How to Ask "What Is Your Name" in Russian

To ask "what is your name?" in Russian, say как тебя зовут? (kak tebyá zovút) with friends, or как вас зовут? formally. It literally means "how do they call you?" - and the reply is меня зовут... ("my name is...").

In Russian

как тебя зовут?

kak tebyá zovút? - what is your name? (informal)

Variants & registers

как вас зовут?kak vas zovút?
what is your name? - formal or to more than one person
formal
меня зовут...menyá zovút...
my name is... - the reply
neutral
как твоё имя?kak tvoyó ímya?
what is your name? - more literal, less common
neutral
очень приятноóchen priyátno
nice to meet you - the natural follow-up
neutral

Breakdown & pronunciation

Word by word

какkak
how
тебяtebyá
you (object form of ты)
зовутzovút
(they) call

Pronunciation

Say kak te-BYA za-VOOT. зовут is stressed on the last syllable, and тебя on the last too: te-BYA. The о in зовут is unstressed, so it sounds like "a".

Example sentences

Как тебя зовут? - Меня зовут Анна.
Kak tebyá zovút? - Menyá zovút Ánna.
What's your name? - My name is Anna.
Здравствуйте, как вас зовут?
Zdrávstvuyte, kak vas zovút?
Hello, what is your name?
Меня зовут Иван, очень приятно.
Menyá zovút Iván, óchen priyátno.
My name is Ivan, nice to meet you.
А как тебя зовут?
A kak tebyá zovút?
And what's your name?

Usage & etiquette

The phrase literally means "how do they call you?", so the answer mirrors it: меня зовут + your name ("they call me ..."). You do not translate "is" or "name" word for word.

Match the pronoun to the relationship: как тебя зовут? for friends, children and peers (ты); как вас зовут? for strangers, elders and formal settings (вы).

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FAQ

How do you ask "what is your name" in Russian?

Informally, как тебя зовут? (kak tebyá zovút); formally, как вас зовут? (kak vas zovút). It literally means "how do they call you?".

How do you answer "как тебя зовут"?

Reply with меня зовут... (menyá zovút) followed by your name, for example меня зовут Анна ("my name is Anna").

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