Russian Articles

Article / Updated 07-25-2022

To greet one person with whom you're on informal ty (tih) terms, use the word Zdravstvuj (zdrah-stvooy; hello). To greet a person with whom you're on formal vy (vih) terms, use the longer word, Zdravstvujtye (zdrah-stvooy-tee; hello). Note that the first letter "v" in Zdravstvujtye is silent. Otherwise it would be hard even for Russians to pronounce! Zdravstvujtye is also used to address more than one person. Use it when addressing two or more people even if they're children, members of your family, or close friends. The informal way of saying "hello" in Russian is privyet! (pree-vyet) It's similar to the English "hi," and you should be on pretty familiar terms with a person before you use this greeting. Greeting folks at any time of day You have ways to greet people in Russian, other than the bulky Zdravstvuj or Zdravstvujtye, but how you use these greetings depends on what time of day it is. The most commonly used greetings are as follows dobroye utro! (dohb-ruh-ee oo-truh): Good morning! (This is the greeting you use in the morning — until noon.) dobryj dyen'! (dohb-rihy dyen'): Good afternoon! (This is the greeting you can use most of the day, except for early in the morning or late at night.) dobryj vyechyer! dohb–rihy vye-cheer: Good evening! (This is the greeting you would most likely use in the evening.) Note that Russians use these expressions only as greetings but not at leave-taking. You can also use these expressions without giving any thought to whether the person you greet should be addressed with ty or vy. No matter whom you greet, you can safely use any of these phrases. Handling "How are you?" The easiest and most popular way to ask "How are you?" is Kak dyela? (kahk dee-lah) You use this phrase in rather informal settings, like at parties, meeting a friend on the street, or talking on the phone. A more formal way to ask "How are you?" is Kak vy pozhivayetye? (kahk vih puh-zhih-vah-ee-tee) You use this phrase when speaking with your boss, your professor, or somebody you've just met. You won't offend anyone in a formal setting if you say Kak dyela?, but you're better off sticking to Kak vy pozhivayete? Russians tend to err on the side of more formality rather than less. A word of caution: In the English-speaking world, "How are you?" is just a standard phrase often used in place of a greeting. The person asking this formulaic question doesn't expect to get the full account of how you're actually doing. But in Russia it's different. They want to know everything! When they ask you how you're doing, they are in fact genuinely interested in how you're doing and expect you to give them a more or less accurate account of the most recent events in your life. How should you reply to Kak dyela? Although optimistic Americans don't hesitate to say "terrific" or "wonderful," Russians usually respond with a more reserved Khorosho (khuh-rah-shoh; good) or Normal'no (nahr-mahl'-nuh; normal or okay), or even a very neutral Nichyego (nee-chee-voh; so-so, Literally: nothing) or Nyeplokho (nee-ploh-khuh; not bad). If you're truly feeling great, go ahead and answer pryekrasno! (pree-krahs-nuh; wonderful), or vyelikolyepno! (vee-lee-kah-lyep-nuh; terrific). But beware that by saying "terrific" or "wonderful," you're putting your Russian friend on guard: Russians know all too well that life is not a picnic. To a Russian, wonderful and terrific events are the exception, not the rule. To be on the safe side, just say either Nichyego or Nyeplokho. And don't stop there! Be sure to ask the person how she's doing. You simply say A u vas? (ah oo vahs; and you?; formal) If you want to be less formal, you say A u tyebya? (ah oo tee-bya; and you?) Taking your leave The usual way to say goodbye in almost any situation is Do svidaniya! (duh svee-dah-nee-ye), which literally means "Till (the next) meeting." If you're on informal terms with somebody, you may also say Poka (pah-kah; 'bye or see you later). The phrase you use while leave-taking in the evening or just before bed is Spokojnoj Nochi (spah-kohy-nuhy noh-chee; Good night). The phrase works both for formal and informal situations. See also: The Essentials of Russian Words and Phrases for Traveling Useful Questions in Russian Sounding Like a Real Russian with Proper Pronunciation

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-27-2022

You can travel more comfortably in Russia when you know a bit of the language, such as how to greet locals, use common expressions, and ask basic questions in Russian. Knowing about the use of cases is also essential for speaking Russian properly in any situation.

