Russian word meaning hello

Have you ever thought about how the choice of words when greeting sets the mood for the whole conversation? Hello. Howdy. What’s up. Yo. Aloha. Salute. Do you feel the difference between how these words affect the situations they’re used in? The same concept is true for the Russian language. There are a lot of different greeting words in there and you should try to understand and imagine every situation in which they could be used. That said, here are some Russian greetings for beginners.

1. Russian Greetings for Beginners

There are two basic ways to say “Hello” in Russian.

• Здравствуйте (zdravstvuyte) — This is a formal Russian greeting for “Hello.” If you ask a local: “How do you say ‘Hello’ in Russian?” he’ll teach you this word. Use it when you meet elder people, people you have a great respect for, and people you have the intention to become buddies with.
  • Another version of this Russian greeting is Здравствуй (zdravstvuy)—“Hello.” Don’t confuse it with the previous one. This is a much less formal greeting and is usually addressed to younger people or people of the same age, who are not close friends. For example, a teacher could use it to greet a new student in the class.
• Привет (privet)—“Hi” in Russian. If you ask a local: “How do you say ‘Hi’ in Russian?” he’ll most definitely tell you this greeting. This is the most common Russian informal greeting. It’s great to use in every informal situation.

2. Formal Hello in Russian

• Доброе утро (dobroe utro)—this is essentially how to say “Good morning” in Russian. If you ask a local: “How do you say ‘Good morning’ in Russian?” without a doubt, he’ll tell you this translation. It could be used both in formal and informal situations—just as it can be in English. Доброе (dobroe) means “Kind,” so this is sort of like wishing a person to have “a kind morning.” But the meaning is still similar to the English greeting.
• Добрый день (dobryy den`)—“Good day” or “Good afternoon” in Russian translation. This greeting is used mostly in formal situations.
• Добрый вечер (dobryy vecher)—“Good evening” in Russian. This greeting is also used mostly in formal situations.



• Приветствую (privetstvuyu)—“Hello” in Russian. This is between formal and informal when it comes to Russian greetings. Men could address friends with this greeting in order to appear more “manly.” Feel free to use this during friendly gatherings when you take a word and address everyone. For example, “Hello comrade” in Russian is Приветствую вас, товарищи! (Privetstvuyu vas, tovarishchi!).
• Добро пожаловать! (Dobro pozhalovat`!)—“Welcome” in Russian. This is rarely used in everyday life. But it’s often used on TV shows or official events to greet guests. So, if you’re wondering “How do you say ‘Welcome to Russia’ in Russian?” then the answer is Добро пожаловать в Россию! (Dobro pozhalovat` v Rossiyu!).
• Алло (allo)—is the Russian word for “Hello” when answering the phone in Russian in both formal and informal situations. However, if you want to be even more official and respectful—e.g. to a higher-ranked person—use Да, здравствуйте (Da, zdravstvuyte) which means “Yes, hello.”
• Алё (alyo)—“Hello.” This is another way to say Алло (allo) when you answer the phone in Russian, if you’re going for a less formal approach. A lot of people use both of them.
• Але (ale)—“Hello.” This is also an option to answer a phone call. It’s used mostly by young people who want to look original.
• Доброго времени суток (dobrogo vremeni sutok)—“Good time of the day.” This phrase is popular in correspondence situations where the sender doesn’t know when the receiver opens the email and reads it. But be careful, as some people hate this greeting because it feels too original and appears to be just temporal fashion.

3. Informal “Hi” in Russian

• Приветик (privetik); приветики (privetiki)—“Hello” in Russian informal language. These greetings are formed from the basic Привет (privet)—“Hi” and are used by girls when trying to be cute. Guys rarely use them, but when they do they mean to flirt.
• Здорово (zdorovo); здарова (zdarova); здаров (zdarov); здоров (zdorov); даров (darov)—“Hi.” This popular and cool way to greet in Russian is usually used by millennials. You need to already be good friends with the person to say it.
• Дратути (dratuti)—“Hi.” This is an original greeting that comes from Internet memes and chats. This is usually used by computer geeks.

1- Phrasal Informal Greetings

• О, какие люди! (O, kakie lyudi!)—“Oh, that’s you!” This phrase is how Russians greet when they unexpectedly meet one or several friends/family members.
• Сколько лет, сколько зим! (Skol`ko let, skol`ko zim)—“Long time, no see.” Literally, it means “How many winters, how many summers (we haven’t seen each other)” and is used when you haven’t seen a person for a really long time.
• Здравия желаю! (Zdraviya zhelayu!)—“Hello” in Russian formal military style.
• С приездом! (S priezdom!)—“Welcome!” It’s used when the person just arrived somewhere.
• С прилётом! (S prilyotom!)—“Welcome!” This one is used when the person just arrived somewhere by plane.

2- Greetings from Other Languages

• Аллоха (Allokha)—“Aloha.” This is the original way to greet used by modern millennials and young bloggers.
• Салют (Salyut)—“Salute.” This is another original way to say “Hi.”
• Хэллоу (Khellou)—“Hello.” It’s usually used by people who know English and try to look modern and original. There are a lot of other greetings that were taken from the English language and mean the same:
• Хай (Khay)—“Hi” in Russian.
• Хей (Khey)—“Hey” in Russian. So, if you’re wondering how to say “Hey” in Russian, the answer is easy—Хей (Khey).
• Хэлло (Khello)—“Hello” in Russian.
• Хаюшки (Khayushki)—cute form of “Hi” in Russian.
• Йоу (You) —“Yo” in Russian.

3- Russian Greeting Slang Words and Interesting Greetings for Advanced Learners

• Моё почтение (Moyo pochtenie); наше почтение (nashe pochtenie)—“Hello.” This is an old way to say “hello” among high society members. It can be used today to bring in the atmosphere from that time.
• Здрасти-мордасти (Zdrasti-mordasti)—“Hi.” It’s usually used by very old people, and is considered an outdated Russian greeting.
• Мир вам (Mir vam)—“Let the peace be with you.” This greeting is basically used by churchmen and religious people, and also comes from the old times.
• Наше вам почтение (Nashe vam pochtenie)—“We express our respect to you.” This is yet another Russian greeting that comes from old times. Nowadays, it may be used by old people.
• Ку! (Ku!)—“Hi” from the film “Кин-дза-дза!” (kin-dza-dza). This is usually used by people who have watched this film.
• Физкульт-привет! (Fizkul`t-privet!)—“Hi” from the film “Джентльмены удачи” (Dzhentl`meny udachi). This is how Russians greet people who are training. As the film is a Soviet one, this greeting is used mostly by older people.

4. Following Questions

Wanna know how to say “How are you?” in Russian? All these questions may follow the informal greeting, and most of them—except one—have this meaning.

