45 of the Most Useful Basic Russian Phrases

  • June 7, 2017

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!

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