Meeting and greeting in Russian
Давай познакомимся! (dun-vahy-tee pahz-nug-koh-meem-syeh!) (Let’s get adquainted!) [informal])
Очень приятно! (oh-cheen’ pree-yat-nah!) (Nice to meet you!)
Здравствуйте! (zdrah-stvoohy-tee!) (Hello! [formal])
Здравствуй! (zdrah-stvoohy!) (Hello! [informal])
Привет. (pree-vyeht.) (Hi.)
Доброе утро! (dohb-rah-ee ooh-trah!) (Good morning!)
Добрьӏй день! (dohb-riy dyehn’!) (Good afternoon!)
Добрьӏй вечер. (dohb-riy vyeh-cheer!) (Good evening.)
Как поживаете? (kahk pah-zhee-vah-ee-tee?) (How are you? [formal])
Как дела? (kahk dee-lah?) (How are you? [informal])
Хорошо. (khah-rah-shoh.) (Good.)
Ничего. (nee-chee-voh.) (So-so.)
Неплохо. (nee-ploh-khah.) (Not bad.)
Нормально. (nahr-mahl’-nah.) (Okay.)
А у вас? (uh ooh vahs?) (And you? [formal])
А у тебя? (uh ooh tee-bya?) (And you? [informal])
До свидания! (dah svee-dah-nee-yeh!) (Goodbye!)
Пока! (pah-kah!) (See you later!)
Handy and polite Russian expressions
Меня зовут… (mee-nya zah-vooht…) (My name is…)
Спасибо! (spuh-see-bah!) (Thank you!)
Спасибо большое! (spuh-see-bah bahl’-shoh-ee!) (Thank you very much!)
Пожалуйста. (pah-zhahl-stuh.) (Please/You’re welcome.)
Ничего! (nee-chee-voh!) (It’s all right/No problem!)
Всего хорошего! (vsee-voh khah-roh-shee-vah!) (All the best!)
Желаю удачи! (zhee-lah-yooh ooh-dah-chee!) (Good luck!)
Приятного аппетита! (pree-yat-nah-vah uh-pee-tee-tuh!) (Bon appetit!)
Извините. (eez-vee-nee-tee.) (Excuse me.)
Извините, пожалуйста, мне пора. (eez-vee-nee-tee. pah-zhahl-stuh, mnyeh pah-rah.) (Excuse me, it’s time for me to go.)
Asking useful questions in Russian
Где?/Куда? (gdyeh?/kooh-dah?) (Where/Where to?)
Вы говорите по-английски? (vi gah-vah-ree-tee puh uhn-gleey-skee?) (Do you speak English?)
Повторите, пожалуйста? (pahf-tah-ree-tee, pah-zhahl-stuh?) (Could you please repeat that?)
Как вы сказали? (kahk vi skuh-zah-lee?) (What did you say?)
Что случилось? (shtoh slooh-chee-lahs’?) (What happened?)
Сколько это стоит? (skohl’-kah eh-tah stoh-eet? (How much does it cost?)
Как я отсюда могу попасть в…? (kahk ya aht-syooh-duh mah-gooh pah-pahst’v…?) (How do I get to …?) + the location in the accusative case
Сколько сейчас времени? (skohl’-kah seey-chahs vryeh-mee-nee?) (What time is it?)
Introducing different Russian cases
мимо (mee-mah) (past)
около (oh-kah-lah) (near)
у (ooh) (by, by the side of)
Accusative case: The accusative case is often used to indicate a direct object, which is the object of the action of the verb in a sentence. This case is also required in sentences containing verbs of motion, which indicate destination of movement. You also use this case after certain prepositions, such as про (proh) (about) and через (chyeh-rees) (through).
Dative case: Use the dative case to indicate an indirect object, which is the person (or thing) for whom (or which) the action in a sentence is performed. You also use this case after certain prepositions, such as к (k) (toward) and по (poh) (along).
Instrumental case: As its name suggests, the instrumental case is often used to indicate the instrument that assists in carrying out an action. For example, when you say that you’re writing a letter with a pen, you have put ручка (roohch-kuh) (pen) in the instrumental case. You also use this case after certain prepositions, such as the following:
между (myehzh-dooh) (between)
над (naht) (over)
под (poht) (below)
перед (pyeh-reet) (in front of)
с (s) (with)
Prepositional case: The prepositional case is so named because it’s used only after certain prepositions. It’s used with the prepositions в (v) (in) and на (nah) (on). The prepositional case is also used after the prepositions о (oh) and об (ohb), two Russian words that mean about.
