79 Common Russian Phrases and Expressions You Need to Know

Planning a trip to Russia? Before you leave, it might be a good idea to learn a few basic words and phrases in Russian.

Russian is actually a very useful language to learn. It is the seventh most spoken native language in the world. Of course, most native Russian speakers live in Russia, but there are also a lot of Russian speakers in Europe and Eurasia.

If you want to get started learning Russian, one of the first things you need to do is learn some basic Russian phrases. In this post, we’ve collected a few that you should learn, understand, and memorize as you will find them useful when talking to native Russian speakers.

Russian Phrases To Use To Start A Basic Conversation

As in many languages, in Russian, there are words that mean “hello”. In Russian, these are the formal “zdrastvuyte” and the informal “privet”. You can also say hello to a Russian speaker with the following three phrases, depending on the time of day.

1. Dobroye utro

Pronunciation guide: dObroye Utro

English meaning: Good morning 

2. Dobriy den’

Pronunciation guide: dObriy den’

English meaning: Good afternoon

3. Dobriy vecher

Pronunciation guide: dObriy VEcher

English meaning: Good evening

After you have greeted each other appropriately, the next step to starting a friendly conversation with a Russian speaker would be to introduce yourselves. You can do so by using the following phrases.

4. Kak vas zovut?

Pronunciation guide: kak vas zoVUT?

English meaning: What is your name? (formal)

5. Tebya zovut?

Pronunciation guide: teBYA zoVUT? 

English meaning: What is your name? (informal)

6. Menya zovut

Pronunciation guide: meNYA zoVut

English meaning: My name is

After the introductions have been made, it’s time for a little polite small talk with the following Russian phrases.

7. Priyatno poznakomitsa

Pronunciation guide: priYATno poznaKOmitsa

English meaning: It’s nice to meet you.

8. Kak dela?

Pronunciation guide: kak deLA?

9. Harasho, spasibo

Pronunciation guide: haraSHO, spaSIbo

English meaning: I’m fine, thank you

10. Neploho, spasibo

Pronunciation guide: nePLOho, spaSIBO

English meaning, I’m OK, thank you

If you need to bring the conversation to a halt first, as you need to go somewhere, you should use the following phrases to take your leave.

11. Do svidaniya

Pronunciation guide: do sviDAniya

English meaning: Goodbye

12. Dobroi nochi

Pronunciation guide: DObroi NOchi

English meaning: Good night

13. Do vstrechi

Pronunciation guide: do VSTREchi

English meaning: Until next time

Important Russian Phrases To Know While Traveling

One of the main reasons given for studying Russian is because someone is traveling to Russia or another area where there are a lot of Russian speakers.

Even if you have started taking Russian language lessons with a native speaking tutor, you will want to be able to tell people that you are just learning and you might need some help understanding them. These are a few phrases you should know and use as needed.

14. Pomogite, pozhalusta

Pronunciation guide: pomoGIte, poZHAlusta

English meaning: Help me, please

15. Ya ne ponimayu

Pronunciation guide: YA ne poniMAyu

English meaning: I don’t understand

16. Ya ponimayu

Pronunciation guide: YA poniMAyu

English meaning: I understand

17. Ya ne govoryu po Ruskie

Pronunciation guide: YA ne govoryU po RUSski

English meaning: I don’t speak Russian

18. Vi govorite po angliyski?

Pronunciation guide: vi govoRIte po angLIYski

English meaning: Do you speak English?

19. Ya plokha govoryu po Ruskie

Pronunciation guide: Ya PLOkha govoryU po Ruskie

English meaning: My Russian is bad

20. Ya nimogo govoryu pa Ruskie

Pronunciation guide: Ya NimNOga govoryU po Ruskie

English meaning: I speak a little Russian

21. Pavtarite, pozhalusta

Pronunciation guide: PavTArite, poZHAlusta

English meaning: Could you please repeat

22. Gavaritye pozhalusta myedieney

Pronunciation guide: GavRItye poZHAlusta MYEDliney 

English meaning: Could you please speak slowly

How To Ask For And Understand Directions In Russian

When traveling in an area where a lot of people speak Russian, it would be wise to know how to ask for directions and understand the directions that you are being given. The following phrases will be useful for those reasons. 

23. Gde?

Pronunciation guide: Gde

English meaning: Where is?

You can use this phrase to ask for directions, all you have to do is add the name of the place you want to go.  Here are examples of how to ask for directions to three important places: the metro station, the bus station, and the bathroom.

24. Gde metro?

Pronunciation guide: gde metro

English meaning: Where is the metro?