• Как дела? (Kak dela?)—“How are you doing?” in Russian. This is the most common question to start a conversation. This is used by everyone.
• Как ты? (Kak ty?)—“How are you?” This one is another, more personal way to ask Как дела? (Kak dela?).
• Как оно? (Kak ono?)—“How is it? How are you doing?” This Russian greeting is very popular nowadays, especially among millennials.
• Как жизнь? (Kak zhizn`?)—“How is your life?” Essentially, this means the same as Как дела? (Kak dela?) but is used less often by older people.
• Как жизнь молодая? (Kak zhizn` molodaya?)—“How is your young life going?” This is used by older people to the younger generation when they haven’t seen each other for a long time.
• Рад тебя видеть (Rad tebya videt`)—“Glad to see you.” This is one of the more popular Russian greetings between friends, and is typically used to address good friends.
• Как поживаешь? (Kak pozhivayesh’?)—“How are you doing?” This is usually used by older people and mostly in letters and emails.
• Что нового? (Shto novogo?)—“What’s new?” This means the same as Как дела? (Kak dela?) but is less general. Ask it if you want to know what new things happened with the person during the time you were apart.
• Что новенького? (Shto noven`kogo?)—“What’s new?” This is a cuter way of saying Что нового? (Chto novogo?).
• Какие новости? (Kakie novosti?)—“What is the news?” This means the same as Как дела? (Kak dela?) but is used to greet more distant friends.
• Чем занимаешься? (Chem zanimaesh’sya?)—“What are you doing?” in Russian. For the same meaning, you can also use Что делаешь? (Chto delayesh’?).

So, if you wanna say: “Hello. How are you?” in Russian, you can say: Привет. Как ты? (Privet. Kak ty?).

5. Fun Exercise: Check Yourself and Choose the Right Greeting

Read a dialogue between two people and choose a greeting that fits.

1. Лена: _______ Что делаешь вечером? Го гулять. (Lena: ______ Chto delaesh’ vecherom? Go gulyat’.)
Антон: Сорян, занят. Давай завтра? (Anton: Soryan, zanyat. Davay zavtra?)
Лена: Ок. Спишемся тогда. (Lena: Ok. spishemsya togda.)

Choose the right answer:
1. Физкульт-привет!
2. С приездом!
3. Здаров.
4. Здравствуйте.

Lena: “_______ Any plans for the evening? Let’s have a walk.”
Anton: “Sorry, busy. Tomorrow?”
Lena: “Sure. Let’s get in touch later then.”

2. Вадим: Здравствуйте. К сожалению, не успеваю выслать дизайн сайта на просмотр сегодня. Если вышлю завтра утром – будет нормально? (Vadim: Zdravstvuyte. K sozhaleniyu, ne uspevayu vyslat` dizayn sayta segodnya. Yesli vyshlyu zavtra utrom – budet normal`no?)
Толя: ________. Да, хорошо. Буду ждать (Tolya: ________. Da, khorosho. Budu zhdat`.)
Вадим: Благодарю. (Vadim: Blagodaryu.)

Choose the right answer:
1. Мир вам.
2. Добрый день.
3. Приветики.
4. Дратути.

Vadim: “Hello. Unfortunately, I can’t send you the website design today. Will tomorrow morning be okay?”
Tolya: “________. Sure. Will be waiting for it.”
Vadim: “Thank you.”

6. Conclusion

So, now you can say “Hi. How are you?” in Russian in many different ways and are able to choose a proper greeting according to the situation. Don’t hesitate to use some of the uncommon greetings that we described above while you’re learning. But in any important situation, just stick to the most regular ones—Привет (Privet) and Здравствуйте (Zdravstvuyte).

Official “Hello” in Russian English spelling could be tricky, as the Russian letter в (v) is quiet, so check Здравствуйте (Zdravstvuyte) several times before sending it to your Russian partner or colleague.

Keep reading RussianPod101 and learn interesting Russian words and expressions that you can start using right away. For example, learn how to say “Good night” in Russian or how to say “Goodbye” in Russian translation in our next articles!

For now, keep practicing these Russian greetings and introductions so that you can be a pro in no time! We hope this Russian greeting guide has helped you to learn all about Russian greetings. Best of luck with your continued learning!

The most common way to say hello in Russian is Здравствуйте (ZDRASTvooytye), but there are more details you need to know in order to navigate all the likely social encounters. 

The most important thing to remember is that the way you say hello in Russian depends on who you are speaking to. Russian has two main registers: formal and informal. To know which greeting to use, you need is to establish if you are in a formal or an informal situation. 

Formal situations include speaking to someone you don’t know or only know a little, as well speaking with people to whom you want to show respect, such as your teachers, officials, people of a higher rank, in-laws, or simply people older than you. Informal register applies to conversations with your friends and family, as well as young children (although on some formal occasions it is appropriate to address children in a formal way, too). 

Informal Conversation Greetings

Russian word: Привет
Pronunciation: preeVYET
Meaning: Hello

Use this word when addressing your friends, family members (unless they are your in-laws), and children. 

Russian word: Здорово
Pronunciation: ZdaROHvah
Meaning: Hey

This is a more familiar greeting, only used among close friends. It can be translated as Hey or Yo!

Formal Conversation Greetings

Russian word: Здравствуйте
Pronunciation: ZDRASTvooytye
Translation: hello, or how do you do?

Здравствуйте is the safest bet when you find yourself in a formal situation. Literally translated as «stay healthy,» this formal greeting is appropriate when speaking to acquaintances, people you don’t know, colleagues, older people, or people you respect.

Russian word: Здравствуй
Pronunciation: ZDRASTvooy
Translation: Hello

Be careful to use this expression only with those whom you already address as ты (singular you). This makes it much less formal than Здравствуйте, but more formal than Привет.

Russian word: Доброе утро
Pronunciation: DOBraye OOtra
Translation: Good morning

Доброе утро is used in the same way as you would use good morning in English–with everyone and anyone, in the morning. 

Russian word: Добрый день and Добрый вечер
Pronunciation: DOBry DYEN’ and DOBry VYEcher
Translation: Good afternoon and good evening

Just like Доброе утро, these phrases can be used in any situation, formal or informal.

Other Greetings

Russian word: Как у тебя / у вас дела?
Pronunciation: Kak oo tyeBYA / oo VAS dyeLAH
Translation: How are you?

Once you have gotten past hello, use Как у тебя / у вас дела? to ask How are you? Remember to choose the correct form of «you» (singular у тебя or plural у вас) based on who you are speaking with. 

Russian word: Как дела?
Pronunciation: Kak dyeLAH
Translation: How are things?

Как дела? is a shortened, and very common, alternative to Как у тебя / у вас дела?

Как (вы) поживаете (Kak (vy) pazheeVAyetye) and Как (ты) поживаешь (Kak (ty) pazheeVAyesh) can be used instead of Как дела. This translates literally as how are you living? and means how do you do. As before, remember to choose the correct form of address:

• Как (вы) поживаете? When speaking to those whom you address as you plural
• Как (ты) поживаешь? When talking to your friends and family

When someone asks you how you are, the best way to respond is with Хорошо, спасибо, meaning fine, thanks. Another option is to say Нормально, спасибо (narMAL’nah, spaSEEbah) – okay, thanks. This is a more informal variation used among good friends.

