How to Make Small Talk in Russian
Want to start a conversation with a Russian speaker but don't know where to start? Just have a look at the following expressions that will help you to boost your conversational Russian vocabulary!
Try to say them out loud, don’t just read them silently.
Russian Greetings
Доброе утро — Dobraye ootro — Good morning
Добрый день — Dobriy den' — Good afternoon
Добрый вечер — Dobriy vyecher — Good evening
Здравствуйте — Zdrastvooyte — Hello
Привет! — Preevyet — Hi!
Рад тебя видеть — Rat teebya veedet' — Nice to see you!
Как поживаешь? — Kak pazhivayesh? — How are you?
Спасибо, прекрасно! — Spaseeba preekrasna! — Fine, thanks!
Неплохо! — Neeploha! — Not so bad
Как Вас зовут? — Kak vas zavoot? — What's your name?
Меня зовут... — Meenya zavoot... — My name is...
Saying Thanks in Russian
Спасибо — Spaseeba — Thank you
Большое спасибо — Bal'shoye spaseeba — Thank you very much.
Не за что — Nyezashta — That's all right
Пожалуйста — Pazhalooysta — You're welcome
Saying Goodbye in Russian
К сожалению, мне (нам) пора идти — K sazhalyeneeyoo mnye (nam) para eettee — I'm sorry I (we) should be going
До свидания! — Da sveedaneeya — Good-bye!
Пока! — Paka — Bye-bye!
Увидимся — Ooveedeemsya — See you
Счастливого пути! — Schasleevava pootee — Have a nice trip!
Speaking and Comprehension
Вы говорите по-английски? — Vi gavareetye pa angleeskee? — Do you speak English?
Я плохо говорю по-русски — Ya plokha gavaryoo pa rooskee — My Russian is bad
Говорите, пожалуйста, медленнее — Gavareetye pazhalooysta myedleeney
— Could you speak more slowly?
Я не понимаю — Ya nee paneemayoo — I don't understand
Я понимаю — Ya paneemayoo — I understand
Having a conversation in the real world can be challenging – but don’t give up! Here’s the tip to understand person who you talk to better:
When you’re listening to someone during a conversation just try to focus on the words that you recognise and understand more than the words you don’t.
And remember the more practice the better!
٢١ كانون الأول ديسمبر ٢٠١٨
