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Lesson 1

In this lesson, you will find the most frequently used formulas of politeness in Russian and you will learn:

  • How to say hello and how to greet people in Russian
  • How to say goodbye in Russian
  • How to thank and apologize in Russian

You will also find information about polite and familiar forms of address in Russian.

I. The most frequently used Russian formulas of politeness

Listen to the most frequently used Russian formulas of politeness. Listen and repeat after the speaker :

Здравствуйте!
[zdrastvooyti]    

–

 Hello! (formal greeting) *

До свидания!
[da svidaniya]    

–

 Goodbye! (formal and informal)

Привет!
[privyet]    

–

 Hi! (informal greeting)

Покa !
[paka]    

–

 Bye-bye! (informal farewell)

Спасибо
[spasiba]    

–

 Thank you (formal and informal)

Извините
[izviniti]    

–

 Excuse me/Sorry (formal)

Извини
[izvini]    

–

 Excuse me/Sorry (informal)

Notes: Polite and familiar forms of address

The Russian language has respectful and familiar forms of address to other people. The polite form is used in formal situations or if you are you talking to someone you don't know very well. Russian familiar form is generally used among friends and relatives.

In this course, we mainly use polite phrases for formal situations. However, in some cases, we will introduce familiar expressions which will be marked as "informal" in brackets.

Notice also that certain formulas of politeness (e.g. до свидания goodbye and спасибо thank you) can be used both for formal and informal situations.

For more info, see the page Polite and familiar address in Russian

II. Greetings and farewells

a) Listen and repeat:

Russian Greetings

Здравствуйте!
[zdrastvooyti]    

–

 Hello!

Привет!
[privyet]    

–

 Hi! (informal)

Доброе утро!
[dobraye ootra]    

–

 Good morning! (formal and informal)

Добрый день!
[dobriy dyen]    

–

 Good afternoon! (formal and informal)

Добрый вечер!
[dobriy vyechir]    

–

 Good evening! (formal and informal)

Russian Farewells

Всего хорошего!
[fsivo haroshiva]    

–

 All the best!

До свидания!
[da svidaniya]    

–

 Goodbye! (formal and informal)

Пока!
[paka]    

–

 Bye-bye! (informal)

Счастливо!
[schisliva]    

–

 Good luck! (informal)

b) Listen to the Russian words and choose the right translation from the list:

III. How are you?

a) Listen and repeat the following expressions:

Russian expressions to ask another person how he or she is doing:

Как поживаете?
[kak pajivaiti?]    

–

 How are you getting on?

Как у Вас дела?
[kak oo vas dila?]    

–

 How are you?

Как дела?
[kak dila?]    

–

 How are you? (informal)

How to answer:

Прекрасно.
[prikrasna]    

–

 Perfectly well.

Хорошо.
[harasho]    

–

 Fine.

Нормально.
[narmalna]    

–

 Good. (informal)

Неплохо.
[niploha]    

–

 Not so bad.

How to thank somebody:

Спасибо.
[spasiba]    

–

 Thank you/Thanks.

How to ask a reciprocal question:

А у Вас как дела?
[a oo vas kak dila?]    

–

 And how are you?

А у тебя?
[a oo tibya?]    

–

 And you?/And what about you? (informal)

b) Answer the questions using phrases in brackets:

Model:

Как поживаете?

[kak pajivaiti?]    

-

(I'm fine, thanks).
Хорошо, спасибо.
[harasho, spasiba]    

How are you getting on? - I'm fine, thanks.

Questions:

Как дела?
[kak dila?]    

-

(Perfectly well.)

Check yourself

Как поживаете?
[kak pajivaiti?]    

-

(Not so bad, thanks. And how are you?)

Check yourself

Привет! Как дела?
[privyet! kak dila?]    

-

(Good. And what about you?)

Check yourself

Как поживаете?
[kak pajivaiti?]    

-

(Thanks, I'm fine.
And how are you?)

Check yourself

Как у Вас дела?
[kak oo vas dila?]    

-

(Perfectly, thanks.)

Check yourself

IV. Request and thanks

a) Listen and repeat the following expressions:

How to say "please" in Russian:

Будьте добры, ...
[bootti dabri]    

–

 Will/Would you be so kind as ...

Пожалуйста, ...
[pajaloosta]    

–

 Please, ... (formal and informal)

How to thank somebody in Russian:

Спасибо.
[spasiba]    

–

 Thank you/Thanks. (formal and informal)

Большое спасибо.
[balshoye spasiba]    

–

 Thank you very much. (formal and informal)

What to say in response to thanks:

Не за что.
[nezashta]    

–

 Not at all. (formal and informal)

Пожалуйста.
[pajaloosta]    

–

 You are welcome.(formal and informal)

b) Listen and choose "yes" or "no":

 
Is this a correct translation?


V. Hello guys!

Listen to the phrases in Russian and choose the correct replies.

  Put the phrase
number in the
text area.
 
Phrase 1
 Всего хорошего!    
Phrase 2
 Привет! Как дела?     
Phrase 3
 Здравствуйте!     
Phrase 4
 Спасибо, хорошо. А у Вас как дела?    
Phrase 5
 Прекрасно. А у тебя?     
Phrase 6
 Счастливо!