Russian word: Хорошо, спасибо
Pronunciation: HaraSHOH, spaSEEbah
Translation: Fine, thanks

You can also use:

Russian word: Прекрасно, спасибо
Pronunciation: pryekRASnah, spaSEEbah
Translation: Great, thank you

Russian word: Неплохо, спасибо
Pronunciation: nyepLOHkha, spaSEEbah
Translation: Not bad, thanks

Saying Goodbye in Russian

Russian word: До свидания
Pronunciation: dah sveeDAHnya
Translation: Goodbye

When it comes to saying goodbye, the well-known До свидания is appropriate for most situations, but you may also opt for a more familiar Пока (paHAH) – bye. Just be careful to only use Пока with people you already address as ты (ty) – you, plural. 

Below are other ways to say goodbye:

Russian word: Мне пора
Pronunciation: mnye paRAH
Translation: I have to go

This expression is usually a precursor to another, more final, greeting. For example, the speaker may say Ну, мне пора, до свидания (NOO, mnye paRAH, da sveeDAnya) – well, I have to go, goodbye. 

Russian word: Увидимся!
Pronunciation: ooVEEdimsya
Translation: See you soon (used with friends and family)

Russian word: Счастливо
Pronunciation: schastLEEvah
Translation: Happily (literally, but means have a good day or good luck)

Use Счастливо in most situations apart from the very formal ones. 

Russian word: Удачи!
Pronunciation: ooDAchi
Translation: Good luck!

This expression is often preceded by Ну (noo), meaning well. Ну, удачи! therefore translates as well, good luck!

Russian word: Счастливого пути
Pronunciation: shasLEEvava pooTEE
Translation: Have a good trip

Счастливого пути is a variation of Счастливо. It is fine to use it in any formal or informal situation. 

Russian word: Доброй ночи
Pronunciation: DOBray NOOchi
Translation: Good night

Russian word: Спокойной ночи
Pronunciation: spaKOYnay NOOchi
Translation: Good night

Доброй ночи and Спокойной ночи both mean the same thing: good night. Used interchangeably, both expressions are appropriate for formal and informal situations, although Доброй ночи has a slightly more formal register. 

What is the Russian word for ‘hello’?

Everybody knows that ‘hello’ in Russian is ‘privet’. But did you know that this word is not suitable for all contexts? There is a wide variety of expressions, ranging from formal to informal, that can be used depending on the specific occasion. Want to learn them? Read on for the ultimate list of Russian greetings and the best way to learn Russian. In this
article, you will discover the answer to the popular question “how do you say hello in Russian?”. You will find out:

• how popular learning Russian is around the world
• different ways of greeting someone in Russian
• where and how to learn Russian online

Numbers & Statistics: The growing importance of Russian around the world

Did you know that Russian is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages? Some 153 million native speakers and an estimated 258 million total speakers make Russian the 8th most widely used language. As one of the five major languages of the United Nations, learning Russian can open many doors.

Russia accounts for over $1bn and 3.1% of global GDP and is the
11th largest economy in the world, reported to grow between 1.6 and 1.8 percent in 2020–2021. Its influence on the global economy and political map cannot be disputed. Russian has been described as an extremely politically, culturally, and economically relevant language, not just in Mother Russia but
also in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine.

It may surprise you to learn that Russian is also the second largest language on the internet. With over 103 million users online it accounts for 6.5% of written Internet content.

While in EU Member States more than 65% of students
enrolled in upper secondary education were learning English as a foreign language, Russian was the most commonly non-EU language learned in 2018, especially in Latvia (48%), Estonia (44%), Bulgaria and Lithuania (both around 26%).

Well-known people

There are quite a few famous people around the world who
have chosen to learn Russian for various purposes. Some notable names include:

• Kate Beckinsale: The actress studied Russian literature at Oxford University because she wanted to read the works of writers like Chekhov in their original language.
• Ralph Fiennes: The actor had to learn Russian for his role in the movie “Two Women”.
• Jared Leto: The actor learned Russian for his
  role in the movie “The Lord of War”.

Without further ado, let’s find out what is Russian for hello and get into the basics of greetings in Russian depending on the specific context and situation you find yourself in! A big Russian hello!

How to translate hello to Russian depending on the context?

Word choice matters a lot when greeting someone in Russian. If you’re looking for a ‘hello in Russian translation’, you will come up with different
results and likely find yourself confused.

Don’t just try typing ‘hello translate to Russian’ into a search engine… it won’t clarify things! This is because Russian has two main registers, i.e. formal and informal. Unlike we do in English, Russians use different words depending on the situation they find themselves in. That’s why it is important to know what phrase to use when greeting someone.

While ‘привет’ is appropriate for
friends and other people of your age, ‘здравствуйте’ is best to show respect to your elders and others you are not acquainted with. Read on to find out how to properly translate hello into Russian.

5 different language contexts

In this article, we are considering 5 main language contexts that one needs to take into account when looking for a hello Russian translation:

• Neutral: Neutral language that can be
  used in most situations and does not favor anyone. If you stop someone at the street to ask for directions and they look roughly your age, you would use neutral language to be polite.
• Colloquial: Language used in informal conversation between friends and family. If you are at school, talking to a group of friends and acquaintances, you would be using colloquial language.
• Slang (extremely colloquial): Slang is a very
  informal language, best reserved for people one knows very well. One could use slang when texting their best friend, for example.
• Formal: Formal language is impersonal and is used for professional purposes or for talking to elders. When interviewing for a new job position, you would have to use formal language.
• Extremely formal: Extremely formal language would be reserved for serious situations involving people we don’t
  know well (e.g. resume writing, academia). A doctor in a medical conference is likely to be using extremely formal language to do a presentation.

Neutral Russian Greetings

1. Здрáвствуй! / Здрáвствуйте!

• Здрáвствуй! [zdr’astvuy] (singular)
• Здрáвствуйте! [zdr’astvuytye] (plural or when addressing a senior person politely)

While the literal meaning of this expression is “be healthy” in the
imperative mood, Russians commonly use it as a way to say “Hello”. It is suitable for most everyday situations and is considered to be Russian for “hello”. If you would like to greet your local grocery store owner, for example, “Здрáвствуйте!” is a perfect choice of a phrase. This is typically how to greet someone in Russian.

You can listen to how Russians pronounce this and many other greetings in this fascinating video:

2. Дóброе ýтро! [d'obroye 'utro]

This phrase means “Good morning” and can be used in the same way as it would be in English. However, keep in mind that, while in English it is not unusual to
reduce “Good morning” to just “Morning”, Russians never do this (however, they sometimes reduce this phrase to “Дóброе” instead). If you come across someone you would like to greet in the daytime, you can’t go wrong saying “Дóброе ýтро”.

3. Дóбрый дéнь! [d'obryy d'en]

An expression that translates to “Good day”, “Дóбрый дéнь” is used to greet people in the afternoon, when it is too late to say “Good
morning”, i.e. after 12 o’clock at noon.

4. Дóбрый вéчер! [d'obryy v'yetʃyer]

This phrase means “Good evening” and you can use it as you would in English – after 6 pm or so. It is not uncommon to find the expression “Дóброй нóчи!” (translating to “Good night”) as a greeting on Russian language blogs, but this is not correct. Use “Дóбрый вéчер” to greet Russians in the evening and “Дóброй нóчи” only to wish somebody a good
night or say goodbye in the evening.

Colloquial Greetings in Russian

5. Дóброго врéмени сýток! [d'obrovo vr'yemyeni s'utok]

This expression literally means “Have a good time of the day”. Even though it’s a phrase that sounds somewhat awkward in English, in Russian it is actually employed often.