Article / Updated 01-29-2021

Thanks to the global nature of many Russian businesses today, speaking Russian at work is quickly becoming a primary reason for people to learn Russian. Whether you’re looking for a job in a Russian-speaking country or just need to talk with coworkers there, you'll need to know some key words and phrases to help ease your way. Office equipment and supplies Use the following words to describe typical office equipment and supplies. karandash (pencil) pis’myennyj stol (desk) stul (chair) komp’yutyerom (computer) tyelyefon (telephone) ryezyumye (ree-zyu-meh) (résumé) sajt po poisku raboty (sahjt pah poh-ees-koo ruh-boh-tih) (job finder Web site) razryeshyeniye na rabotu (ruhz-ree-sheh-nee-eh nuh ruh-boh-too) (work authorization) Meetings and mail You’ll need to know the following words when scheduling meetings. prikryeplyonnij fajl/document (attachment) faks (fahks) (fax) imyeil (e‑mail) adryes elektronnoj pochty (e-mail address) ntyerv’yu (interview) naznachit’ vstryechu (nuh-znah-cheet’ fstrye-choo) (make an appointment) Job titles There are many ways to refer to other people you work with. One of the most common is by job title. The following words will come in handy in most business settings. yenyedzhyer (manager) nachal’nik (boss) kliyent (client) kollyega (colleague) Useful phrases Try putting some of these terms together into some phrases that might come in handy at the office. Davajtye vstryetimsya v dyevyat’ chasov utra. (duh-vahy-tee fstrye-teem-sye v dye-veet’ chuh-sohf oo-trah) (Let’s meet at 9 a.m.) Ya budu vas zhdat’ v tri chasa dnya. (ya boo-doo vahs zhdaht’ f tree chuh-sah dnya) (I’ll be waiting for you at 3 p.m.) Ya budu zhdat’ vashyego zvonka v dyesyat’ chasov utra. (ya boo-doo zhdaht’ vah-shih-vuh zvahn-kah v dye-seet’ chuh-sohf oo-trah) (I’ll be waiting for your phone call at 10 a.m.) Ya vam pozvonyu v dva chasa dnya. (ya vahm puh-zvah-nyu v dvah chuh-sah dnya) (I’ll call you at 2 p.m.) Kakoj u vas imyeil? (kuh-kohy oo vahs ee-meh-eel?) (What is your e-mail address? [literally: What is your e-mail?]) U vas yest’ imyeil? (oo vas yest’ ee-meh-eel?) (Do you have e-mail?) Ya mogu vam chyem-nibud’ pomoch’? (ya mah-goo vahm chehm-nee-boot’ pah-mohch?) (Can I help you with anything?) Zdravstvujtye. Eto + your name. Pozvonitye mnye pozhalujsta. Moj nomyer tyelyefona + your phone number. (zdrah-stvooy-tee. eh-tuh . . . puhz-vah-nee-tee mnye pah-zhah-luh-stuh. moy noh-meer tee-lee-foh-nuh . . .) (Hello! This is . . . Call me please. My phone number is...) Ya poshlyu tyebye imejl. (ya pahsh-lyoo tee-bye ee-meh-eel) (I’ll e-mail you.)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Sometimes, knowing what NOT to do is even more important if you want to fit in or at least produce a good impression. Read on to find out about ten Russian social taboos. Don't come to visit empty-handed If you're invited over for dinner, or just for a visit, don't come to a Russian house with nothing. What you bring doesn't really matter — a box of chocolates, flowers, or a small toy for a child. Russian hosts prepare for company by cooking their best dishes and buying delicacies that they normally wouldn't for themselves. If, after all this effort, a guest shows up without even a flower, Russians believe he doesn't care. Don't leave your shoes on in someone's home Russian apartments are covered in rugs. Often, they're expensive Persian rugs with intricate designs, which aren't cleaned as easily as traditional American carpeting. Besides, Russians walk a lot through dusty streets, instead of just stepping from the car directly into the home. For these reasons, and also because this tradition has gone on for centuries, Russians take off their street shoes when they enter private residencies. The host usually offers a pair of tapochki (tah-puhch-kee; slippers); if you go to a party, women usually bring a pair of nice shoes to wear inside. And again, if you fail to take your shoes off, nobody will say anything. But sneak a peek: Are you the only person wearing your snow-covered boots at the dinner table? Don't joke about the parents Russians aren't politically correct. Go ahead and tell an anyekdot (uh-neek-doht; joke) based on ethnicity, appearance, or gender stereotypes; just steer clear of jokes about somebody's mother or father. You won't be understood. Don't toast with "Na Zdorov'ye!" People who don't speak Russian usually think that they know one Russian phrase: a toast, Na Zdorov'ye! Little do they know that Na Zdorov'ye! (nuh zdah-rohv'-ee; for health) is what Russians say when somebody thanks them for a meal. In Polish, indeed, Na Zdorov'ye! or something close to it, is a traditional toast. Russians, on the other hand, like to make up something long and complex, such as, Za druzhbu myezhdu narodami! (zah droozh-boo myezh-doo nuh-roh-duh-mee; To friendship between nations!) If you want a more generic Russian toast, go with Za Vas! (zuh vahs; To you!) Don't