(Speak more slowly, please! Common Conversational Words and Phrases in Russian, How to Ask for and Understand Directions in Russian, By Andrew Kaufman, Serafima Gettys, Nina Wieda. Lastly, you may know that Russians are quite savvy when it comes to technology and the Internet. If you’re bumping into someone on the streets or in the subway, saying ‘Excuse me’ or ‘Sorry’ may not be enough, because they may not know English. Top 10 Russian Words and Phrases to Know May 13, 2013 by Abigail Harrison 1 Comment As I prepare to head off to Russia in just a few days (yay! done in a complex, incomprehensible way The word ‘perepodvypodver It’s also the ‘unofficial’ language in Ukraine, so if you plan to travel or live anywhere in Eastern Europe, Russian is a good bet. Izvinitye, ya nye ponyal. Think it of it as the equivalent of ‘what the cat dragged in’, used to name a person who did something nasty or unpleasant. 10. As a foreigner visiting Russia, you may run into a lot of cultural differences. Where’s the beer! So what about it? ), Povtoritye, pozhalujsta. We hope you found these most basic words and phrases in Russian useful. However, we recommend you delay asking this question as much as possible! If you want to open up new job opportunities and career advancements to work in Russia or for a company that has Russian speaking clients, learning the language is a great investment. Gettys is also a member of a number of professional language associations. Asia is a massive continent, and is home to about 4.46 billion people who speak close to 2,300 languages – …, We all need to vent once in awhile in life. If you’re looking to go more casual, this is a better way to greet someone. (Do you speak English?). (guh-vah-REE-t’eh pah-ZHAHL-stuh M’EHD-lee-nee-eh!) 1. Nina Wieda is a doctoral student in Slavic Languages and Literatures at Northwestern University in Chicago. If someone is trying to say that sounds completely foreign to you, communciate that to them. In Russian, you’ll use slightly different variations of the pronoun you depending on the number of people you are referring to and how well you know them. Izvinitye, ya nye ponyal. Before you become a pochemuchka, learn the Art of Asking. ), Kak vy skazali? Version 4.0 December 2011 English-Russian phrases for trips to Belarus (Russia) compiled by Andrei Burdenkov, a certified Minsk guide a@minskguide.travel 2 Common Russian phrases. Hopefully they know how to speak English, and you can ask them anything. Forgive someone or accept their apology, even if it’s something small or they may hold a grudge. Often used by parents as a term of endearment, ‘pochemuchka’ is a unique Russian word that denotes a curious kid who wants to know everything in the world and keeps asking ‘why?’ (‘почему?’). (eez-vee-NEE-t’eh ya nee puh-nee-LAH))Sorry, I didn’t understand. ), Bol’shoye spasibo. sentences). But don’t let that prevent you from starting your journey. Once you’ve mastered the common pleasantries, the next important thing to learn is how to refer to people using personal pronouns. Russian is the home langauge of countries like Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. (eez-vee-NEE-t’eh ya nee puh-nee-LAH))Sorry, I didn’t understand. Show your politeness by learning these common thank-you’s. How to use it: This one of the less drastic swear words to use and has been used in Russia since the 14th century.The root comes from the word ‘to drag’, so the person who is called a svolach’ is something that was dragged in with the garbage. Click play below to listen to the actual pronunciation: Hello. Same note here. [m]), Izvinitye, ya nye ponyala. Say goodbye to a Russian speaking friend or any friend you met as you part ways. The following words and phrases cover most of the pleasantries required for polite conversation. Everyone should learn essential Russian conversational words and phrases before traveling to a Russian -speaking country. In fact, as of 2013, Russian became the second most popular language used online, accounting for 5.9% of the web. Another way to say hello in the mornings. By mastering the basics of polite conversation in Russian, you put yourself and the person you’re talking to at ease. (bahl’-SHOH-eh spuh-SEE-buh) (Thank you very much.). From hello to goodbye, here are the different ways to greet someone. Notice here that the ‘very much’ is attached in the beginning, rather than the end in English. Hopefully we’ve given you some motivation by revealing why you should learn Russian. We had to end our post with the most imoprtant question of all for travelers. You need to know how to ask the right