Phrases(ru)

Hello

Russian has a more informal greeting «Приве́т» and a more formal «Здра́вствуй(те)» (Zdravstvuy). Here, we focus on the first, since it is the shorter one.

When on phone, use «Алло́» (Алё).

«Пожа́луйста» (please) has another popular position in the sentence—namely, after the verb (more on that later).

• you can also use «пожа́луйста» as a reply to "thanks", meaning "You are welcome!"

How are you?

The phrase for "How are you?" literally means "How are your affairs (the stuff you do)?"

No one uses it as a greeting, i.e. you are not expected to use it with people you barely know (or those you know, for that matter). And be prepared for a person to _actually_tell you how they've been doing. ;)

Как ты/Как дела	How are You?
Как у вас дела?	How are You?

Good morning!

Morning typically starts at 4 or 5 a.m., afternoon at noon, evening at 5 p.m. (at 6 for some) and night at 11 or at midnight.

You only use "Good night" (Споко́йной но́чи) when parting before sleep (or saying your goodbyes really late, so it is implied you or the listener are going to bed soon after).

If you are advanced enough to have noticed oblique forms used in some phrases—you are right! Greetings and other similar expressions are often shortened versions of longer phrases, where words still retain their forms. For example, «Споко́йной но́чи» probably replaces the longer «Я жела́ю вам споко́йной но́чи!» (I wish you a peaceful night). Needless to say, the full version is never used.

Ru
Доброе утро	Good morning
Добрый день.	Good afternoon.[Dobryy den]
Добрый вечер	Good evening [Dobryy vecher]
спокойной ночи.	Good night.
До свидания/Пока	Bye

Excuse me, is it evening already?

Извините, уже вечер?

What is your name?

«Как вас зову́т?» is literally "How (do) they call you?"

Russian has a casual diminutive form for many common names, :

Ива̓н→Ва́ня, Мари́я→Маша, Алекса́ндр(Алекса́ндра)→Са́ша, Евге́ний(Евге́ния)→Же́ня, Еле́на→Ле́на, Алексе́й→Лёша, Пётр→Пе́тя.

Needless to say, there's no "politeness" with these, but they are often used with some degree of affection.

Excuse me...

Russian has two very common polite patterns for questions that English does not:

• negative questions give a shade of "by any chance":

  «Извини́те, вы не зна́ете Михаи́ла?» = Excuse me, do you happen to know Mikhail?

• "Please tell" when asking for information:

  «Скажи́те, пожа́луйста, где музе́й?» = Excuse me, where is the museum?

Thank you

«Спаси́бо» [spasibo] is the word（. A fancier option would be «Благодарю́!» (a form of the verb «благодари́ть», "to thank"), though quite a number of people use it, if only for variety.

Phrases

Это всё. (That is all. ) [Всё means everything / everyone. ]

Отлично! Excellent!

Суши, пожалуйста. (Sushi, please. ) [you are welcome / pozhaluysta]

до свидания! (Goodbye!) [do svidaniya! ]

до скорого. (See you soon) [do skoroho]

У тебя всё хорошо? / Ты в порядке? (Are you OK?)

Что не так? (What is wrong?)

Не надо! (Don't)

Как сказать «спасибо»?? (How do you say "Thanks"?)

Извини! (sorry!)

Алло, это Иван Чернов. (Hello, this is Ivan Chernov / Ivan Chernov speaking.) [patronymic]

Извини, у тебя есть сестра? (Excuse me, do you have a sister? )

Извините, вы Иван Чернов? (Excuse me, are you Ivan Chernov?)

Здравствуйте, вы не Вера Ивановна? (Hello, are you Vera Ivanovna?)

Да, Иван Иванович? (Yes, Ivan Ivanovich?)

Скажите, где Вера? (Tell me, where is Vera?)

Можете сказать ещё раз? (Can you say it again? )

Скажи ещё раз, моя мама у тебя? (Tell me again, is my mom at your place? )

Можете сказать, где мама? (Can you tell me where's Mom?)

Привет, я Ваня. (Hello/Hi, I'm Vanya.)

Как вас зовут? (What is your name?)

Я Иван Иванович Чернов. (I'm Ivan Ivanovich Chernov.)

Можете сказать ещё раз? (Can you say it again/ one more time?)

всё отлично!! (Everything is perfect! )

все не так хорошо (everything is not so good)