take the last shirt A Russian saying, otdat' poslyednyuyu rubashku (aht-daht' pahs-lyed-nyu-yu roo-bahsh-koo; to give away one's last shirt), makes the point that you have to be giving, no matter what the expense for yourself. In Russia, offering guests whatever they want is considered polite. Those wants don't just include food or accommodations; old-school Russians offer you whatever possessions you comment on, like a picture on the wall, a vase, or a sweater. Now, being offered something doesn't necessarily mean you should take it. Russians aren't offering something because they want to get rid of it; they're offering because they want to do something nice for you. So, unless you feel that plundering their home is a good idea, don't just take things offered to you and leave. Refuse first, and do so a couple of times, because your hosts will insist. And only accept the gift if you really want this special something, but then return the favor and give your hosts something nice, as well. Don't underdress Russians dress up on more occasions than Americans do. Even to go for a casual walk, a Russian woman may wear high heels and a nice dress. A hardcore feminist may say women do this because they're victimized and oppressed. But Russian women themselves explain it this way, "We only live once; I want to look and feel my best." On some occasions, all foreigners, regardless of gender, run the risk of being the most underdressed person in the room. These occasions include dinner parties and trips to the theater. Going to a restaurant is also considered a festive occasion, and you don't want to show up in your jeans and T-shirt, no matter how informal you think the restaurant may be. In any case, checking on the dress code before going out somewhere is a good idea. Don't go dutch Here's where Russians differ strikingly from Western Europeans. They don't go Dutch. So, if you ask a lady out, don't expect her to pay for herself, not at a restaurant or anywhere else. You can, of course, suggest that she pay, but that usually rules out the possibility of seeing her again. She may not even have money on her. Unless they expect to run into a maniac and have to escape through the back exit, Russian women wouldn't think of bringing money when going out with a man. Don't let a woman carry something heavy This rule may make politically correct people cringe, but Russians believe that a man is physically stronger than a woman. Therefore, they believe a man who watches a woman carry something heavy without helping her is impolite. Don't overlook the elderly on public transportation When Russians come to America and ride public transportation, they're very confused to see young people sitting when an elderly person is standing nearby. They don't understand that in America, an elderly person may be offended when offered a seat. In Russia, if you don't offer the elderly and pregnant women a seat on a bus, the entire bus looks at you as if you're a criminal. Women, even (or especially) young ones, are also offered seats on public transportation. But that's optional. Getting up and offering a seat to an elderly person, on the other hand, is a must. Don't burp in public Bodily functions are considered extremely impolite in public, even if the sound is especially long and expressive, and the author is proud of it. Moreover, if the incident happens (we're all human), don't apologize. By apologizing, you acknowledge your authorship, and attract more attention to the fact. Meanwhile, Russians, terrified by what just happened, pretend they didn't notice, or silently blame it on the dog. Obviously, these people are in denial. But if you don't want to be remembered predominantly for this incident, steer clear of natural bodily functions in public.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Compared to English pronunciation, which often has more exceptions than rules, Russian rules of pronunciation are fairly clear and consistent. Understanding the one-letter-one-sound principle Russian is a phonetic language, which means that for the most part one Russian letter corresponds to one sound. The letter K is always pronounced like k, and the letter M is always pronounced like m. This pattern is different from English, where a letter can be pronounced in different ways depending on where it shows up in a word. Consider the two different pronunciations for the letter c in the words cat and race. This difference almost never happens in Russian. Giving voice to vowels Vowels are the musical building blocks of every Russian word. If you flub a consonant or two, you'll probably still be understood. But if you don't pronounce your vowels correctly, there's a good chance you won't be understood at all. Lengthening out vowels If you want to sound more Russian, don't shorten your vowels like English speakers often do. Imagine, for example, that you're in your room on the second floor, and your mom is downstairs