An example would be when writing a letter or e-mail to somebody. Since you never know when the person you are addressing is going to read your letter (in the morning or the evening), using
“Дóброго врéмени сýток” helps you stay accurate and on point, and it is a common Russian greeting.

6. Привéт! [priv'yet]

This popular greeting means, of course, “hello”. It is a familiar and informal word to be used in casual settings, with friends or family. If you search for ‘hello Russian’, this is the answer you will get! It is the most common Russian word for “hello”.

7. Здорóво! [zdor'ovo]

Not to be confused with the words “здóрово”
([zd’orovo], “great!”) and “здорóвье” ([zdor’ovye], “health”), this colloquial expression is used to say “Hey” in Russian. It is most often used by men and only between very good friends saying hello in Russian, as it sounds rather rough to the native ear.

8. Салю́т! [sal'yut]

A word derived from the French greeting “Salut”, it is an informal way to greet someone. When meeting people you know very well in a
casual setting, for example, “Салю́т” is perfectly appropriate.

9. Салáм алéйкум! [sal'am al'eykum]

This is a greeting borrowed from Arabic which means “Peace be upon you” that is normally used as a religious salutation among Muslims. However, it is not unusual to hear it in informal settings, between friends, in Russia.

Saying “Hello” in Russian slang (extremely colloquial greetings)

10. Привéтик! [priv'yetik]

An extremely
informal greeting that would almost be better described as slang, “Приветик” is a playful and even childish way to say “Hello”. A rough English equivalent is “Heya”. You would not use this humorous phrase with people you do not know very well. It is best saved for greeting children or your best pals.

11. Хеллó! [hell'o] and

12. Хáй! [h'ay]

Don’t be surprised if you hear Russian youth greet each other with the English words “Hello” or
“Hi” (spelled using the Cyrillic alphabet when written online). Young Russians are becoming increasingly familiar and comfortable with Anglo-Saxon culture through watching popular movies, series and browsing the Internet.

13. Здрáсьте! [zdr'aste]

This word means “Hello”. It is the short form of “здраствуйте” and, as an abbreviation, it can sometimes be considered lazy, impolite or even rude. Reserve it for the people
closest to you, who will not be offended.

14. Дрáтути! [dr'atuti]

Another way to say “hello” in Russian slang to be reserved for greeting your best friends, this word is a distorted form of the word “здравствуйте”. While it means “Hello”, it is not considered a particularly polite form of saying it. This is how to say “hello” in Russian informally.

Saying “hello” in Russian: formal greetings

15. Привéтствую! / Привéтствую вас! / Привéтствую Вас!

• Привéтствую!
  [priv’yetstvuyu] (suitable for all addressees)
• Привéтствую вас! [priv’yetstvuyu vas] (when addressing more than one person)
• Привéтствую Вас! [priv’yetstvuyu vas] (when addressing one or more people in a polite way)

This expression literally means “I am greeting you”. Just like its English equivalent “greetings”, it is considered a rather
formal word. If you were addressing an audience at a conference, this would be a good phrase to use.

16. Разрешúте вас привéтствовать! / Разрешúте Вас привéтствовать!

• Разрешúте вас привéтствовать! [razryeʃ’itye vas priv’yetstvovat] (when addressing more than one person)
• Разрешúте Вас привéтствовать! [razryeʃ’itye vas priv’yetstvovat] (when addressing one or more people in a polite way)

Even more formal than
“Привéтствую”, this expression translates to “Allow me to greet you”. It is only appropriate in formal occasions and settings, and you could use it, for example, as a politician welcoming foreign delegates into your country.

17. Рáд/рáда/рáды вас привéтствовать! / Рáд/рáда/рáды Вас привéтствовать!

• Рáд/рáда/рáды вас привéтствовать! [r’ad/r’ada/r’ady v’as priv’yetstvovat] (when addressing more than one person)
• Рáд/рáда/рáды Вас привéтствовать! [r’ad/r’ada/r’ady vas
  priv’yetstvovat] (when addressing one or more people in a polite way)

In the same vein as the previous two phrases, this expression literally translates to “I am/we are glad to greet you” and is appropriately used as “hello” in Russian formal-style.

How to say an extremely formal “hello” in Russian?

18. Физкýльт-привéт! [fisk'ult priv'yet]

A rather unique expression that is difficult to translate into English,
“Физкýльт-привéт” could be described as a sort of sporty cheer. It is used during sports competitions or in a humorous way. An announcement-maker welcoming a football team to a stadium could use this expression to greet the athletes.

19. Здрáвия желáю! / Здрáвия желáем!

• Здрáвия желáю! [zdr’aviya zhel’ayu] (used as a singular form if you are speaking alone when greeting someone)
• Здрáвия желáем! [zdr’aviya zhel’ayem] (used as a plural form if
  you and somebody else are greeting someone)

This extremely formal phrase literally means “I/we wish you good health”. It actually means “Hello, sir!” and is usually used in military service, for example, to render a salute to an officer. Alternatively, Russians sometimes use it jokingly in a casual setting.

At the end of the article you will find a colorful infographic enlisting all the ways to say “hello”
in Russian described above. Don’t forget to save it!

Common phrases around the Russian hello

Hello how are you in Russian: Привет! Как дела?

This phrase that could be translated as “Hi! How are things?” is common between friends. If you bump into a friend you haven’t seen in a while on the street, you could greet them this way.

Hello comrade in Russian: Привет, товарищ!

You could use this phrase
instead of “Hello friend” or “Hello my brother” to greet a dear friend, but it has Soviet roots and used to be more common back in the day.

Hello my name is in Russian: Привет! Меня зовут … .

When you find yourself in a situation meeting someone for the first time, you will have to introduce yourself. This is the phrase you would use to do so.

Hello beautiful in Russian: Привет, красотка! / Привет,
красавчик!

This greeting would be appropriate in a situation where you are trying to flirt with an attractive girl or boy and want to cheekily say hello.

Hello and goodbye in Russian: Здравствуйте! До свидания! / Привет! Пока!

If you are in a situation where you are not particularly close with a person, they are senior, or you are speaking to someone in a professional setting, it would be appropriate to greet them with
“здравствуйте” and parting with “до свидания”.

Hello nice to meet you in Russian: Здравствуйте! Приятно познакомиться!

When you are meeting someone for the first time in a formal setting or they are senior, for instance, your grandmother’s friend, you could use this phrase to politely greet people.

Hello everyone in Russian: Всем привет!

This greeting is appropriate when you first arrive into a large
group where you don’t know everyone’s name or, for example, if you are greeting multiple people in an event hosted at your home.

