Why should you learn Russian?...the process of learning something new is difficult and takes a long time...
But in the end it means you can communicate with more people, indulge in to a new culture and just have fun! So let's begin our journey by studying the Basic Russian Phrases.
The first step when communicating with someone in a new language is to understand (понять) what they are saying.
Understanding
Here are a dozen essential phrases in Russian
English | Russian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
Do you speak English? | Ты говоришь по русски? | Ty govoreesh po ruski? |
I speak English | Я говорю по английски | Ya govoryu po anglisky |
I don't speak Russian | Я не говорю по русски | Ya ne govoryu po ruski |
I speak Russian a little | Я немножко говорю по русски | Ya nemnozhko govoryu po ruski |
Do you understand? | Ты понимаешь? Вы понимаете? (formal) | Ty poneemaesh? Vy poneemaety? |
I do/don't understand | Я понимаю/не понимаю | Ya poneemayu/ne poneemayu |
Excuse me | Извините/Прошу прощение | Izvinite/Proshu prosheneeye |
What does ... mean? | Что значит ... ? | Chto znachit ... ? |
How do you say ... in Russian? | Как сказать ... по русски? | Kak skazat' ... po ruski? |
How do you pronounce this? | Как это произносится? | Kak eto proiznoseetsya |
How do you write(it)? | Как это пишется? | Kak eto pishetsya? |
Could you repeat that please? | Могли бы вы это повторить? | Mogly by vy eto povtorit'? |
Could you speak more slowly? | Могли бы вы говорить помедленнее? | Mogly by vy govorit' pomedlenneye? |
Meeting People
These next phrases will help you start a conversation with native Russian speakers
English | Russian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
Yes | Да | Da |
No | Нет | Nyet |
Thank you | Спасибо | Spasibo |
You're welcome | Не за что | Ne za chto |
Excuse me | Извините/Прошу прощения | Izvinite/Proshu prosheniya |
Hello | Здравствуйте | Zdravstvuyte |
Hi | Привет | Privet |
Good morning | Доброе утро | Dobroye utro |
Good afternoon | Добрый день | Dobry den' |
Good evening | Добрый вечер | Dobry vecher |
How are you? | Как у тебя/вас дела? | Kak u tebya/ vas dela? |
I'm fine, and you? | У меня хорошо, а у тебя/вас? | U menya horosho, a u tebya/ vas? |
What's your name? | Как тебя/вас зовут? | Kak tebya/vas zovut? |
My name is ... | Меня зовут ... | Menya zovut ... |
Instead of "тебя" (tebya) you can use "вас" (vas) if you'd like to be formal
Nice to meet you | Рад познокомиться | Rad poznokomitsya |
Goodbye | До свидания | Do svidanya |
Bye | Пока | Poka |
Quantity
These next phrases will help you explain the amount or number of something that you need
Englsih | Russian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
How much/how many? | Сколько/Какое количество? | Skol'ko/Kakoe kolychestvo? |
A little | Немножко | Nemnozhko |
A few | Несколько | Neskol'ko |
A lot/many | Много/Побольше | Mnogo/Pobol'she |
Days & Time
These basic phrases will help you tell time,days of the week and ask for what time it is
English | Russian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
What time is it? | Сколько время? | Skol'ko vremya? |
It's one o'clock | Сейчас час дня | Seychas chas dnya |
It's two/three/four o'clock | Сейчас два/три/четыре часа дня | Seychas dva/tri/chetyre chasa dnya |
It's ten o'clock | Сейчас десять часов | Seychas desyat' chasov |
At what time? | Во сколько? | Vo skol'ko? |
Sunday | Воскресенье | Voskresen'ye |
Monday | Понедельник | Ponedel'nik |
Tuesday | Вторник | Ftornik |
Wednesday | Среда | Sreda |
Thursday | Четверг | Chetverg |
Friday | Пятница | Pyatnica |
Saturday | Суббота | Subbota |
If you want to say that it's ten o'clock in the morning you add "утра" (utra) in the end, but if you wish to say that it's ten o'clock in the night you add "ночи" (nochi) in the end
Bonus tip : If you'd like to show off your Russian skills you can tell time by dividing the word "сейчас" (seychas) into "сей час" (sey chas), which translates to "the current hour is ..."
For example: Сей час 21.30 or Сей час восемь вечера (sey chas vosem' vechera)
(Just make sure that you make a pause between "sey" and "chas", that will really make you sound classy, educated and native)
Photo taken from pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/57702438946038165/
And those were the Basic Russian Phrases. Now you are prepared to meet native Russian speakers. Remember these phrases, because they will come in handy and are essential in any conversation. If you have any questions or feedback feel free to leave it in the comments below!