in the kitchen. You call her by saying "Mo-o-o-m!" That's the way Russians say their vowels (except for the shouting part!). Accenting the right vowels Stress is an important concept in Russian. Putting a stress in the wrong place isn't just a formal mistake. The meaning of a word can change based on where the stress is. For example, the word zamok (zah-muhk) means "castle." However, if you shift the stress from the first syllable to the last, the word zamok (zuh-mohk) now means "lock." Unfortunately, no hard and fast rules about stress exist. Stress in Russian is unpredictable and erratic, though you begin to recognize some patterns as you learn more. The harsh truth, however, is that each word has its own stress pattern. What happens if you stress the vowel in the wrong place? Certainly, nothing terrible. What may happen, however, is that the person with whom you're trying to converse will have a hard time understanding you and take longer to grasp what you really mean. Before learning a new Russian word, find out which vowel to stress. Look in any Russian-English dictionary, which usually marks stress by putting the sign ´ over the stressed syllable. In a dictionary, zamok (zah-muhk; castle) is written za/mok, and zamok (zuh-mohk; lock) is written zamo/k. Vowels misbehavin': Reduction Some Russian letters change their behavior depending on whether they're in a stressed or an unstressed syllable. The vowels a, o, ye, and ya do this a lot. When stressed, they behave normally and are pronounced in the usual way, but when they're in an unstressed position, they go through a process called reduction. This deviation in the vowels' behavior is a very important linguistic phenomenon that deserves your special attention. Not knowing it is like a double-edged sword: not only does it take other people longer to understand you (they simply won't recognize the words you're saying), but you also may find it hard to recognize the words you think you already know (but unfortunately store in your own memory with the wrong stress). Saying sibilants with vowels The letters zh, ts, ch, sh, and sh' are called sibilants, because they emit a hissing sound. When certain vowels appear after these letters, those vowels are pronounced slightly differently than normal. After a sibilant, ye is pronounced like eh (as in end) and yo is pronounced like oh (as in talk). Examples are the words tsyentr (tsehntr; center) and shyol (shohl; went by foot; masculine). The sound ee always becomes ih after one of these sibilants, regardless of whether the ee sound comes from the letter i or from an unstressed ye. Take, for example, the words mashina (muh-shih-nuh; car) and bol'shye (bohl'-shih; bigger). Enunciating consonants correctly Like Russian vowels, Russian consonants follow certain patterns and rules of pronunciation. If you want to sound like a real Russian, you need to keep the basics in the following sections in mind. Say it, don't spray it! Relaxing with consonants When pronouncing the letters p, t, or k, English speakers are used to straining their tongue and lips. This strain results in what linguists call aspiration — a burst of air that comes out of your mouth as you say these sounds. To see what we're talking about, put your hand in front of your mouth and say the word "top." You should feel air against your hand as you pronounce the word. In Russian, however, aspiration shouldn't happen because consonants are pronounced without aspiration. In other words, say it, don't spray it! In fact, you should totally relax your tongue and lips before saying Russian p, t, or k. For example, imagine somebody who's just had a stroke. She won't be able to put too much effort into her consonants. Believe it or not, that's almost the way you should say your Russian consonants. Relax your speech organs as much as possible, and you'll say it correctly. To practice saying consonants without unnecessary aspiration, again put your hand in front of your mouth and say Russian cognates park (pahrk), lampa (lahm-puh), and tank (tahnk). Practice until you don't produce a puff of air with these words! Cat got your tongue? Consonants losing their voice Some consonants (b, v, g, d, zh, and z) are called voiced consonants because they're pronounced with the voice. Practice saying them out loud and you'll see it's true. But when voiced consonants appear at the end of a word, a strange thing happens to them: They actually lose their voice. This process is called devoicing. They're still spelled the same, but in their pronunciation, they transform into their devoiced counterparts: B is pronounced like p. V is pronounced like f. G is pronounced like k. D is pronounced like t. Zh is pronounced like sh. Z is pronounced like s. Here are some examples: You write Smirnov but pronounce it as smeer-nohf because v at the end of the word is pronounced like f. You write garazh (garage) but say guh-rahsh, because at the end of the word, zh loses