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!
December 21, 2018
