PHRASEBOOK · A SLOVO GUIDE
50 Everyday Russian Phrases With Audio and Stress Marks
Start with a few phrases you can use together: Здравствуйте (hello), Спасибо (thank you), Я не понимаю (I do not understand), and Повторите, пожалуйста (please repeat). Learn the situation and level of politeness along with the words.
How to use this Russian phrasebook
Choose one situation and practice its phrases as an exchange. A café visit needs a greeting, an order, and an answer to a follow-up question. Learning those together gives the words a job to do. You can return for the other situations later.
Just need a greeting? Start with how to say hello in Russian. These 50 entries use Cyrillic, English meanings, and stress marks. The marks identify the stressed vowel in words with more than one syllable; one-syllable words do not need them. If you are still decoding the letters, use the 33-letter alphabet chart alongside the phrases.
Most requests use polite forms suitable for an adult you do not know. Some friendly phrases are explicitly informal. Russian вы can mean polite singular “you” or plural “you”; ты is informal singular. Listen, repeat at a comfortable speed, then try the phrase while looking only at its English meaning.
Greetings and introductions
Приве́т!
Hi!
Informal; use with friends.Здра́вствуйте!
Hello!
Polite, or addressed to more than one person.До́брое у́тро!
Good morning!
A greeting for the morning.До́брый день!
Good afternoon!
A polite daytime greeting.До́брый ве́чер!
Good evening!
A greeting for the evening.Как дела́?
How are things?
A friendly question; it can invite a real answer.Хорошо́, спаси́бо.
Good, thank you.
A short reply to Как дела?Меня́ зову́т…
My name is…
Add your name after зовут.О́чень прия́тно.
Nice to meet you.
Useful after an introduction.До свида́ния!
Goodbye!
A polite farewell.
Politeness and conversation repair
Спаси́бо!
Thank you!
Use after receiving something or getting help.Пожа́луйста.
Please / You’re welcome.
The meaning depends on its place in the exchange.Извини́те.
Excuse me / Sorry.
Polite or plural form; извини is informal singular.Ничего́ стра́шного.
No problem.
Reassures someone after a small mistake.Да.
Yes.
A short affirmative answer.Нет.
No.
A short negative answer.Я не понима́ю.
I don’t understand.
Use when a message is unclear.Повтори́те, пожа́луйста.
Please repeat.
Polite request to hear it again.Говори́те ме́дленнее, пожа́луйста.
Please speak more slowly.
Ask for a more manageable pace.Вы говори́те по-англи́йски?
Do you speak English?
Polite singular or plural you.
At a café
Ко́фе, пожа́луйста.
Coffee, please.
A simple order.Чай, пожа́луйста.
Tea, please.
Use the same pattern with another drink.Во́ду, пожа́луйста.
Water, please.
Воду is the object form of вода in this request.Мо́жно меню́?
May I have the menu?
A compact request.Без са́хара, пожа́луйста.
Without sugar, please.
Без takes the genitive: сахара.С молоко́м, пожа́луйста.
With milk, please.
С takes the instrumental here: молоком.С собо́й, пожа́луйста.
To go, please.
Ask to take your order away.Здесь, пожа́луйста.
For here, please.
An answer when asked whether you will stay.Э́то о́чень вку́сно.
This is very tasty.
A comment on food or drink.Счёт, пожа́луйста.
The bill, please.
Ask when you are ready to pay.
Getting around
Где метро́?
Where is the metro?
Replace метро with a place you need.Где остано́вка?
Where is the stop?
Useful when looking for a bus or tram stop.Где туале́т?
Where is the toilet?
A practical question in a public place.Как пройти́ к вокза́лу?
How do I get to the station on foot?
Пройти refers to walking here.Э́то далеко́?
Is it far?
A follow-up after asking directions.Мне ну́жен биле́т.
I need a ticket.
Нужен agrees with masculine билет.Оди́н биле́т, пожа́луйста.
One ticket, please.
Add the destination if necessary.Куда́ идёт э́тот авто́бус?
Where does this bus go?
Ask about a route.Останови́те здесь, пожа́луйста.
Please stop here.
A request to a driver where stopping is permitted.Помоги́те, пожа́луйста.
Please help.
A direct request for help.
Shopping and everyday plans
Ско́лько э́то сто́ит?
How much does this cost?
Point to the item if needed.Мо́жно заплати́ть ка́ртой?
Can I pay by card?
Ask which payment method is accepted.Я про́сто смотрю́.
I’m just looking.
A polite response to an offer of help in a shop.У вас есть э́то?
Do you have this?
Point to an item or show a picture.Я возьму́ э́то.
I’ll take this.
Use when you decide to buy something.Мне ну́жен паке́т.
I need a bag.
A short answer when offered a shopping bag.Кото́рый час?
What time is it?
Ask for the current time.Дава́й встре́тимся за́втра.
Let’s meet tomorrow.
Informal singular invitation.До за́втра!
See you tomorrow!
Use when you expect to meet the next day.До ско́рого!
See you soon!
A friendly farewell.
Put the phrases together
Try both sides of this short café exchange. The follow-up question С собо́й? means “To go?” Notice that the answer does not need to repeat the whole order.
— Здра́вствуйте! Ко́фе, пожа́луйста.
— С собо́й?
— Здесь, пожа́луйста.
— Пожа́луйста.
— Спаси́бо!
— Hello! Coffee, please.
— To go?
— For here, please.
— Here you are.
— Thank you!
Now change coffee to tea. Then imagine you did not understand the question: insert Повтори́те, пожа́луйста. Learning to repair a conversation matters as much as remembering the original request.
A useful practice test is to close this page and order a drink aloud. Can you greet someone, make the request, and say thank you? If one part disappears, practice that part again rather than rereading all 50 entries. Use our vocabulary recall routine to revisit the phrases across several days.
Common questions
Which Russian phrases should I learn first?
Choose a greeting, thank you, a request you expect to make, and a way to ask for repetition. A small exchange you can use is a better first task than attempting all 50 phrases in one sitting.
Why does вода become воду when I order water?
Вода is the dictionary form. Воду is its accusative singular form, used for the object of this request. The stress changes too: вода́, but во́ду. Learn the request as a complete phrase.
Can I use привет with everyone?
Привет is informal. Здравствуйте is a safer first greeting for an adult you do not know or when addressing several people. Follow the level of familiarity in the conversation.
These guides are published by Slovo, the maker of the app. Learning examples are educational aids; English sound guides are approximate. Read our editorial approach or report a correction.