How to Say a Few Basic Russian Phrases

Kharkiv, Ukraine Train Station

The Russian language has a few easy words and phrases a person can use for greetings, departures and casual conversation starters. It may help to hear the words pronounced. Check a site like talkrussian.com that gives the English translation and sounds out the words.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Note Cards

Instructions

1. Zdrasvuitye is the formal hello. First make a "Z" sound, then say the word draws, then voo, then eat, then a "ye" sound. Say them all together for hello. Dasvidaniye is the formal good bye. It's pronounced Dahs-vid-on-ee-ye.

2. Priviet is an informal hi. Sound it out as pre-vee-et. For an informal bye, use Paka, which is pronounced paw kah.

3. Kak dayla, which sounds like it's spelled is, "how are you?" Some of the responses are Kharashow (good), narmaina (fine) and ploha (bad). Narmaina is pronounced nar-mall-na, and neeploha is nee, followed with blow if it started with a p, then "ha."

4. Spaseeba (Spa-see-ba) is the short way of saying "thank you," while Pazhalooysta is "you're welcome." Prasteete is "Excuse me," and Bal'shoye spaseeba is "thank you very much." Kak Vas za vut is how you'd say, "What is your name?"

5. For some longer phrases, try Vy ochen' krasivy for "you are very beautiful," and Udachi i khoroshego nastroeniya for "good luck and keep well." Poko vsyo is "that's all for now," and Govorite li vy po angliyski is Russian for "do you speak English?"

Tips & Warnings

• Write these words down and look at them through out the day.

• Make flash cards and quiz yourself.

References

• Master Russian
• Russian News Network
• Talk Russian