Online Russian lessons

There are 3 key advantages to learning Russian online and, in particular, on Eurekly:

• Russia is
  a huge country with 11 standard time zones. These are the following: Russia Time Zone 1 (UTC + 2), Russia Time Zone 2 (UTC + 3), Russia Time Zone 3 (UTC + 4), Russia Time Zone 4 (UTC + 5), Russia Time Zone 5 (UTC + 6), Russia Time Zone 6 (UTC + 7), Russia Time Zone 7 (UTC + 8), Russia Time Zone 8 (UTC + 9), Russia Time Zone 9 (UTC + 10), Russia Time
  Zone 10 (UTC + 11), Russia Time Zone 11 (UTC + 12). Naturally, this can make scheduling online lessons rather complicated. However, Eurekly offers a special feature that facilitates lesson scheduling in many different time zones, which is particularly handy!
• Online Russian lessons offer on-the-go mobile solutions, enabling you to complete coursework from
  anywhere, as your individual schedule permits, without having to travel to your lessons. You can tailor-fit your learning around your day whenever it’s convenient.
• Compared with traditional face-to-face lessons, Eurekly’s online Russian classes
  offer a much cheaper alternative!

Many
of Eurekly’s highly qualified tutors are native Russian speakers and all have a perfect command of English, making them the ideal choice for your education. Here are four of the many Russian teachers available on Eurekly today to get you started:

• Andrei is a native Russian linguist and writer who teaches both Russian and English. He
  taught at West Virginia University for two years and has students in the USA, UK, Australia, France, New Zealand, and Denmark. He takes great pride in customizing lesson plans to every student’s needs and always uses the most up-to-date teaching aids.
• Olga holds a Ph.D. in Russian Language and is hugely qualified and highly experienced having
  taught over 300 people 5000 lessons. With 10 years of her teaching experience (7 years online), you will be in very safe hands. She is a native of St.Petersburg and loves to help people attain a real Russian accent!
• Tatiana loves working with all ages and backgrounds. She holds a Master’s degree in teaching Russian and offers a
  personalized program for all her students depending on their goals. She teaches for the TRKI/TORFL Russian language exams you will need to take if you want to study or work in Russia. She makes a real focus on pronunciation and promises that you will not stay at entry-level for long!
• Alexander is a true international Russian native
  having studied and worked in London, Turkey the UAE, and the Maldives. He is a certified Russian tutor with an academic background in Russian Literature and History and loves including Russian culture in his lessons. He promises that everyone can speak Russian with his help!

Eurekly’s leading Russian tutors have prepared this amazing infographic to
facilitate your Russian studies. Save it and make sure you use the right expressions in all the suitable contexts!

1. How do Russians greet each other?

Russians greet each other by saying hello, the word for which can vary depending on the circumstances.

2. What does hello mean in Russian?

Hello, i.e. приве́т, is the most common way to informally greet others in Russian.

3.
How to pronounce hello in Russian?

To pronounce здравствуйте (Zdravstvuyte), say zdrah-stvooy-tee and remember to roll your R’s.

4. How to spell hello in Russian?

The correct spelling of hello in Russian is здравствуйте (zdravstvuyte) or привет (privyet).

5. How to write hello in Russian?

You can write здравствуйте or привет.

6.
How do you say hello in Russian phonetically?

Phonetically, приве́т is [pree-vyét], while здравствуйте sounds like [zdrah-stvooy-tee].

What is a common Russian greeting?

Hello in Russian – Здравствуйте (Zdravstvuyte)
It’s a universal greeting formula and it can be used safely every time regardless of the person you are addressing. The root of the word goes back to the expression or phrase “to be healthy and well” so this is also a wish of good health.

How do you address a Russian person?

How do you greet a Russian girl?

There’s a well-known Russian greeting tradition: the triple cheek-kiss. It’s usually common between close relatives. Sometimes, it’s shortened to two kisses. One cheek kiss is often used by girls to greet friends, or even close female coworkers.

How do Russians greet themselves?

RUSSIAN GREETINGS
Russian usually shake hands when greeting one another. The famous bear hugs and kisses are usually reserved for good friends and family members after a long time without seeing one another. Russian men usually shake hands with a firm grip. When men and women shakes hands men adopt a gentle grip.

Lesson 002

This is another vocabulary lesson and today we’ll learn some useful Russian phrases. From one of our previous lessons you have already learned a couple of Russian greetings. Today we’ll cover them in details and learn the most common ways to say hello in Russian in formal and informal situations.

In most languages, the standard hello formula usually includes not only hello itself, but also how are you?. To return the greeting you usually say I’m fine, thank you, how are you?.

In Russian, unlike in English, these phrases depend on who you talk to (whether your greeting is formal or informal).

Listen to the audio and repeat after it.

Informal Russian greetings

The most simple and straightforward way to say hello in Russian is приве́т. It is an informal greeting and you can also use it as hi or hey:

Приве́т.
[pree-vyét]
Hi. / Hey. / Hello.

How are you? in Russian is:

Как дела́?
[kak dee-lá]
How are you? How are you doing? (lit. – How are the things?)

The phrase above can be used both in formal and informal situations.

And the next phrase is only appropriate for informal situations as it includes the informal pronoun ты (in the Genitive case):

Как твои́ дела́?
[kak tva-ée dee-lá]
How are you? (lit. – How are your things?)

There are also other way to ask how are you? in Russian:

Как жизнь?
[kak zheezn’]
How are you? (lit. – How is the life?)

Что но́венького?
[chto nó-veen’-ka-va]
What’s new? What’s up?

To reply and to return the question, use the following phrases:

Отли́чно, как у тебя́?
[at-léech-na, kak u tee-byá]
Excellent, how are you?

А ты как?
[a ty kak]
And you?

А твои́ как?
[a tva-ée kak]
And you?

А как у тебя́?
[a kak u tee-byá]
And you?

Formal Russian greetings

Now let’s look at the formal situations. Formal hello in Russian is:

Здра́вствуйте.
[zdrást-vuî-tye]
Good morning (afternoon, evening).

You can always replace hello with wishing people a good time of the day:

До́брое у́тро.
[dób-ra-ye út-ra]
Good morning.

До́брый день.
[dób-ryî dyen’]
Good day / afternoon.

До́брый ве́чер.
[dób-ryî vyé-chyer]
Good evening.

To ask how are you? and to return the question in formal situations use these phrases:

Как ва́ши дела́?
[kak vá-shee dee-lá]
How are you?

Спаси́бо, хорошо́. Как у вас?
[spa-sée-ba, ha-ra-shó. kak u vas?]
Fine, thank you. How about you?

А как ва́ши (дела)?
[a kak vá-shee]
And how about you?

А вы как?
[a vy kak]
And you?

Рад вас ви́деть.
[rat vas vée-deet’]
Nice to see you. (said by a man)

Ра́да вас ви́деть.
[rá-da vas vée-deet’]
Nice to see you. (said by a woman)

Good for both cases

Regardless of who you are talking to, you answer to how are you? can be one of these:

Спаси́бо, хорошо́.
[spa-sée-ba ha-ra-shó]
Fine, thank you.

Спаси́бо, непло́хо.
[spa-sée-ba nee-pló-ha]
Not bad, thank you.

Норма́льно.
[nar-mál’-na]
Okay.

Как обы́чно.
[kak a-bých-na]
As usual.

Всё в поря́дке, спаси́бо.
[fsyó v pa-ryát-kye, spa-sée-ba]
Everything is good, thank you.

Ничего́ осо́бенного.
[nee-chee-vó a-só-been-na-va]
Nothing special.

Так себе́.
[tak see-byé]
So so.

Не о́чень.
[nee o-cheen’]
Not very well.