25. Gde avtobus?

Pronunciation guide: gde avTObus?

English meaning: Where is the bus?

26. Gde tulet?

Pronunciation guide: gde tuaLET

English meaning: Where is the bathroom?

As we mentioned, you also need to understand the directions that a Russian speaker will give you. So you should memorize the following phrases and what they mean.

27. Idite pryamo

Pronunciation guide: iDIte PRYAmo

English meaning: Go straight

28. Povernite na pravo

Pronunciation guide: poverNIte na PRAvo

English meaning: Turn right

29. Povernite na levo

Pronunciation guide: poverNIte na LEvo

English meaning: Turn left

It is probably a good idea to have a map of the area on you and, if you need to find one, you can say this.

30. Kartu, pozhalusta

Pronunciation guide: KARtu, poZHAlusta

English meaning: A map, please.

Here are a few other Russian phrases that could be useful to know when trying to navigate a new area.

If you have found the bus or metro station, you can buy a ticket to your next destination with these phrases.

31. Gde biletnaya kasa?

Pronunciation guide: gde biletNAYA kasa?

English meaning: Where is the ticket office?

32. Odin bilyet, pozhalusta?

Pronunciation guide: oDIN biLYET, poZHAlusta

English meaning: One ticket, please.

You should probably also know how to ask about taxi’s – or “taksi” in Russian. Here are the phrases you can use.

33. Gde stoyanka taksi?

Pronunciation guide: gde stoYANka takSI

English meaning: Where is a taxi stand?

34: Gde mozhno vzyat taksi?

Pronunciation guide: gde mozhNo vyZHAT takSI

English meaning: Where can I find a taxi?

If you have found a taxi, you can tell your driver where you want to go by using this phrase

35. Otvezite menya po etomu adresu

Pronunciation guide: OTVEzite menYA po etoMU adresu

English meaning: Drive me to this address

If you are in a taxi or a rented car, you can tell your driver that you want to get off by using the following Russian phrase.

36.   Ostanovites’zdes’, pozhalusta

Pronunciation guide: ostanoVItes’ zdes’, poZHAlusta

English meaning: Stop here, please

Useful Russian Phrases You Can Use In A Restaurant

First, you should probably know how you can ask about a good place to eat.

36. Gde khoroshiy restoran?

Pronunciation guide: gde khoroSHIY restoRAN

English meaning: Where is a good restaurant?

When dinning in a restaurant, you will find the following Russian phrases useful.

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37. Na dvoih, pozhalusta

Pronunciation guide: na dvoIH, poZHAlusta

English meaning: A table for two, please.

38. Mozhno menu pozhalusta?

Pronunciation guide: MOzhno meNU poZHAlusta?

English meaning: Could I have the menu, please?

39. Ya budu

Pronunciation guide: ya BUdu

English meaning: I will have

40. Mozhno mne stakan

Pronunciation guide: MOzhno mne staKAN

English meaning: May I have a glass of

41. Mozhno mne chashku

Pronunciation guide: MOzhno mne CHAshku

English meaning: May I have a cup of

42. Mozhno check, pozhalusta

Pronunciation guide: MOzhno chek, poZHAlusta?

English meaning: Check, please

Useful Russian Phrases To Know If You Are Going Shopping

If you are going shopping, be it for necessities or to pick up a few souvenirs, you will probably find yourself needing to use the following Russian phrases.

43. Yest’ il u vas v nalichi?

Pronunciation guide: YEST’il u vas v naLICHI

English meaning: Do you have?

44. Yest’ drugój razmyér?

Pronunciation guide: YEST druGOJ razMYER

English meaning: Do you have a different size?

45. Yest’ drugój tsvyet?

Pronunciation guide: YEST druGOJ tsvYET

English meaning: Do you have a different color? 

46. Ya biru eta

Pronunciation guide: YA beRU eta

English meaning: I’ll take this.

47. Skol’ko stoit

Pronunciation guide: skol’ko STOit?

English meaning: How much is it?

48. Mozhno zaplatit’ nalichnie?

Pronunciation guide: MOzhno zaplaTIT’ naLICHnue?

English meaning: Can I pay by cash?

49. Mozhno zaplatit’ kreditnoi kartochkoi?

Pronunciation guide: MOzhno zaplaTIT’ kreDItnoi KARtochkoi?

English meaning: Can I pay by credit card?

You should also know how to ask for certain specific stores. Here are some Russian phrases that you can use to do so.

50. Gde supermarket?

Pronunciation: gde superMARket

English meaning: Where is the supermarket?