its voice and is pronounced like sh. Nutty clusters: Pronouncing consonant combinations Russian speech often sounds like an endless flow of consonant clusters. Combinations of two, three, and even four consonants are quite common. Take, for example, the common word for hello in Russian — zdravstvujtye (zdrah-stvooy-tee), which has two difficult consonant combinations (zdr and vstv). Or take the word for opinion in Russian — vzglyad (vzglyat). The word contains four consonants following one another: vzgl. How in the world do Russians say these words without choking? They practice. Here are some words that contain consonant clusters you may want to repeat at leisure: obstoyatyel'stvo (uhp-stah-ya-teel'-stvuh; circumstance) pozdravlyat' (puh-zdruhv-lyat'; to congratulate) prestuplyeniye (pree-stoo-plyen-ee-ye; crime) Rozhdyestvo (ruzh-deest-voh; Christmas) vzdor (vzdohr; nonsense) vzglyanut' (vzglee-noot'; to look/glance)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

When making plans, appointments, and travel arrangements in Russian-speaking countries, you need to be able to state dates and other calendar terms in Russian. Understanding the days of the week and the months of the year in Russian can help you to avoid confusion. Days of the week To ask what day of the week it is, says Kakoj syegodnya dyen'? (kuh-KOHY see-VOHD-n'uh d'ehn'?) (What day is it today?) To answer this question, say Syegodnya plus the day of the week. For example: Syegodnya ponyedyel'nik (see-VOHD-N'UH puh-nee-D'EHL'-neek) (It's Monday today). It's that simple! The following are the days of the week in Russian: ponyedyel'nik (puh-nee-D'EHL'-neek) (Monday) vtornik (FTOHR-neek) (Tuesday) sryeda (sree-DAH) (Wednesday) chyetvyerg (cheet-V'EHRK) (Thursday) pyatnitsa (P'AHT-nee-tsuh) (Friday) subbota (soo-BOH-tuh) (Saturday) voskryesyen'ye (vuhs-kree-S'EHN'-ye) (Sunday) To say that something happens, happened, or will happen on a certain day, you need to add the preposition v, and put the day of the week. For example, v ponyedyel'nik (f puh-nee-D'EHL'-neek) (on Monday). The only exception is vo vtornik (vah FTOHR-neek) (on Tuesday). The v changes to vo, because the noun for Tuesday is masculine. If you want to express that something will happen in a week, a month, or a year, use the word nyedyelya (nee-D'EH-l'uh) (week), myesyats (M'EH-seets) (month), or god (goht) (year) in the accusative case along with the word chyeryez. For example, chyeryez myesyats (CHEH-reez M'EH-s'uhts) (in a month). To say that something already happened last week, month, or year, you say na proshloj nyedyele (nuh PROHSH-luhy nee-D'EH-l'eh) (last week) v proshlom myesyatsye (v PROHSH-luhm M'EH-see-tseh) (last month) v proshlom godu (v PROHSH-luhm gah-DOO) (last year) Other phrases used to indicate day in more general terms include dyen' (d'ehn') (day) syegodnya (see-VOHD-n'uh) (today) nyedyelya (nee-D'EH-l'uh) (week) vchyera (fchee-RAH) (yesterday) pozavchyera (puh-zuhf-ch'eh-RAH) (the day before yesterday) zavtra (ZAHF-truh) (tomorrow) poslyezavtra (POH-sl'eh-ZAHF-truh) (the day after tomorrow) Months of the year The months of the year aren't typically capitalized in Russian. Here's a list of the myesyatsy (M'EH-see-tsih) (months): yanvar' (yeen-VAHR') (January) fyevral' (feev-RAHL') (February) mart (mahrt) (March) apryel' (uhp-R'EHL') (April) maj (mahy) (May) iyun' (ee-YUN') (June) iyul' (ee-YUL') (July) avgust (AHV-GOOST) (August) syentyabr' (seen-T'AHBR') (September) oktyabr' (ahk-T'AHBR') (October) noyabr' (nah-YAHBR') (November) dyekabr' (dee-KAHBR') (December) To say a chislo (chees-loh) (date) in Russian, you need to put the ordinal number indicating the day in the form of neuter gender and the name of the month in the genitive case, as in: Syegodnya pyatoye oktyabrya (see-VOHD-n'uh P'AH-tuh-eh uhk-teeb-R'AH) (Today is October 5). Zavtra dyesyatoye iyulya (ZAHF-truh dee-S'AH-tuh-eh ee-YU-l'uh) (Tomorrow is June 10). Poslyezavtra dvadtstat' chyetvyortoye marta (POHS-lee-ZAHF-truh DVAHT-tsuht' cheet-V'OHR-tuh-eh MAHR-tuh) (The day after tomorrow is March 24). Saying the year To say a year, such as 2007, begin with the century, as in dvye tysyachi (dv'eh TIH-see-chee) (20 [literally: 2,000]) for the 21st century. Then, to state the number indicating the year, use the corresponding ordinal number, as in dvye tysyachi syed'moj god (dv'eh TIH-see-chee seed'-MOHY goht) (2007 [literally: 2,007th year]). Note that although in English, we leave off the word year/s at the end of a date, Russians always include the word year god (goht) (year). The plural years would be gody (goh-dih) (years) or goda (gah-dah) (years). To indicate when a certain event took, takes, or will take place, use preposition v (f ) (on) + the year in the prepositional case + godu (gah-DOO) (year), as in v tysyacha dyevyatsot pyat'dyesyat vos'mom godu (v TIH-see-chuh dee-veet-SOHT pee-dee-S'AHT vahs'-MOHM gah-DOO) (in 1958 [literally: in the 1,958th year]).