Пло́хо.
[pló-ha]
Bad.

Отли́чно.
[at-léech-na]
Great.

Замеча́тельно.
[za-mee-chá-teel’-na]
Great. Perfect.

Прекра́сно.
[pree-krás-na]
Great. Perfect. Wondeful.

Now you are familiar with the basic Russian greetings and know how to say hi, hello, and how are you? in Russian and to respond to a greeting.

We hope you enjoy our lessons. Stick with us and we will gladly help you on your way to learn the Russian language!

The offline version of this lesson is available here

Start the quiz

• • bye
  • hello (formal)
  • hi
  • how are you?

  Answered: 0 out of 10
  Correct answers: 0 (0%)
  

  Next

• • Good morning.
  • Good afternoon.
  • Good everning.
  • Good night.

  Answered: 0 out of 10
  Correct answers: 0 (0%)
  

  Next

• Translate to English:

  Все хорошо, спасибо.

  • Fine, thank you.
  • How about you?
  • Hello, how are you?
  • Everything is good, thank you.

  Answered: 0 out of 10
  Correct answers: 0 (0%)
  

  Next

• Say it in Russian:

  Good evening

  • до́брый день
  • до́брый ве́чер
  • до́брое ве́чер
  • до́брое у́тро

  Answered: 0 out of 10
  Correct answers: 0 (0%)
  

  Next

• What does it literally mean: как жизнь?

  • How is your life?
  • What’s up?
  • And you?
  • How is your day?

  Answered: 0 out of 10
  Correct answers: 0 (0%)
  

  Next

• Translate to English:

  so-so

  • так себе́
  • там себе́
  • не о́чень
  • отли́чно

  Answered: 0 out of 10
  Correct answers: 0 (0%)
  

  Next

• Which option is incorrect?

  • А как у тебя́?
  • А твои́ как?
  • А как у ты?
  • А ты как?

  Answered: 0 out of 10
  Correct answers: 0 (0%)
  

  Next

• Which greeting is not appropriate for formal situations?

  • До́брый ве́чер.
  • Как жизнь?
  • Как ва́ши дела́?
  • Здра́вствуйте.

  Answered: 0 out of 10
  Correct answers: 0 (0%)
  

  Next

• • Fine, thank you.
  • Not bad, thank you.
  • Everything is good, thank you.
  • Great, thank you.

  Answered: 0 out of 10
  Correct answers: 0 (0%)
  

  Next

• • As usual.
  • Nothing special.
  • Not bad.
  • Not very well.

  Answered: 0 out of 10
  Correct answers: 0 (0%)
  

More lessons on Russian vocabulary

• The most important Russian words
• Hello! and How are you? in Russian
• Goodbye in Russian
• Thank you, please, and you’re welcome in Russian
• «I speak Russian» in Russian and other useful phrases
• Calling for help in Russian
• My name is … in Russian
• Seasons in Russian
• Congratulations in Russian
• Talking about health in Russian
• Meeting your Russian in-laws
• Making friends in Russian
• Talking about family in Russian
• Talking about the weather
• Internet vocabulary and phrases
• Colors in Russian
• Visiting a pharmacy
• Directions in Russian
• New Year’s dialogues
• Happy birthday in Russian, Russian birthday wishes
• Going to the movies
• I love you in Russian and other romantic phrases
• Russian terms of endearment
• Professions in Russian
• Hotel dialogues in Russian
• Visiting a doctor

Made some Russian friends or planning to visit the Motherland? Learning Russian greetings and a couple of basic Russian phrases will definitely help you interact with Russian speakers more easily.

Heads up, the words in the brackets aren’t stroke-induced distress signals. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Cyrillic, we’ve added the pronunciation and capitalized the letters that you should accent. At the end of the article, we’ve added a table as a map for the declension of personal pronouns, should you like to understand why, for example, “you” in certain greetings appears in different forms.

Давай зайдем (let’s get into it, davAi zaidyIOm) then!

Russian greetings: the hellos

1. “Hello” in Russian – Здравствуйте or Здравствуй (zdrAvstvuyte-zdrAvstvuy)

Здравствуйте is the formal hello in Russian if you want to greet a stranger or someone that you should address with respect, like a teacher or an elder.

Здравствуй is dangling between “Здравствуйте” and Привет, meaning, it’s a bit formal but also leaning towards casual. You can use it when greeting peers or colleagues that you don’t know really well.

Actually, the Russian word for “health” is “здоровье” (zdorOv’ye), so this Russian greeting can be translated into “I wish you good health”. You could trace its origin to the plague epidemics (with cases still popping up from time to time), the agrarian economy, and the unforgiving weather that paints the history of Russia’s landscape, underlining how disease constituted the worst threat to the livelihood of Russians.

2. “Hi” in Russian – Привет (privyEt)

Привет is the king of all Russian greetings! This is the classic informal Russian “hello” between friends and family. It is perhaps the most common way to say hi in Russian to people that you are comfortable with and know well.

If you want to sound a little more elegant, you could use the verb πриветствую (privEtsvuyiu), literally meaning “I greet you”.

Russian greetings for each hour of the day

3. “Good morning” in Russian – Доброе утро (dObroye Utro)

Доброе утро is the typical way to say good morning in Russian, either in a formal or informal setting. It should be used until 12pm. С добрым утром (s dObrim Utram) is an alternate option, often used, but not limited to, when addressing larger crowds.

If you are feeling particularly affectionate, you can also use С утречком (s Utrechkom), with утречко being the diminutive of утро (morning), meaning “little morning”. In case you are facing a mental blackout, you could also keep this Russian greeting in mind if you want to remember more easily how to conjugate the simplest form of male nouns and adjectives in the instrumental case.

4. “Good afternoon” in Russian – Добрый день (dObryy dEn’)

As in English, “good afternoon” or Добрый день in Russian settles between 12pm and 6pm, or generally when there is still daylight. (Actually, the word “день” means “day”).

Grammar tip: through the ending of the adjective, which is masculine (“Добрый“,) you can remember that “day” in Russian is a masculine noun, considering that it’s often tricky to specify the gender of the words ending with the soft sign “ь”. This way, when you want to use different cases, you can choose the correct ending.

For example, it would be easy to keep in mind that you use the masculine form for nouns ending in “ь” when you want to say “in the middle of the day” (=”в середине дня“, v sereDIne dnyA – genitive case) or “enjoy the day” (=”наслаждайся днём“, naslazhdAysya dniOm – instrumental case).

5. “Good evening” in Russian – Добрый вечер (dObriy vYEcher)

Добрый вечер or “good evening” in Russian can be used after 6pm or after sunset. For instance, it is quite often used in winter after 4pm when the sun sets in northern cities like Saint Petersburg.

6. “Good night” in Russian – Cпокойной ночи (spokOynoy nOchi)

Cпокойной ночи would be directly translated as “have a good night”.

Again you might be scratching your head, thinking: eeny, meeny, miny, moe, what’s this case, I don’t know.

A verb that often implicitly accompanies many salutations is “желать” (zelAt), meaning “to wish/hope”. This verb, turns out, most of the time goes hand in hand with the genitive case. Having cracked the code, you have learned that “cпокойной ночи” is the genitive form of “спокойная ночь”. Hooray!

