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Russian Grammar in a Nutshell

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Are you just getting started in Russian? Whether you’re wondering what to learn first or getting lost in Russian grammar, this guide is for you. Here, you’ll discover the fundamental Russian grammar topics, from the word types to verb conjugation, noun cases, basic sentence structure, and other Russian grammar rules. 

We recommend that you compare Russian grammar with the grammar of your native language. Take notes concerning what’s common and what’s different. You may be surprised at some of the things you learn, and you might even gain some insight about how your own language works. 

Put things into perspective. Explore and discover.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Russian Table of Contents
  1. Exploring Vocabulary
  2. Uncovering the Grammar Behind Some Parts of Speech
  3. Sentence Structure
  4. What’s Next?

1. Exploring Vocabulary

We’ll start by classifying the main building material of the language—the vocabulary. By exploring the parts of speech, you can see how words might be connected with each other in a sentence and what function each of them fulfills.

Russian isn’t much different from other European languages in terms of word categories. And even if some parts of speech might not seem familiar to you, nothing will come as a great shock.

In Russian grammar, nouns name things and people:

  • цветок (tsvetok) — “flower”
  • мама (mama) — “mother”

Pronouns replace nouns from time to time:

  • я (ya) — “I”
  • они (oni) — “they”

Adjectives describe things and people:

  • хорошие новости (khoroshiye novosti) — “good news”
  • умный мальчик (umnyy mal’chik) — “smart boy”

Verbs add some action:

  • я танцую (ya tantsuyu) — “I dance
  • кот спит (kot spit) — “the cat is sleeping

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs:

  • медленно идти (medlenno idti) — “to walk slowly
  • очень интересно (ochen’ interesno) — “very interesting”

Participles combine the features of both verbs and adjectives:

  • бегущий мальчик (begushchiy mal’chik) — “a boy that is running”
  • улыбающаяся девушка (ulybayushchayasya devushka) — “a girl that is smiling”

Verbal adverbs give additional action to characterize the main activity:

  • Он сидел в углу, читая книгу. — “He was sitting in a corner (and) reading a book.”
    (On sidel v uglu, chitaya knigu)
  • Она легла спать, думая о нём. — “She went to bed thinking about him.”
    (Ona legla spat’, dumaya o nyom)

Numerals count things and people:

  • три раза (tri raza) — “three times”
  • со второй попытки (so vtoroy popytki) — “on the second try”

Prepositions link words and show how they relate to each other:

  • машина у дома (mashina u doma) — “a car at the house”
  • картина на стене (kartina na stene) — “a picture on the wall”

Conjunctions connect clauses in complex sentences or homogeneous words:

  • Я хотел встать пораньше, но проспал. — “I wanted to get up earlier but overslept.”
    (Ya khotel vstat’ poran’she, no prospal)
  • дети и родители (deti i roditeli) — “children and parents”

Particles modify the nuances of meaning and add some emotion:

  • Ну и бардак! (Nu i bardak!) — “What a mess!”
  • Вряд ли он там. (Vryad li on tam) — “I doubt that he’s there.”

Interjections add emotional exclamation:

  • Ура! (Ura!) — “Hooray!”
  • Ай! (Ay!) — “Ouch!”

❗️It’s important to mention that there are no articles in Russian (like “a” or “the”). This is a relief for many learners!

The City of Ekaterinburg

What do you see in the picture? Describe it with 3 nouns and 3 adjectives.Maybe you can even make a phrase with a preposition?

2. Uncovering the Grammar Behind Some Parts of Speech

In this Russian grammar overview, we’ll focus on the parts of speech with the largest grammatical layer underneath. This will ensure that we only discuss topics that you’re likely to encounter when you first start learning Russian.

Nouns

In Russian grammar, noun declension refers to how a noun changes form according to a set of aspects. These aspects are: number, gender, animacy, and case. We’ll briefly discuss each one below.

Number 

Like in English, Russian nouns can be singular or plural:

  • дом (dom) — “house”
  • дома (doma) — “houses”
  • машина (mashina) — “car”
  • машины (mashiny) — “cars”

Many uncountable nouns don’t have a plural form:

  • рис (ris) — “rice”
  • мука (muka) — “flour”

Gender

Most Russian nouns are also divided into three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.

