Perhaps you really love Tchaikovsky and you want to see his home city of Saint-Petersburg to walk around the old city and be surrounded by culture and inspiration,
Perhaps you love art and want to visit the Hermitage Museum,
Or visit Petergof and see how the Russian upper class lived a few centuries ago,
Maybe you just wish to experience something different...
Well whatever your reason might be it is a necessity to learn these Essential Russian Travel Phrases
But why is it so important to learn them? Can't you just go and speak Enlgish there?
Well you can, but not really
You see, Russia has a completely different culture and mentality. And actually most Russians don't speak English. But why is that? After all most Europeans do.
The reason is largely because there isn't a big emphasis on learning English in Russia like there is in most European countries.
You should also learn these phrases because they will improve your overall knowledge in Russian and the natives would really appreciate you trying and talking with them in their native language
So lets start!
Transportation
Essential words and phrases to get you around Russia
English | Russian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
Bus | Автобус | Avtobus |
Plane | Самолёт | Samolyet |
Train | Поезд | Poezd |
Taxi | Такси | Taksi |
Ticket | Билет | Bilet |
Passport | Паспорт | Pasport |
Luggage | Багаж | Bagazh |
Does this (train) go to (Moscow)? | Этот (поезд) едет в (Москву)? | Etot (poezd) yedit v (Moskvu) ? |
What time does it (train/plane/bus) leave? | Во сколько отходит (поезд/самолёт/автобус) ? | Vo skol'ko othodit (poezd/samolyet/avtobus)? |
When's the first/last train? | Во сколько первый/последний поезд? | Vo skol'ko pervy/posledny poezd? |
Поезд едет (yedit) - самолёт летит (letit). Remember this! You can't say that "поезд летит" or "самолёт едет" If this confuses you, then instead of едет and летит use направляется!
Memorize and rehearse these words and phrases oftenly
When's the next bus? | Когда следующий автобус? | Kogda sledushiy avtobus? |
What's the next stop? | Какая следующая остановка? | Kakaya sledushaya astanoka? |
What station is this? | Какая это станция? | Kakaya eto stanciya? |
Please take me to... | Пожалуйста довезите меня до... | Pozhaluysta dovezeete menya do... |
How long does it take to get to... ? | Сколько понадобится времени что-бы добраться до... ? | Skol'ko ponadobyt'sa vremeny chto-by dobrat'sya do... ? |
Please stop here | Пожалуйста остановите здесь | Pozhaluysta astanovyte zdes' |
A ticket to Moscow please | Билет до Москвы пожалуйста | Bilet do Moskvi pozhaluysta |
I'd like to cancel my ticket | Я хотел(а) бы отменить мой билет | Ya hotel(a) by otmenyt' moy bilet |
I'd like to change my ticket | Я хотел(а) бы поменять мой билет | Ya hotel(a) by pomenat' moy bilet |
Where's the luggage? | Где багаж? | Gde bagazh? |
Lodging
After a hard day or two of traveling it's time to take a rest in one of the many Hotels, be sure to use these phrases when searching for one or checking in
English | Russian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
Where's a hotel? | Где здесь отель? | Gde zdes' otel' |
Do you have a room available? | У вас есть свободные комнаты? | U vas est' svobodniye komnaty? |
How much is it per night? | Сколько за ночь? | Skol'ko za noch'? |
What time is checkout? | Во сколько чек-аут? | Vo skol'ko chek-aut? |
I'd like to book a room | Я хотел(а) бы забронировать комнату | Ya hotel(a) by zabronyrovat' komnatu |
I have a reservation | У меня есть резервация | U menya est' rezervaciya |
Do you have a single room? | У вас есть однокомнатные номера? | U vas est' odnokomnatniye nomera? |
Do you have a double room? | У вас есть двухкомнатные номера? | U vas est' dvuhkomnatniye nomera? |
Are there other rooms? | Есть другие комнаты? | Est' drugiye komnaty? |
Eating out
Although most waiters at Russian restaurants speak English, they will be pleasantly surprised if a foreigner orders breakfast in Russian
English | Russian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
Breakfast | Завтрак | Zavtrak |
Lunch | Обед | Obed |
Dinner | Ужин | Uzhyn |
Dessert | Десерт/сладкое | Disert/sladkoye |
For two please | На двоих пожалуйста | Na dvoyih pozhaluysta |
Menu please | Меню пожалуйста | Menyu pozhaluysta |
What do you recommend? | Что бы вы порекомендовали? | Chto by vy porekomendovaly? |
What's in this dish? | Что входит в это блюдо? | Chto vhodyt v eto blyudo? |
I'll have... | Я буду... | Ya budu... |
Do you have...? | У вас есть ... ? | U vas est'? |
More please | Еще пожалуйста | Eshe pozhaluysta |
Tea | Чай | Chay |
Juice | Сок | Sok |
Your best friend at a restaurant is the word пожалуйста (pozhaluysta) and your wallet (кошелёк - koshelyok)
Water | Вода | Voda |
Soda water | Содовая вода | Sodovaya voda |
Wine | Вино | Vino |
Beer | Пиво | Pivo |
Meat | Мясо | Myaso |
Chicken | Курица | Kurica |
Pork | Свинина | Sveeneena |
Beef | Говядина | Govyadeena |
Fish | Рыба | Ryiba |
Vegetables | Овощи | Ovoshy |
Check please | Чек пожалуйста | Chek pozhaluysta |
Thank you for everything | Спасибо вас за всё | Spasibo za vsyo |
After filling your self up with some borscht and potatoes it's time to go shopping
Shopping
These phrases come in handy when asking for help at a store and purchasing various items
English | Russian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
Do you have...? | У вас есть... ? | U vas est'? |
How much is it? | Сколько это стоит? | Skol'ko eto stoit? |
I'd like to buy... | Я хотел(а) бы купить... | Ya hotel(a) by kupit'... |
I'll take it | Беру! | Beru! |
Do you accept credit cards? | Вы принимаете кредитные карты? | Vy prinimaete? |
I (don't) need a bag | Мне (не) нужен кулёк | Mne (ne) nuzhen kulyok |
Where are the/ where is...? | Где находятся ... ? | Gde nahodyat'sya... ? |
Those were the Essential Russian Travel Phrases! Memorize and rehearse them and you will be ready to visit Russia. We think a big part of learning a new language is also understanding it's culture, and what better way to do it than travel to the place of origin and see things for yourself?
If you have any questions or feedback feel free to leave it in the comments below!