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

By mastering the basics of polite conversation in Russian, you put yourself and the person you're talking to at ease. Everyone should learn essential Russian conversational words and phrases before traveling to a Russian -speaking country. These words and expressions are sure to come up in most everyday conversations. Basic courtesies Being polite is just as important in Russian-speaking countries as they are in the United States. The following words and phrases cover most of the pleasantries required for polite conversation. After all, learning to say the expressions of common courtesy in Russian before traveling is just good manners. da! (dah) (yes) nyet! (n’eht) (no) Da, pozhalujsta (dah, pah-ZHAH-luh-stuh) (Yes, please.) pozhalujsta (pah-ZHAH-luh-stuh) (please) Spasibo (spuh-SEE-buh) (thank you) Bol’shoye spasibo. (bahl’-SHOH-eh spuh-SEE-buh) (Thank you very much.) Personal pronouns Once you've mastered the common pleasantries, the next important thing to learn is how to refer to people using personal pronouns. In Russian, you'll use slightly different variations of the pronoun you depending on the number of people you are referring to and how well you know them. ya (ya) (I) on (ohn) (he) ona (ah-nah) (she) my (mih) (we) oni (ah-nee) (they) ty (tih) (you [informal singular]) vy (vih) (you [formal singular and plural]) Nouns and gender So what about it? In English, inanimate objects are usually referred to with the pronoun it, but in Russian, an inanimate object is always referred to with the pronoun corresponding to its grammatical gender. on (ohn), if the noun it refers to is masculine ona (ah-NAH), if the noun it refers to is feminine ono (ah-NOH), if the noun it refers to is neuter oni (ah-NEE), if the noun it refers to is plural Phrases for travelers There are some phrases that are particularly helpful to international travelers. Below are several phrases that might be particularly helpful during your stay in a Russian-speaking country. Izvinitye, ya nye ponyal. (eez-vee-NEE-t’eh ya nee POHH-n’uhl) (Sorry, I didn’t understand. [m]) Izvinitye, ya nye ponyala. (eez-vee-NEE-t’eh ya nee puh-nee-LAH))Sorry, I didn’t understand. [f]) Izvinitye, ya plokho ponimayu po-russki. (eez-vee-NEE-t’eh ya PLOH-khuh puh-nee-MAH-yu pah-ROOS-kee) (Sorry, I don’t understand Russian very well.) Govoritye, pozhalujsta, myedlyennyeye! (guh-vah-REE-t’eh pah-ZHAHL-stuh M’EHD-lee-nee-eh!) (Speak more slowly, please!) Kak vy skazali? (kahk vih skuh-ZAH-lee?) (What did you say?) Povtoritye, pozhalujsta. (puhf-tah-ree-t’eh pah-ZHAH-luh-stuh) (Could you please repeat that?) Vy govoritye po-anglijski? (vih guh-vah-REE-t’eh puh uhn-GLEEY-skee?) (Do you speak English?)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Every culture has a way of taking familiar words and turning them into something else. Russia is no exception. These uniquely Russian expressions don't translate literally to English and aren't essential to everyday conversation, but recognizing these expressions in speech and using them with ease can make you sound like a real Russian! Tol'ko Poslye Vas! (tohl'-kuh pohs-lee vahs; Only after you!) Russians still believe in opening doors for each other and letting others go first. Whenever you do this, you should use this phrase. In fact, you'll often see two people standing outside a door, both saying Tol'ko Poslye Vas! and trying to get the other person to go first. Vy Syegodnya Pryekrasno Vyglyaditye! (vih see-vohd-n'uh pree-krahs-nuh vihg-lee-dee-t'eh; You look great today!) Russians are less worried about being politically correct than people in the United States tend to be. So, if you start a conversation with a Russian woman by saying Vy syegodnya pryekrasno vyglyaditye!, she may actually treat you nicer instead of reporting you to the authorities. If someone says Vy syegodnya pryekrasno vyglyaditye! to you, you should say Nu, chto vy! (noo shtoh vih; Ah, what are you talking about!) You have to show your modesty and disagree. Zakhoditye Na Chaj! (zuh-khah-dee-t'eh nuh chahy; Stop by for some tea!) When you make a new friend in Russia, you can say this phrase to let them know you'd like to get together sometime. Don't worry; the person won't think you're a freak or a serial killer; however, unlike "Let's do lunch," Russians take Zakhoditye na chaj seriously and usually accept your offer. Because Russians do take the offer of Zakhoditye na chaj seriously, you should actually have some tea and cookies at home for when your friends stop by. Ugosh'ajtyes'! (oo-gah-sh'ahy-t'ehs'; Help