questions to survive your trip or conversation. ), I’m doing my best to be prepared in every way possible. If they don’t already sense this by your confused facial expression, let them know. With the economy in Russian speaking countries accelerating, it’s no surprise that companies around the world want to do business there. Feel free to skip this part by scrolling below to the baisc Russian words. What’s the first step? This is one of the most known words in Russian and a great way to start a conversation with someone from Russia. [f]) 3. She is currently a Coordinator of the Foreign Language Program at Lewis University, where she also teaches Russian. Numerals Russian phrase Say it in Russian English translation 0 – ноль nol' zero 1 – один Odin one 2 – два Dva two 3 – три Tri three Russian words in English. That’s also why you’ll find a ton of Russians located in China, USA, Finland, Poland, Israel, and more. The reason we suggest this is because learning the vocabulary is the pieces required to eventually form a puzzle (i.e. Let's naturally start with "Здравствуйте" which means "Hello" in Russian. When you’re at a restaurant, and you don’t feel as adventurous by picking something random, you can go with the English menu. It is the 8th most spoken language in the world with around 200 …, News collects all the stories you want to read, What’s the Most Spoken Language in Asia (You May Know the Answer), 17 Hilarious Russian Swear Words That Will Have You Laughing. Useful for meeting new people at an event or at a party. Or even if they do, they may not be so inclined to speak it with you in their local country. Show your politeness by learning these common thank-you’s. Learning how to speak Russian can feel intimdating to many people, especially if they don’t know a similar language like Ukrainian. Keep this in mind for future reference. (eez-vee-NEE-t’eh ya nee POHH-n’uhl) (Sorry, I didn’t understand. (eez-vee-NEE-t’eh ya PLOH-khuh puh-nee-MAH-yu pah-ROOS-kee) (Sorry, I don’t understand Russian very well. There are some phrases that are particularly helpful to international travelers. (kahk vih skuh-ZAH-lee?) Avoid that awkward long conversation when someone assumes you can speak Russian fluently. When someone thanks you, you can accept it by saying: Пожалуйста! This is how we started our article, and it’s how you’ll start most conversations politely. If you’re looking to be extra polite at a family event or someone senior, this is how to say it. Thank you – Спасибо [Spaseeba] 11. Notice letters like ‘K’ and ‘A’ share resemblance to the English alphabet. To round up this post, we’ll share the rest of words and phrases that we believe will be valuable to you. Below are several phrases that might be particularly helpful during your stay in a Russian-speaking country. Serafima Gettys, PhD, earned her doctorate degree in Foreign Language Education from Gertzen State Pedagogical University, Leningrad, USSR. These words and expressions are sure to come up in most everyday conversations. If you’re committed to speaking the language fluently with confidence, we recommend taking advantage of our 7-day free trial at Rype. Unlike other popular languages like French, German, and Spanish, you’ll run into more Russians that don’t speak English. Being polite is just as important in Russian-speaking countries as they are in the United States. ), Vy govoritye po-anglijski? There’s not a lot of value on learning how to say ‘aardvark’ or any other words that you’ll never use in daily conversations. Learn the most basic Russian words and phrases. If you’re trying to seek out help in a Russian speaking country, you can’t rely on English like other places in the world. Things get stressful and we can only drink so much …, There are many reasons to learn Russian. Now let’s get to the basics. (puhf-tah-ree-t’eh pah-ZHAH-luh-stuh) (Could you please repeat that? Again, another informal way to say bye versus the traditional: ‘good-bye’. The origin of the word is linked to a verb that is not used in modern Russian anymore, баять, which means ‘telling meaningless stories’ or ‘singing meaningless songs’. Prior to coming to Lewis University, she taught Russian at Stanford University. Studies have also proven that like anything, your time is best spent on learning the most common words in Russian. When you need to ask where is the… restaurant, airport, ATM, hotel, specific address, and more. perepodvypodvert _переподвыподверт: (n) sth. We offer a private language school experience by pairing you up with professional language teachers to help you speak Russian and any other language faster.