from sound alone, even without understanding language. **In simple terms:** Sounds can be appealing without meaning. Key Takeaway Enjoy aesthetics beyond comprehension. Themes aesthetic appreciation cross‑cultural curiosity Mood reflective open‑minded Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - travel - music listening - language learning Key Concepts phonetics cultural perception Questions to Reflect On - What does the sound evoke for you? - Can you find meaning beyond words? A Different Perspective Relying solely on sound may miss deeper context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Like Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-sound/) [Russian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russian/) [Russian Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russian-like-3253305/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Spanish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spanish/) [Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand/) [Understand Russian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-russian-4124453/) ## Related quotes > [ \[On Rachmaninoff:\] He was the most Russian of them all, like a cathedral in the snow. Holy, wintry, infinite, he was all the Russias. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dagmar-godowsky/on-rachmaninoff-he-was-the-most-russian-of-them-all-like-a-cathedral/) [Dagmar Godowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dagmar-godowsky/) > [I honestly like any sound. Birds. I have a very broad space to accept or enjoy anything except quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-honestly-like-any-sound-birds-i-have-a-very-broad-space-to-accept/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [You know, I grew up in the East part of Germany so we never had English in school, we had to learn Russian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/you-know-i-grew-up-in-the-east-part-of-germany-so-we-never-had/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [I'm very proud that I have learned German and Russian. Especially Russian, because of how difficult and beautiful it is and because of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-m-very-proud-that-i-have-learned-german-and-russian-especially/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, my wife speaks five languages: Russian, English, French, Italian and, out of self-defense, Spanish. I watched her learn Spanish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheech-marin/born-in-st-petersburg-russia-my-wife-speaks-five-languages-russian/) [Cheech Marin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheech-marin/) > [if you'd teach me to swear in russian, i might have a new appreciation for it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/if-you-d-teach-me-to-swear-in-russian-i-might-have-a-new-appreciation/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Russian is such a tough and complex language that I am happy enough to understand everything and read most things pretty well, but, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/russian-is-such-a-tough-and-complex-language-that-i-am-happy-enough/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The language is the hardest thing. My technical Russian is much better than my conversational Russian, and it has to be good enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-walker/the-language-is-the-hardest-thing-my-technical-russian-is-much-better/) [Shannon Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-walker/) > [I can speak French but I cannot understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-can-speak-french-but-i-cannot-understand-it/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [If all our comrades of Europe, America and other countries, who do not understand what we are doing to Spanish Anarchism, would come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-all-our-comrades-of-europe-america-and-other-countries-who-do-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I like your voice. That sounds ridiculously lame, I know. But when you cannot see, Miss Fry, sound and the other senses become far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/i-like-your-voice-that-sounds-ridiculously-lame-i-know-but-when-you/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [I'm not really a person who layers so much; I like each sound to have its place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peaches/i-m-not-really-a-person-who-layers-so-much-i-like-each-sound-to-have/) [Peaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peaches/) > [I don't like the sound of my voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-don-t-like-the-sound-of-my-voice/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [I have a lot of my mother in me, but I was just born with the same parts as my father. I don't sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-buckley/i-have-a-lot-of-my-mother-in-me-but-i-was-just-born-with-the-same/) [Jeff Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-buckley/) > [I sound like my mum and I like that. I like that I sound like where I'm from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-sound-like-my-mum-and-i-like-that-i-like-that-i-sound-like-where-i/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) ## More by Ryuichi Sakamoto > [That's the meaning of 'The Revenant': It's a return from death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/that-s-the-meaning-of-the-revenant-it-s-a-return-from-death/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [In Japan, there has always been a small number of musicians who have been outspoken on social issues, but they tend to be dismissed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/in-japan-there-has-always-been-a-small-number-of-musicians-who-have/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I was really into the music of Cream after I finished composing the music for 'BTTB.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-was-really-into-the-music-of-cream-after-i-finished-composing-the/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I am worried that young Japanese people are not very curious about the outside world - which is so different to the way we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-am-worried-that-young-japanese-people-are-not-very-curious-about/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [My audiences are generally mixed. Some people like techno, others are into the pop music, and others enjoy my film music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/my-audiences-are-generally-mixed-some-people-like-techno-others-are/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [It's a very intimate, closed universe, doing my own music. It's just me, basically. I have to inspire myself; I have to do everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/it-s-a-very-intimate-closed-universe-doing-my-own-music-it-s-just-me/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [In Japanese culture, there is a belief that God is everywhere - in mountains, trees, rocks, even in our sympathy for robots or Hello…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/in-japanese-culture-there-is-a-belief-that-god-is-everywhere-in/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I think there's a genuine difference between the real and the virtual in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-think-there-s-a-genuine-difference-between-the-real-and-the-virtual/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [My interests are moving toward both 'sound and music,' not just 'music.' I have been doing lots of field recordings and also collecting lots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/my-interests-are-moving-toward-both-sound-and-music-not-just-music-i/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [The global view of cultures is part of my nature. I want to break down the walls between genres, categories, or cultures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/the-global-view-of-cultures-is-part-of-my-nature-i-want-to-break-down/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I've realised that if it is to remain relevant, contemporary music needs to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-ve-realised-that-if-it-is-to-remain-relevant-contemporary-music/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [The piano is the closest instrument to me in my life, so it's just natural to play my pieces on the piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/the-piano-is-the-closest-instrument-to-me-in-my-life-so-it-s-just/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [In the 1980s, Josef Beuys planted the seed that activism could be considered as art. I am influenced by the idea of his idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/in-the-1980s-josef-beuys-planted-the-seed-that-activism-could-be/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I'm really bad writing the chase scenes or fighting scenes. I'm much better for writing, like, a more melancholic or tragic music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-m-really-bad-writing-the-chase-scenes-or-fighting-scenes-i-m-much/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [Art is often defined as a famous masterpiece in a gallery, and we are meant to visit the work and view it to appreciate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/art-is-often-defined-as-a-famous-masterpiece-in-a-gallery-and-we-are/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) [Explore all 100 Ryuichi Sakamoto quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) ## More Learning quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. 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But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [Learning from the best, you will eventually become the best if you have the talent already, if you have that potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-orton/learning-from-the-best-you-will-eventually-become-the-best-if-you/) [Randy Orton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-orton/) > [Everything I do is more memorable and I understand music more than ever now. It's not a burden to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/everything-i-do-is-more-memorable-and-i-understand-music-more-than/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) [H.D. 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Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-u-pacat/) [Browse all 22,300 Learning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Although I don't understand Russian, I like the sound.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ryuichi Sakamoto" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/although-i-don-t-understand-russian-i-like-the-sound/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Learning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/although-i-don-t-understand-russian-i-like-the-sound/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_learning_although-i-don-t-understand-russian-i-li_1278710.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_learning_although-i-don-t-understand-russian-i-li_1278710.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_learning_although-i-don-t-understand-russian-i-li_1278710.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Although I don't understand Russian, I like the sound.” — Ryuichi Sakamoto", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ryuichi Sakamoto", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Although I don't understand Russian, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/although-i-don-t-understand-russian-i-like-the-sound/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/although-i-don-t-understand-russian-i-like-the-sound/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```