start by learning cyrillic letters on duolingo
I already learned, what do you think is next?
My boyfriend is Russian, and we’ve always communicated in English, but now I really want to learn his language. He has offered to teach me, but we don’t know how to start or what the best way for me to learn would be, he has already taught me the letters and their sounds.
Which lesson do you recommend we continue with?
start by learning cyrillic letters on duolingo
I already learned, what do you think is next?
Knowing the alphabet is a good start, but the next step should not be a random grammar lesson. Russian grammar is too interconnected, and learning topics in the wrong order can make everything much more confusing later. Your boyfriend can help you practise pronunciation, simple conversations and vocabulary, but being a native speaker does not automatically mean knowing how to explain cases, verb conjugation or aspect to a beginner. The best option is to study with a tutor who can give you a clear sequence of lessons and introduce grammar gradually. You would normally begin with basic sentence structure, personal pronouns, present-tense verbs, noun gender and the most useful everyday phrases, then move on to the cases one at a time. Your boyfriend can still be involved by practising the material with you between lessons, correcting your pronunciation and speaking Russian with you at a level you can understand. That combination will be much more effective than expecting him to design the entire learning process himself.
Start finding things you enjoy as soon as you can in the language
i really like LingQ or Anki cards. try to learn phrases. but you still need grammar and listening. you can start with past time verbs and akkusativ case for objects. start with imperfective past verbs. later you can add one at a time dativ for objects and genitiv for negation. Then you can learn adjectives and the genitive for assigning objects. Then you can learn the past perfect verbs. Then you can learn the imperfect future tense. Don't rush with the present sence and future perfect. This is quite a complex topic due to conjugations. Almost all Russian texts are written in the past tense, so you'll have something to read. The same applies to verbs of motion. Prepositions are also best learned gradually, one at a time or in small groups.
Watch Russian language cartoons. Listen to music, particularly childrens songs to start. My experience is learning English by force of immersion. Then, decades later, relearning Russian by consuming Russian language media. I have a slight advantage in that I'm fluent but have a small vocabulary like a child, and was functionally illiterate. I was in the first grade when we left 30+ years ago. I had the basics of the alphabet, but had just begun to learn to read/write... Also numerous YouTube resources for languages. I've never used a Russian one, but you can use them directly and as a guide with your BF. Whenever you can, Speak Russian with your BF. He can help with grammer, and translate when you get stuck. My parents/sister/various other relatives frequently switch languages mid-sentance. Sometimes words don't come in the right language. Other times, the right expression/folk proverb doesn't translate well/has no equivelent in the language you were speaking. Russian can be hard for English speakers. Don't get discouraged, and don't get too hung up on perfect pronunciation, especially at the start. People will understand, maybe help correct you, but mostly will just help you function as best they can.
Start with some simple vocab. Make a list of words you use often or find a list of this words in internet. Pronouns, numbers, verbs, nouns, adjectives, colors. Then go for simple sentences and questions. Then go for grammar: genders, cases, verb tenses and verbs of motion. Unfortunately, your friend won't explain it to you properly, because natives learn it diffetently than foreigner. Search it in internet.
Learn Cyrillic, then just buy an A1 book and use ir as a guide. Good luck with the ы xD
Russian Through Propaganda textbooks. Clear instructions in English and the author made an entire video series with lectures for every chapter free on YouTube. You can have your boyfriend help you with the topics and just follow chapter by chapter in an organized way. gw2ru.com has a free A1 online course with audios and exercises that you can use to supplement. Stay away from Duolingo, it's a time waster full of ads.
Begin with simple words found in Russian books for little kids like мама, папа, баба, дед, няня, дядя, add possessive pronouns and names in the genitive noun and possessive adjective forms to make phrases, then add personal pronouns to make sentences. Also learn international words from English and French, Greek and Latin in their Russian spelling and pronunciation - like computer, printer, mathematics, pediatrics, television, radio - and their grammar forms. Learn to make and understand short simple sentences and gradually extend them. Add spoken words and phrases for small talk and daily communication at home, at work, related to shopping, transport, hobbies. Statements, questions, answers, exclamations. Direct and rendered speech. There are course books with audio, apps, online tutors, YouTube lessons etc.