Basic Russian Words & Phrases

Video Transcript

"Nikolai Pankratz, with American Resource Network, for Expert Village. We're just going to give you the basics, and I hope you can review that at your spare time. The first thing you need to know is, thank you; that's a very pleasant word that everybody wants to hear; thank you, which is spaseebo, spaseeba, spaseeba. The next one, thank you very much; spaseeba balshoya, or balshoya spaseeba, balshoya spaseeba; you're welcome, pazhalooysta, you're welcome, pazhalooysta; yes, da; no, nyet; yes, da; no, nyet; yes, da; no, nyet; please, pozhaluista; please, pozhaluista; here you are, votbozalista, votbozalista; I see, ponimayo; if somebody tells you something; you say, "oh I see", ponimayo, ponimayo. Somebody might ask you, "do you understand?", you'll say, "ponimayo", I understand, that's the same word for both. Alright, or okay; well if you say okay, any Russian will understand what you're saying, because okay, American okay is very commonly used in Russia today too, but just in case, harasho, also means good, harasho; okay, harasho; good, is the same word. That's alright; nichoova; that's alright; nichoova; never mind, nibirivgolovo, nibirivgolovo. You might want to ask, "how far is it to town?", gagdiligoa ardgoroda, gagdiligoa ardgoroda, gagdiligoa ardgoroda. When you go and buy something you'll say, "how much, how much is this?", scolka; scolka, scolka."