A German princess who became the most powerful woman in Russia.
Want more detail? Read this lesson at B2/C1 level →
These are the new words for Catherine the Great. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.
1 = D (a princess) · 2 = B (an empress) · 3 = A (a throne) · 4 = C (to rule)
5 = F (a language) · 6 = H (powerful) · 7 = G (a law) · 8 = E (foreign)
Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and talk about the last one.
Her name was Sophie. She was born in 1729 in a small part of Germany. Her father was a prince, but the family was not rich or important. Sophie was clever, and she wanted a big life.
When she was fourteen, she went to Russia to marry a prince called Peter. Peter would one day be the ruler of Russia. But Sophie did not speak Russian, and her religion was different. So she worked very hard. She learned Russian, she changed her religion, and she took a new Russian name: Catherine.
Her marriage was not happy. Peter was not kind, and they were not close. For many years, Catherine had very little power. She could only wait, read books and make friends at the court. But she was watching and learning all the time.
1. What did Catherine have to do when she came to Russia?
2. Was her marriage happy? What did she do while she waited?
1. She had to learn Russian, change her religion and take a new Russian name (Catherine).
2. No, her marriage was not happy. She waited, read books, and made friends at the court while she learned.
In 1762, Peter became the ruler of Russia. But he was a bad ruler. He liked Russia's enemy, and he made the church, the soldiers and the important families angry. After only a few months, many people did not want him.
Catherine saw her chance. She had good friends among the soldiers. One morning, very early, she went to the soldiers and asked them to help her. Group after group of soldiers said yes. Catherine put on a soldier's uniform and rode with them to the city. Peter had no one to help him. He had to give up his power. Now Catherine was the ruler — Empress Catherine II of Russia.
A few days later, away from the city, Peter died. Many people asked questions about his death, and this stayed with Catherine for many years. But now she was in control. She came to Russia as a poor, foreign girl. Now, at the age of thirty-three, she ruled the biggest country in the world.
1. Why did people not like Peter as a ruler?
2. How did Catherine become the ruler of Russia?
1. He was a bad ruler. He liked Russia's enemy and made the church, the soldiers and the important families angry.
2. She asked the soldiers to help her, and they said yes. She rode to the city with them. Peter had no help, so he had to give up his power, and Catherine became empress.
Catherine ruled Russia for thirty-four years. That is a very long time. She loved new ideas. She wrote to famous thinkers in France, and she wanted better laws for her country. She opened new schools — one was a special school for girls, which was new for that time. She loved art too, and she bought many paintings. Today they are in a big famous museum called the Hermitage.
But Catherine could not change everything. Many poor people in Russia were serfs. A serf could not leave the land and had to work for a rich family. Catherine needed the rich families to stay in power, so she did not help the serfs. Their life did not get better. In fact, it got harder.
Catherine also made Russia much bigger. Her soldiers won new land near the sea, and she took control of new areas. When she died in 1796, Russia was bigger, richer and more important in Europe. Catherine was not Russian and had no right to the throne — but she is still one of the most famous rulers in Russian history.
1. What good things did Catherine do for schools and art?
2. Why did she not help the serfs (the poor people)?
1. She opened new schools, including one for girls, and she bought a lot of art (now in the Hermitage museum).
2. She needed the rich families to stay in power, so she did not help the serfs. Their life got harder, not easier.
This story is about what people could do, what they could not do, and what they had to do in the past. English has easy ways to say all three.
Read the meaning in brackets and complete the sentence.
1. When Catherine arrived, she speak Russian, so she studied hard. (it was not possible)
2. To be Russian, she change her religion and her name. (it was necessary)
3. After some years, she speak Russian very well. (it was possible)
4. Peter keep the soldiers happy, so they left him. (it was not possible)
1. couldn't (it was not possible)
2. had to (it was necessary)
3. could (it was possible)
4. couldn't (it was not possible)
Put the verb in the correct form after could, couldn't or had to. Then read it out loud.
1. A serf had to (work) for a rich family.
2. Catherine could (read) books in three languages.
3. Peter couldn't (find) any soldiers to help him.
1. work (had to + base verb)
2. read (could + base verb)
3. find (couldn't + base verb)
Fill each gap with could, couldn't or had to. Read it aloud when you finish.
When Catherine was young, she speak Russian, so she study very hard. Peter was a bad ruler, and he keep the soldiers happy. In the end he give up his power, and Catherine became empress.
couldn't (it was not possible) · had to (it was necessary) · couldn't (it was not possible) · had to (it was necessary)
Use could for what was possible, couldn't for what was not possible, and had to for what was necessary.
There is a real podcast about Catherine the Great. It is for native speakers, so it is fast and quite difficult — that is normal! You do not need to understand every word.
From the Noiser podcast network. About 50 minutes. Open Spotify and search "Short History Of Catherine the Great" to find the episode.
Open on Spotify →Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.
Tell the story of Catherine the Great in your own words. Use these steps to help you: a German girl called Sophie → she goes to Russia and takes a new name → her husband becomes a bad ruler → she takes the throne with the soldiers → she rules for a long time and makes Russia bigger.
Try to use could, couldn't and had to, and some of the key words (princess, empress, throne, rule, language, powerful, law, foreign).
Catherine did some good things (new schools, art) but she did not help the poorest people. Do you think she was a good ruler? What makes a ruler good, in your opinion?
Tell a story of your own about a time you had to do something, or you could not do something. Use could, couldn't and had to.
Not sure what to talk about? Choose one: