---
title: "How to Say \"Please\" in Russian: Пожалуйста (With Audio)"
description: "How to say \"please\" in Russian: пожалуйста (pozháluysta). It also means \"you're welcome\" - here is how to pronounce and use it, with examples and audio."
canonical: "https://dailycyrillic.com/learn/how-to-say/please"
lang: "en"
published: "2026-06-13T18:41:48.000Z"
modified: "2026-11-02T10:04:45.000Z"
author: "Daily Cyrillic"
---

# How to Say "Please" in Russian

By [Daily Cyrillic](/about) · Updated 2 Nov 2026

“Please” in Russian is пожалуйста (pozháluysta). Use this expression as your starting point, then check the examples for tone, formality and context. Listen to the pronunciation, notice the stressed syllable and compare the common variants before choosing the wording that fits your conversation.

Reading time: about 2 min.

Russian

пожалуйста

Transliteration

pozháluysta

Meaning

please / you're welcome

## Turn this guide into words you can use

Build a free Russian set for this topic, with examples and ElevenLabs AI audio.

In Russian

пожалуйста

pozháluysta - please / you're welcome

## Variants & registers

-   будьте добрыbúdte dobrý
    
    would you be so kind - a very polite request opener
    
    formal
-   прошуproshú
    
    I ask / please - a bit formal or pleading
    
    formal
-   пожалуйстаpozháluysta
    
    you're welcome - the same word, as a reply to thanks
    
    neutral

## Breakdown & pronunciation

### Pronunciation

пожалуйста is famously not said the way it is spelled. The middle is swallowed: po-ZHA-lus-ta or even po-ZHAL-sta in fast speech. Stress is on the ЖА. Do not try to pronounce every letter.

## Example sentences

-   Чай, пожалуйста.
    
    Chay, pozháluysta.
    
    Tea, please.
    
-   Повторите, пожалуйста.
    
    Povtoríte, pozháluysta.
    
    Please repeat that.
    
-   Спасибо! - Пожалуйста.
    
    Spasíbo! - Pozháluysta.
    
    Thank you! - You're welcome.
    
-   Дайте, пожалуйста, воды.
    
    Dáyte, pozháluysta, vodý.
    
    Please give me some water.
    

## Usage & etiquette

пожалуйста does double duty: tacked onto a request it means "please"; said in reply to спасибо it means "you're welcome". Same spelling, same pronunciation - the context tells you which.

For an extra-polite request you can open with будьте добры ("would you be so kind") and still finish with пожалуйста. In everyday situations пожалуйста alone is perfectly polite.

## Practice

### Practice deck

1 / 4

## FAQ

### How do you say "please" in Russian?

"Please" in Russian is пожалуйста (pozháluysta). The middle is swallowed in speech, so it sounds like po-ZHA-lus-ta.

### Does пожалуйста also mean "you're welcome"?

Yes. The same word, пожалуйста, means "please" in a request and "you're welcome" as a reply to thanks (спасибо).

## Turn this guide into words you can use

Build a free Russian set for this topic, with examples and ElevenLabs AI audio.

[All Russian phrases](/learn/russian-phrases)

## More phrases to say

-   [
    
    How to Say "Sorry"
    
    извините (izviníte)
    
    ](/learn/how-to-say/sorry)
-   [
    
    How to Say "I Love You"
    
    я тебя люблю (ya tebyá lyublyú)
    
    ](/learn/how-to-say/i-love-you)
-   [
    
    How to Say "Goodbye"
    
    до свидания (do svidániya)
    
    ](/learn/how-to-say/goodbye)
-   [
    
    How to Say "Good Morning"
    
    доброе утро (dóbroye útro)
    
    ](/learn/how-to-say/good-morning)
-   [
    
    How to Say "How Are You"
    
    как дела? (kak delá?)
    
    ](/learn/how-to-say/how-are-you)
-   [
    
    How to Say "Good Night"
    
    спокойной ночи (spokóynoy nóchi)
    
    ](/learn/how-to-say/good-night)
-   [
    
    Common Russian Phrases
    
    The phrases hub: greetings, courtesy, questions and more.
    
    ](/learn/russian-phrases)
-   [
    
    Russian Greetings
    
    Hello, times of day, goodbye and how are you - with audio.
    
    ](/learn/russian-greetings)

Source: https://dailycyrillic.com/learn/how-to-say/please