yourself! [literally: Treat yourself!]) Use this phrase when you're going to serve treats. Besides being friendly and polite, this word is just long enough to scare off foreigners. Which is, of course, a good enough reason to learn it and stand out in the crowd. Priyatnogo Appetita! (pree-yat-nuh-vuh uh-pee-tee-tuh; Bon appétit!) Say this phrase to friends and strangers alike anytime someone is getting ready to eat. Syadyem Na Dorozhku! (sya-deem nuh dah-rohsh-koo; Let's sit down before hitting the road!) Before departing on a trip, surprise everybody by looking around thoughtfully and saying Syadyem na dorozhku! Essentially a superstition, this tradition is actually useful; sitting down and staying silent for a minute before you head out the door gives you an opportunity to remember what's important. Sadis', V Nogakh Pravdy Nyet (sah-dees', v nah-gahkh prahv-dih n'eht; take the weight off your feet/it is as cheap sitting as standing) Russians would never leave someone standing, even if the person is only going to be there for a minute. So, if you're sitting with somebody else is standing, or when somebody stops by and hangs out in the doorway, claiming to be leaving in a minute, you can say Sadis', v nogakh pravdy nyet. Ni Pukha, Ni Pyera! (nee poo-khuh nee pee-rah; Good luck! [literally: Have neither fluff nor plume!]) This expression is kind of the English "Break a leg" that's used in theatre. Russians, on the other hand, never let anyone depart on a mission — whether a lady leaves to interview for a job or guy goes to ask a girl out — without saying Ni pukha, ni pyera! If someone says Ni pukha, ni pyera! to you, the appropriate response isn't spasibo (spuh-see-buh; thank you) as you might think. Instead, you should say K chyortu! (k chohr-too; To the devil!) Tseluyu (tsih-loo-yu; kisses [literally: (I am) kissing (you)]) Russians use this as an affectionate way to sign letters, e-mails, and cell phone text messages. You can even say Tseluyu at the end of a phone conversation. S Lyogkim Parom! (s lyokh-keem pah-ruhm; literally: Congratulations on a light steam!) Russians say this when they see someone who just came out of a shower or a sauna, but you can also use it as a joke when you see someone who got caught in the rain or who spilled a drink.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Properly greeting people and making introductions in Russian can help you get off to the right start. After all, first impressions are important — they can start a friendship or set the tone for your interaction with someone. The Russian language is more formal than American English. Likewise, introductions in Russian follow more of a pattern than they sometimes do in the United States. There is a right way to greet people and a wrong way. In fact, if you botch your greeting, you may get a funny look or even offend the person you're addressing. Start with a greeting To greet a person you know well, say zdravstvuj (ZDRAH-stvooy) (hello) or privyet! (pree-V'EHT) (Hi!). To greet people you don't know well (or a group of people), say zdravstvujtye (ZDRAH-stvooy-t'eh) (hello). Note that the first letter v in zdravstvujtye is silent. Otherwise, it would be hard even for Russians to pronounce! Here are some other ways to greet people, depending on what time of day it is: Dobroye utro! (DOHB-ruh-eh OO-truh!) (Good morning!) Dobryj dyen'! (DOHB-rihy d'ehn'!) (Good afternoon!) Dobryj vyechyer! (DOHB–rihy V'EH-ch'ehr!) (Good evening!) Making introductions Making a good first impression is important for the beginning of any relationship. In English, introducing yourself is the best way to start a conversation with somebody you don't know. Not so in Russian. Russians like to begin with first suggesting to get acquainted. They have two ways to say this: Davajtye poznakomimsya! (duh-vahy-t'eh puhz-nuh- koh-meem-suh!) (Let's get acquainted! [formal/plural]) Davaj poznakomimsya! (duh-vahy puhz-nuh koh-meem-suh!) (Let's get acquainted! [informal]) If somebody says one of these phrases to you, you should politely accept the suggestion by saying: Davajtye! (duh-vahy-t'eh!) (Okay! [literally: Let's!] [formal/plural]) Davaj! (duh-vahy!) (Okay! [literally: Let's!] [informal]) Once you've agreed to become acquainted, it's time to exchange names. The following phrases will help keep the introductions rolling. Myenya zovut . . . (Mee-N'AH zah-VOOT . . .) (My name is . . .). Kak vas zovut? (kahk vahz zah-VOOT?) (“What is your name?”) (literally: What do they call you? [formal]) Kak tyebya zovut? (kahk tee-B'AH zah-VOOT?) (“What