Russian Greetings & First Phrases
Before any grammar, you need ten phrases that carry a whole first conversation. Russian splits almost all of them into two registers: informal (ты — friends, family, kids) and formal (вы — strangers, shops, anyone older). Pick the right column and you already sound polite.
Saying Hello
Yes, здравствуйте looks scary. The first в is silent: zdra-stvooy-tye.
Здравствуйте! Добрый день!
Hello! Good afternoon!
Note: Stacking a greeting and a time-of-day phrase is completely natural.
Please, Thank You, Sorry
Извините, пожалуйста!
Excuse me, please!
Note: The standard way to get a stranger's attention — in a shop, on the street.
Пожалуйста is your Swiss army knife: it means please when you ask, and you're welcome when someone thanks you.
Introducing Yourself
Russian doesn't say "my name is" — it says "me they call":
Меня зовут Анна.
My name is Anna. (literally: They call me Anna.)
Note: Меня зовут + your name. This is THE introduction formula — memorize it whole.
Как вас зовут?
What is your name? (formal)
Note: To a friend or child: Как тебя зовут?
Очень приятно!
Very nice (to meet you)!
Note: The standard reply after someone introduces themselves.
A full first exchange — tap the speaker icons to hear each line:
💬 Meeting someone new
Notice Я Анна — "I (am) Anna." Russian skips the word "am." More on that in the next lesson.
How Are You?
— Привет! Как дела? — Хорошо, спасибо. А у тебя?
— Hi! How are you? — Good, thanks. And you?
Note: Unlike English 'how are you', Как дела? expects a real (short) answer.
Saying Goodbye
Common Mistakes
- Using привет with strangers. Привет is strictly informal. When in doubt, здравствуйте.
- Translating "please" twice. Пожалуйста already covers both please and you're welcome — don't hunt for a second word.
- Pronouncing every letter of здравствуйте. Drop the first в: zdra-stvooy-tye.
- Answering Как дела? with a speech. A single word — хорошо, нормально, отлично — is the expected answer.
What You Can Do Now
You can greet anyone at the right level of politeness, introduce yourself, ask someone's name, and close the conversation. That's a real (small) conversation — practice it below until the phrases come out without thinking.