Common Russian Phrases for Beginners

Before you ever finish learning the grammar, a handful of ready-made phrases lets you greet people, be polite, ask for help and get by. This guide gives you the most useful Russian phrases - grouped, with transliteration and audio - plus a flashcard deck to make them stick.

Why learn phrases first

When you are starting out, whole phrases beat isolated words. A phrase like извините, вы говорите по-английски? ("excuse me, do you speak English?") does real work the moment you learn it, no grammar required - you can say it correctly without yet knowing why each word has the form it does.

Phrases also carry the politeness and register that make a good first impression. Knowing when to say здравствуйте instead of привет, or спасибо and пожалуйста at the right moments, signals respect - and Russians genuinely warm to a guest who makes the effort.

Think of this page as your phrasebook core. Learn the greetings and courtesy sets first (you use them in every interaction), then the survival phrases for when you are stuck, and finally the questions and small talk that let a conversation actually start.

Phrases by topic

Greetings & goodbyes

Greetings & goodbyes
Русский	Транслит.	Значение
привет	privét	hi (informal)
здравствуйте	zdrávstvuyte	hello (formal)
доброе утро	dóbroye útro	good morning
добрый день	dóbryy den	good afternoon
добрый вечер	dóbryy vécher	good evening
до свидания	do svidániya	goodbye (formal)
пока	poká	bye (informal)
до встречи	do vstréchi	see you
спокойной ночи	spokóynoy nóchi	good night

Courtesy & politeness

Courtesy & politeness
Русский	Транслит.	Значение
спасибо	spasíbo	thank you
большое спасибо	bolshóye spasíbo	thank you very much
пожалуйста	pozháluysta	please / you're welcome
извините	izviníte	excuse me / sorry (formal)
прости	prostí	sorry (informal)
ничего	nichevó	it's nothing / no problem
не за что	né za chto	you're welcome (casual)
будьте добры	búdte dobrý	would you be so kind

Getting by (survival phrases)

Getting by (survival phrases)
Русский	Транслит.	Значение
да	da	yes
нет	net	no
я не понимаю	ya ne ponimáyu	I don't understand
вы говорите по-английски?	vy govoríte po-anglíyski?	do you speak English?
я не говорю по-русски	ya ne govoryú po-rússki	I don't speak Russian
повторите, пожалуйста	povtoríte, pozháluysta	please repeat that
помогите!	pomogíte!	help!
сколько это стоит?	skólko eto stóit?	how much does this cost?

Useful questions

Useful questions
Русский	Транслит.	Значение
как дела?	kak delá?	how are you? (informal)
как вас зовут?	kak vas zovút?	what is your name? (formal)
где туалет?	gde tualét?	where is the toilet?
что это?	shto eto?	what is this?
который час?	kotóryy chas?	what time is it?
можно?	mózhno?	may I? / is it allowed?
где находится...?	gde nakhóditsya...?	where is...?

Small talk & introductions

Small talk & introductions
Русский	Транслит.	Значение
меня зовут...	menyá zovút...	my name is...
очень приятно	óchen priyátno	nice to meet you
я из Америки	ya iz Amériki	I'm from America
хорошо	khoroshó	good / okay
рад тебя видеть	rad tebyá vídet	glad to see you (informal)
хорошего дня	khoróshego dnya	have a nice day
не знаю	ne znáyu	I don't know

Practice the phrases

Колода для практики

1 / 39

Добавить эти 39 слов в колоду

Phrases in depth

FAQ

What are the most useful Russian phrases for beginners?

Start with greetings and courtesy: привет / здравствуйте (hi / hello), спасибо (thank you), пожалуйста (please), извините (excuse me / sorry), да / нет (yes / no). Then add survival phrases like я не понимаю (I don't understand) and вы говорите по-английски? (do you speak English?).

How do you say hello and thank you in Russian?

Hello is привет (privét) informally or здравствуйте (zdrávstvuyte) formally. Thank you is спасибо (spasíbo); for thank you very much, большое спасибо (bolshóye spasíbo).

What is the difference between formal and informal Russian phrases?

Russian distinguishes ты (informal "you") from вы (formal/plural "you"). Use informal forms (привет, как ты?) with friends, family and peers, and formal forms (здравствуйте, как вы?) with strangers, elders and in professional settings. When unsure, choose the formal version.

How can I memorize Russian phrases quickly?

Learn them in context with audio, and review with spaced repetition. Hear each phrase, say it aloud, and meet it in a short example. Daily Cyrillic's flashcards do this automatically - tap Add to your deck on any set on this page to start.

Бесплатный старт

Turn these phrases into real conversations

Add any phrase set to a real spaced-repetition deck with audio and review them at the right time - so the right words come out when you need them.

Начать бесплатно Russian greetings