is your name?”) (literally: What do they call you? [informal]). Eto moj znakomyj (EH-tuh mohy znuh-KOH-mihy) (This is my acquaintance [m]) Eto moya znakomaya (EH-tuh mah-YA znuh-KOH-muh-yuh) (This is my acquaintance [f]) After you're introduced to someone, you may want to say, “Nice to meet you” which is ochyen' priyatno (OH-cheen' pree-YAT-nuh) (literally: very pleasant) in Russian. The person you've been introduced to may then reply mnye tozhye (mnye TOH-zheh) (same here). How are you? Greetings and introductions are usually accompanied by a "How are you?" The most common ways to ask how someone is doing are: Kak dyela? (kahk dee-LAH?) (How are you? [informal]) Kak vy pozhivayetye? (kahk vih puh-zhih-VAH-eh-t'eh?) (How are you? [formal]) As you'd expect, when someone asks you how you're doing, there are many possible responses. Khorosho (khuh-rah-shoh) (good) Normal'no (nahr-mahl'-nuh) (normal or okay) Nichyego (nee-chee-voh) (so-so [literally: nothing]) Nyeplokho (nee-ploh-khuh) (not bad) The common response for this is to ask the person how he or she's doing. Simply say A u vas? (ah oo vahs?) (And you? [formal]) or A u tyebya? (ah oo tee-B'AH?) (And you?)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Exploring Russian-speaking countries can be quite an adventure, but if you want to be sure to see everything on your list, you need to know how to ask for directions and how to understand the directions you are given. After all, if you don't understand what you're told, you might miss the very things you hoped to see. Use the verb popast' (pah-PAHST') (to get to) to ask someone how to get somewhere. For example, Kak ya otsyuda mogu popast' v muzyej? (kahk ya aht-SYU-duh mah-GOO pah-PAHST' v moo-ZYEY?) (How do I get to the museum from here?) Curiously enough, Russians don't like to indicate directions with the words vostok (vahs-TOHK) (east), zapad (ZAH-puht) (west), syever (SYE-veer) (north), and yug (yuk) (south). They seem to avoid them when explaining how you can reach your place of destination. The following words can be used when asking for or receiving directions in Russian-speaking countries. Povyernitye napravo! (puh-veer-NEE-tee nuh-PRAH-vuh) (Turn right) Povyernitye nalyevo! (puh-veer-NEE-tee nuh-LYE-vuh) (Turn left) When you're talking to somebody with whom you're on vy (vih) (you [formal]) terms with, add –tye to the end of the words as shown in the previous list. If you're talking to friends or family, you can remove the –tye. For example, to say “Turn left” to a friend, you say Povyerni nalyevo. (puh-veer-NEE nuh-LYE-vuh) (Turn left.) sprava ot (SPRAH-vuh uht) (to the right of) + a noun in the genitive case napravo (nuh-PRAH-vuh) (to the right) slyeva ot (SLYE-vuh uht) (to the left of) + a noun in the genitive case nalyevo (nuh-LYE-vuh) (to the left) na lyevoj storonye (nuh LYE-vuhy stuh-rah-NYE) (on the left side) na pravoj storonye (nuh PRAH-vahy stuh-rah-NYE) (on the right side) Iditye praymo. (ee-DEE-tee PRYA-muh) (Go straight.) Iditye praymo. (ee-DEE-tee PRYA-muh) (Go straight.) Iditye nazad. (ee-DEE-tee nuh-ZAHT) (Go back.) Iditye pryamo do . . . (ee-DEE-tee PRYA-muh duh) (Go as far as . . .) + the noun in the genitive case Podojditye k . . . (puh-duhy-DEE-tee k) (Go up to . . .) + the noun in the dative case Iditye po . . . (ee-DEE-tee puh) (Go down along . . .) + the noun in the dative case Iditye mimo . . . (ee-DEE-tee MEE-muh) (Pass by . . .) + the noun in the genitive case Zavyernitye za ugol! (zuh-veer-NEE-tee ZAH-oo-guhl) (Turn around the corner.) Pyeryejditye ulitsu! (pee-reey-DEE-tee oo-leet-soo) (Cross the street.) Pyeryejditye plosh'ad'! (pee-reey-DEE-tee PLOH-sh'uht') (Cross the square.) Pyeryejditye chyerez dorogu! (pee-reey-DEE-tee CHEH-reez dah-ROH-goo) (Cross the street/road.) The following phrases are typical of getting and receiving directions in Russian-speaking countries. Izvinitye, gdye magazin? (eez-vee-NEE-tee gdye muh-guh-ZEEN?) (Excuse me, where is the store?) Magazin sprava ot aptyeki. (muh-guh-ZEEN SPRAH-vuh uht uhp-TYE-kee) (The store is to the right of the pharmacy.) Gdye blizhayshaya ostanovka avtobusa? (gdye blee-ZHAHY-shuh-ye uhs-tuh-NOHF-kuh uhf-toh-boo-suh?) (Where is the nearest bus stop?) Gdye bibliotyeka? (gdye beeb-lee-ah-TYE-kuh?) (Where is the library?) Kuda idyot etot avtobus? (koo-DAH ee-DYOT EH-tuht uhf-TOH-boos?) (Where is this bus going?) Russians uses two words to translate the English where — gdye (gdye: when speaking of a specific location]) or kuda (koo-DAH: when referring to a direction of movement]). The two words are not interchangeable.