Words for your next conversation

Russian for the moments you have in mind

A conversation is easier to prepare for when you know where it might happen. Start with a situation from your own life: arriving at a hotel, meeting your partner's relatives, discussing a task at work or watching a match with friends. Each guide below contains twenty-four Russian words and phrases, examples that show how to use them, and a short exchange you can read with another person. Stress marks highlight the vowel to emphasise, while transliteration offers a reading aid as you get more comfortable with Cyrillic. Pick a handful of expressions you expect to say, cover the translation and try recalling them aloud. Then change a detail in the dialogue so it becomes your conversation. You can keep using the free reference page or create a personal set in Daily Cyrillic to add your own vocabulary. These guides focus on particular conversations; the broader vocabulary themes cover everyday categories such as food, family and weather.