51. Gde suvenir magazin?

Pronunciation: gde suVEnir magazine

English meaning: Where is the souvenir shop?

52. Gde knizhni magazin?

Pronunciation guide: gde KNIzhni magaZIN 

English meaning: Where is the bookstore? 

53. Gde bulochnaya?

Pronunciation guide: gde BUlochnaya

English meaning: Where is the bakery?

54. Gde apteka?

Pronunciation guide: gde APteka

English meaning: Where is the pharmacy?

Russian Phrases You Can Use When Checking Into A Hotel

Aside from food and shopping, one of the most important things you need to know how to ask for is accommodations. Here are a few useful phrases that you can use once you get to a hotel.

55. U vas yest svabódnyye namyerá

Pronunciation guide: U vas YEST svaBODnyye NAmyeRA

English meaning: Do you have any rooms available?

56. U myenyá yest braníravaniye

Pronunciation guide: U MYEnya yest braNIravaniYE 

English meaning: I have a reservation

57. Skólka zá nach?

Pronunciation guide: SKOLka za naCH?

English meaning: How much is it per night?

58. Va skólka zayést?

Pronunciation guide: va SKOLka ZAyest

English meaning: At what time is check-in?

59. Va skólka výyest?

Pronunciation guide: va SKOLka vyyest

English meaning: At what time is check-out?

Other useful Russian Phrases To Know

Here are a few other Russian phrase that you might find useful for communicating with native Russian language speakers.

60. Ne mogli by vy mne pomoch’?

Pronunciation guide: NE MOGli by vy mne POmoch

English meaning: Can you help me?

61. Ya poteryalsya

Pronunciation guide: YA POterYALsya

English meaning: I’m lost

62. Bal’shoye Spasibo

Pronunciation guide: bal’SHOye spaSIbo

English meaning: Thank you very much

63. Spasibo za pomoshchi’

Pronunciation: spaSIbo za POmoshch

English meaning: Thank you for your help

64. Nichevo, nichevo, pozhalusta

Pronunciation guide:  NicheVO, nichVO, poZHAlusta 

English meaning: That’s all right

65. Schaslivava poti

Pronunciation: SchasLIvava PooTEE

English meaning: Have a nice trip

66. Gde bol’nitsa

Pronunciation guide: gde bol’NITSA

English meaning: Where is the hospital?

67. Mne plokha

Pronunciation guide: mne PLOkha

Meaning: I don’t feel well

68. U menya bolit zhivot

Pronunciation guide: u menYA boLIT zhiVOT

English meaning: I have a headache

69. U menya bolit golova

Pronunciation guide: u menYa boLIT goloVA

English meaning: I have a stomachache

70. Ya poteryal koshelek

Pronunciation guide: YA poTERyal svoy KOshelek

English meaning: I lost my wallet

71. Ya poteryal paspart

Pronunciation guide: YA poTERyal passport

English meaning: I lost my passport

72. Ya poteryal moi klyuchi

Pronunciation guide: YA poTERyal moi kLYUchi

English meaning: I lost my keys

73. Kak dobrat’sya v aeroport?

Pronunciation guide: kak doBRATsya v aeroport

English meaning: How do I get to the airport?

74. Skol’ko vremeni

Pronunciation guide: SKOL’ko vreMEni

English meaning: What time is it?

75. Khochoo yest’

Pronunciation guide: khoCHOO yest’

English meaning: I’m hungry

76. Khochoo pit’

Pronunciation guide: khoCHOO pit’

English meaning: I’m thirsty

77. Ya vyegyetariányets / ya vyegyetariánka

Pronunciation guide: YA vyeGYEtariaNYETS/YA vyGYEtarianKA

English meaning: I’m a vegetarian (masculine/feminine)

78. Mnye nrá-vi-tsa 

Pronunciation guide: MnYE nRAvitSa

English meaning: I like it

79. Mnye nye nrá-vi-tsa

Pronunciation guide: MnYe NYE nRAvitSA

English meaning: I don’t like it

Conclusion

The best way to begin having conversations in Russian is to first build up your mental library of common words and phrases, then begin practicing using these words and phrases in conversations.

You can download a PDF of this list of basic and common conversational Russian phrases and memorize what they mean to learn when you should use them. If you really want to learn quickly, however, you should work with an online native Russian speaking tutor.

Go through this list of Russian phrases with your tutor. They can help you understand when and how you can use them in conversations. They can also correct your pronunciation and accent as needed so that, when you finally travel to an area with a lot of Russian speakers, you can easily chat with the locals.

Book a lesson with a Russian tutor