Russian greetings for introductions and pleasantries

7. “Thank you” in Russian – Спасибо (spaSIba)

OK, even if you aren’t learning Russian, “cпасибо” is definitely in your sphere of consciousness of Russian greetings. Спасибо is suitable for both verbal formal and informal occasions. The Russian equivalent phrase of “thank you very much” would be спасибо большое (spasIba bol’shOye). Should you want to stress your gratefulness, you can sprinkle it with a cпасибо огромное (= “huge thank you”, spasIba ogrOmnoye).

If you want to be more formal, especially in writing, using an expression like “я благодарю вас” (ya blagodarIU vash), again meaning thank you or “я ценю вашу помощь” (ya tsenYU vAshu pOmosh’), translated as “I appreciate your help”, is a little more cordial than a plain spasiba.

Fun fact about “cпасибо”, it is actually derived from the phrase “спаси́ бог” (spasI bog), or “God save you” in English. As a Greek Orthodox Christian, falling within the family of fellow Eastern Orthodox Russians, I can attest to the prominence of religion in every-day life, justifying how expressing gratitude has been interlocked with a benediction.

8. “You’re welcome” in Russian – Πожалуйста (pozhAluysta)

Пожалуйста is definitely a handy expression, meaning not only “you’re welcome” but also “please”. So, you might be asking for a cup of tea at the coffee shop by saying чашку чая, пожалуйста. Or you might be offering your seat in the metro and responding to the thankful passenger with a formal “пожалуйста”.

Other common Russian phrases to say you’re welcome would include “не за что” and “пустяки”, equivalents to “don’t mention it”, which is suitable for most social settings.

9. “My name is…” in Russian – Меня зовут… (menYA zavUt)

Меня зовут… is how you should set about when you introduce yourself or when asked как тебя зовут? (=what’s your name, kak tebyIA zavUt). The literal meaning of the phrase is “they call me..”, with the verb “звaть” conjugated in the third plural person “they”.

Alternatively, you could simply say “Я – (insert name)”, meaning “I’m (insert name). Interesting grammar insight on this point: the verb “to be” does not exist in the present tense in Russian. So, to present your name, you just use the personal pronoun “I”. Yes, I know what you are thinking. Is this one of the roots of the existential crisis rampant in Russian literature? Might as well be.

10. “How are you?” – Kак дела? (Kak delA)

You have two paths here, depending on the level of formality you strive for. Как у вас дела (kak u vash dEla) is formal since it uses the genitive form of the second-person plural “вы”. In turn, как у тебя дела (kak u tebyA dEla) is used for informal occasions, since you opt for the genitive form of the second-person singular “ты”. In the more relaxed, informal setting, you can skip pronouns altogether and simply use как дела?

If you are asked how you are, you can respond by saying “хорошо” (=well, harashO), “плохо” (=not well, plOha), “отлично” (=great, atLIchna) or “как обычно” (=as usual, kak aBIchna).

11. “Have a good day!” – Tебе/Bам хорошего дня! (tebe/vam harOsheva dnYA)

We meet again the invisible influence of the verb “желать” in Russian greetings, with “хороший день” taking its genitive form. As with the examples mentioned before, you can use Bам хорошего дня on formal occasions or when you are facing a crowd of people. Otherwise, you can go for Tебе хорошего дня, when you are with a friend, peer, relative, or a close acquaintance.

12. “Bye” in Russian – До свидания (Do SvidAniyia)

До свидания is the safest Russian farewell, suitable for most settings. While it certainly is your go-to for formal occasions, it might be a little too heavy if you use it for very close friends, considering it has the poetic luster of the meaning “until we meet again”

In that case, parting phrases commonly used between friends, family and close acquaintances would be пока (pokA) or давай (davAi).

You can also use phrases like “до встречи” (do vtrEchi), meaning “until the meeting”, or, if you want to refer to a specific day, you can use the preposition “до” (do) followed by the name of the day in its genitive form, e.g. “до понедельника” (until Monday, do panedElnika).

Russian greetings for special occasions and holidays

13. “Happy birthday” in Russian – C днём рождения (S dnyIOm RazdEniya)

This is pretty straightforward with the good old instrumental case bringing to us с днём рождения.

Now, if you aren’t up-to-date with Russian traditions on birthdays, let’s mention a couple of quirky customs. First, generally, avoid wishing happy birthday or buying gifts to the именинник (=birthday boy, imeNInik) or именинница (=birthday girl, imeNInika) too early. Bad luck you see. For the same reason, it’s good to also avoid gifting yellow flowers or even-numbered bouquets before the actual birthday. And, beware: if it’s you’re birthday you might be blessed with a little ear-pulling.

14. “Happy Easter” in Russian – C Пасхой/Христос Воскрес! (s PAsphai/hristOS voskREs)

We will be taking a deep dive into Eastern Orthodox Easter for this one, so hung in there. Easter is a big thing for us Orthodox Christians. Dare I say even more important than Christmas. Maybe it’s that kind of only-pain-and-suffering-will-grant-eternal-salvation feeling that is deeply embedded in our national identities. Who knows…

Anyways, two good old Russian greetings for Easter are C Пасхой! (S PAshai) or Счастливой Пасхи! (SchastLIvai PAshi) to wish somebody a happy Easter. However, the most common Easter Russian greeting you will come across would be Христос воскрес (HristOS VoskREs), meaning “Christ has risen”. It is always echoed throughout the church after midnight of Holy Saturday, when we commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus. In response, it is customary to say Bоистину воскрес (VAIstinu VaskrEs), meaning “truly He has risen”.

Actually, the word “воскрес (= risen/resurrected) is associated with the word “Воскресенье”, which is “Sunday” in Russian. You know, devoting the day to God and all. Another religious insight: we use the word “Пасхa” (Pasha) for “Easter” from the Hebraic “Pesach”, which means “Passover”, either referring to God “passing over” the Israelites when the ten plagues ravaged Egypt or, in Orthodox Christianity, the passage from death to life through Christ’s Resurrection.

Still with me? Great! Let’s move on to the fun bits of Russian Easter: “кулич” (kuLIch) and “пасхалные яйца” (pasHAlnie yiaiCHA)! “Kулич” refers to the traditional sweet Russian Easter cake, containing dried fruit and sprinkled with icing deliciousness, completely irresistible if you are on the Easter lent called “Великий Пост”. “Πасхалные яйца” are our beloved Easter eggs. For Orthodox Christians, Easter eggs involve the custom of boiling eggs, painting them red, and embarking on “egg wars”. After colliding each other’s decorated masterpieces, the person with the most resilient egg is proclaimed the winner.

15. “Merry Christmas” in Russian – C Pождеством (s rOzdestvam)

Things are simple with Russian Christmas greetings. C рождеством is pretty much all you need to wish someone a happy Christmas in Russian-speaking countries. This wish is related, for obvious reasons, to the world “рождение”, meaning “birth”.

During the Soviet Union, Christmas was gradually forsaken as a religious element that did not suit the atheist dogma of Soviet ideology. Despite this, Christmas rose from its pine tree ashes after 1991. Due to this reason, not many Russians will visit church service on Christmas day, nor indulge in any extravagant celebrations.

Meeting with relatives, however, sharing fortune-telling stories and classic fables on Christmas Eve as well as preparing dishes like “крендель” (=Christmas sweet bread, krendel) and “кулебяка” (=something like a shepherd’s pie, kulebyaka), alongside with Olivier’s salat and pirozhki, are common practices of a Russian Christmas.

16. “Happy New Year” in Russian – С Новым годом (s NOvim GOdam)

To wish someone a happy new year, say С Новым годом.

Due to the predominance of Soviet secularism and the adherence to the Julian calendar for Christmas, Russians channel all the holiday hype towards the earlier New Year’s celebrations. New Year’s Eve would be the day to visit concerts and festivals and watch the fireworks displays from the Red Square when the clock strikes 12.

New Year’s Eve is also the merriest time for children, when the very Russian counterpart of Santa Claus, Дед Мороз (Ded MarOz) and his grand-daughter Снегурочка (Snegurochka) arrive at night bearing gifts. Ded Maroz places the gifts under the ёлка (yolka), the Christmas tree which is actually set up weeks before for New Year’s.

17. “Cheers” in Russian – Будем здоровы (bUdem zdarOvi)

Sorry to disappoint anyone who has used the phrase “на здоровье!” (na zdarOvyie) from an American spy film, there are indeed many ways to say “cheers” in Russian, but that does not appear to be one of them.

It seems that making toasts, accompanied by hopeful or enigmatic little stories, is the established version of Russian “cheers”. Standard Russian toasts would include будем здоровы (=to us being healthy, bUdem zdarOvi), “за тебя” (=to you, za tebyia) or за вас (za vas), or anything you could normally make a toast on in English. For example, “за успех” (=to success, za uspEh) or “за счастье” (=to happiness, za schAstyie).

No Russian wedding would be complete without someone also shouting “горько!” (gOrka). This toast, meaning “bitter”, is exclaimed to encourage the bride and groom to kiss, so as to “sweeten” the food and the atmosphere.

18. “I wish you health and happiness” in Russian – Желаю вам/тебе здоровья и счастья (zelAyiu vam/tebE zdarOvia i schAstia)

Whether it’s Christmas, Easter or someone’s birthday, using the phrase Желаю вам здоровья и счастья, with “вам” appropriate for formal settings and “тебе” for informal occasions, is always a thoughtful and warm gesture towards a friend or colleague.

Other useful Russian greetings to wish the best for someone could be yдачи! (uDAchi) or счастливого! (schastLIvava), meaning “good luck” or “I wish you all the best”.

Also, another amusing popular expression amongst friends is “ни пуха ни пера!” (ni pUha ni perA), literally meaning “nor fluff, nor feather”. This expression would be equivalent to the French “bonne merde” or the English “break a leg”, as it was based on the superstition that wishing hunters bad luck in catching any animals, would bring opposite results.

Other essential Russian greetings and phrases

I apologize for – Прошу прощения за (+noun)/что (+verb) e.g. Прошу прощения за задержку (prashU prashEniyia za zadErzku) – I apologize for the delay

Sorry/Excuse me – Простите/Извините e.g. Простите/Извините, можно меню, пожалуйста? (prasTIte/IzviNIte, mOzna mEhiyu, pazAluista?) – Excuse me, may I have the menu, please?

I don’t speak Russian – Я не говорю по-русски e.g. Извините, я не говорю по-русски (izviNIte, yia ne gavariU pa rUski) – Excuse me, I don’t speak Russian

How much does it cost? – Сколько стоит? e.g. Извините, сколько это/этa/этот (платье, рубашка, галстук) стоит? (IzviNIte, skOlka eta/eta/etat platye/rubAska/galsTUk sTOit?) – How much does this (dress, shirt, tie) cost?

Can I pay by card? – Можно заплатить кредитной карточкой? (mOzna zaplAtit kreDItnai kArtachkai?)

Can I pay with cash? – Можно заплатить наличными? (mOzna zaplAtit naLIchnimi?)

Left/Right/Straight – лево/право/прямо e.g. Πоверните налево / направо (pavernNIte naLEva/naprAva) – Turn left/right. Идите прямо вперед (iDIte pryiAma vperiOd) – Go straight ahead

Where is the restroom? – Где туалет? (gde tualEt)

Where is the metro/ bus/ tram? – Где метро / автобус / трамвай? (gde metrO/ avtObus tramvAi?)

One/two/three ticket(s), please – Один/два/три билет(a), пожалуйста (aDIn/dva/tri biliet(a), pazAluista)

Looking to take the next step? Start learning Russian by checking out these Russian learning books or apps that will make your learning journey a lot more enjoyable. Also, learn the various ways to say “thank you” in Russian!

What’s the first word you use to start a conversation? It’s “hello,” of course. That’s why it’s important to learn how to say hello in Russian. In fact, the more greetings you know, the better. Knowledge of common greetings will help you choose the one that suits a situation. Let’s get started.

To achieve fluency in the Russian language, learn it with a teacher.

“Здравствуйте” (Zdravstvuite): “Hello”

The word “здравствуйте” (zdravstvuite) is universal. You can use it in nearly all situations—when you meet a person for the first time, when you go shopping, when you visit a doctor, etc.

The English translation of the word “здравствуйте” (zdravstvuite) is “hello.” Unlike in English, you don’t say “здравствуйте” (zdravstvuite) to your friends, because this word is quite formal. The literal meaning of “здравствуйте” (zdravstvuite) is “I wish you health.”

There’s also a form of this word that you can use when you meet a person you already know. “Здравствуй” (zdravstvui) is an informal but respectful greeting.

“Привет” (Privet): “Hi”

“Привет” (privet) is another common greeting in Russian that can be heard everywhere. Use it while talking to friends or peers. This is an informal greeting, and the English translation of “привет” (privet) is “hi.”

“Доброе утро” (Dobroe utro): “Good morning”

The phrase “доброе утро” (dobroe utro) means “good morning” and can be used only until 12 p.m. It’s widely used in both formal and informal situations.

“Добрый день” (Dobryi den’): “Good afternoon”

Russians say “добрый день” (dobryi den’) to each other during the day (till 6 p.m.). This is another example of formal greetings in Russian, so don’t say it to your friends. It would sound awkward. This can be translated into English as “good afternoon.”

“Добрый вечер” (Dobryi vecher): “Good evening”

Say “добрый вечер” (dobryi vecher) when you meet a person in the evening in a formal situation. The English counterpart of “добрый вечер” (dobryi vecher) is “good evening.”

You can use the word “здравствуйте” (zdravstvuite) instead of “доброе утро” (dobroe utro), “добрый день” (dobryi den’), and “добрый вечер” (dobryi vecher). Practice pronouncing these words and phrases, and pick the one that’s easier to cope with.

“Здарова” (Zdarova): “Hey”

The word “здарова” (zdarova) is a slang word, which is typically used by young people and men. It can be translated into English as “hey” or “what’s up?”

“Алло” (Allo): “Hello”

The word “алло” (allo), sometimes “алё” (alyo), is used only while answering the phone.

These are the common greetings Russians use in everyday life. Try to remember at least one formal and one informal way of saying hello. To learn more greetings, study Russian online.