  • кот (kot) — “cat” [m]
  • сестра (sestra) — “sister” [f]
  • молоко (moloko) — “milk” [n]

There are, however, a few nouns that practically have no gender because they are only used in the plural form. There are similar words in English, as well:

  • штаны (shtany) — “pants”
  • ножницы (nozhnitsy) — “scissors”
  • очки (ochki) — “glasses”

The good news about Russian gender is that it’s pretty easy to identify a noun’s gender by its ending:

  • most masculine nouns end with a consonant or : стул, музей
  • most feminine nouns end with -а/я or: собака, песня, ночь
  • most neuter nouns end with -о/е: окно, море

➤ Keep in mind that there are exceptions to some of these rules, which you’ll discover with time. That said, you’ll only need four minutes to figure out the basics of how Russian genders work. Check out our video about Genders on RussianPod101.com.

Animacy

Animate nouns usually denote people or animals:

  • учитель (uchitel’) — “teacher”
  • волк (volk) — “wolf”

Inanimate nouns include non-living objects and abstract things:

  • телефон (telefon) — “phone”
  • политика (politika) — “politics”

Cases 

There are six cases in Russian that we use to show how words are related to each other. The ending we use depends on the gender and number of a noun, and whether it’s animate or inanimate (for Accusative only).

Here’s an example of what the Russian case system looks like:

CaseSingularновая машина — “a new car”Pluralновые машины — “new cars”
Nominativeновая машина (novaya mashina)новые машины (novyye mashiny)
Genitiveновой машины (novoy mashiny)новых машин (novykh mashin)
Dativeновой машине (novoy mashine)новым машинам (novym mashinam)
Accusativeновую машину (novuyu mashinu)новые машины (novyye mashiny)
Instrumentalновой машиной (novoy mashinoy)новыми машинами (novymi mashinami)
Prepositionalо новой машине (o novoy mashine)о новых машинах (o novykh mashinakh)

➤ You can also check out our list of 50 Common Russian Nouns to start expanding your vocabulary. Vocabulary holds the bricks you need to build your sentences!

A Silver Car against a White Background

How would you say “a new car” in Russian?

Adjectives

The form of Russian adjectives must agree with the number, gender, and case of nouns. You can analyze the cases table once again to see how adjectives change their ending for each case. 

There are a couple of additional features that characterize Russian adjectives, such as their full and short forms and the different categories they can be split into. But what we’ll focus on here is the way we compare things using adjectives.

Degrees of comparison

Most descriptive adjectives have two degrees of comparison: comparative and superlative.

  • На улице тепло. — “It’s warm outside.”
    (Na ulitse teplo)
  • Становится теплее. — “It’s getting warmer.” [comparative]
    (Stanovitsya tepleye)
  • Это самое тёплое место. — “It’s the warmest spot.” [superlative]
    (Eto samoye tyoploye mesto) 

➤ See our list of the Most Common Adjectives to learn some more new words. They’ll combine well with the nouns you discovered in the previous chapter!

Verbs

No need to sugarcoat it: Russian conjugation can be tough. However, there are some patterns that verbs follow, and if you remember them, conjugation won’t seem so overwhelming anymore.

Moods

There are three moods in Russian: indicative, imperative, and conditional.

Using them, we can either mention a fact, give an order to another person, or talk about a hypothetical situation:

  • Я сижу дома. (Ya sizhu doma) — “I’m staying home.” [indicative]
  • Иди домой! (Idi domoy!) — “Go home!” [imperative]
  • Я бы поискал, если бы был дома. — “I would’ve looked for it if I’d been home.” [conditional]
    (Ya by poiskal, yesli by byl doma)

Voices

Russian verbs have two voices: active and passive.

  • Я построил дом. — “I built a house.” [active]
    (Ya postroil dom)
  • Этот музей был открыт в 1950 году. — “The museum was opened in 1950.” [passive]
    (Etot muzey byl otkryt v 1950 godu)

Aspects

Russian verbs also have two aspects: imperfective and perfective.

Aspects are used to differentiate between actions that are ongoing or habitual (imperfective) and those that have already been completed (perfective).

  • Я гулял в парке каждый день. — “I used to walk in the park every day.” [imperfective]
    (Ya gulyal v parke kazhdyy den’)
  • Я погулял с собакой. — “I’ve walked my dog.” [perfective]
    (Ya pogulyal s sobakoy)

➤ Number, person, and gender also affect the verb conjugation. Find more information about this, as well as a detailed table with verb endings and examples, in our article about Russian Verb Conjugation.

➤ Learn the 50 Most Common Verbs so you can talk about basic actions in Russian.

A Japanese Meditation Garden

Я бы каждый день гулял в этом парке.
“I would walk in this park every day.”

3. Sentence Structure

The next set of Russian language grammar rules we’ll discuss have to do with sentence structure. This refers to how sentences are formed in Russian.

Word order

The word order is pretty flexible in Russian. That is to say, the words can generally be rearranged freely without changing the meaning of the sentence. 

  • Вчера я смотрел фильм. — literally: “Yesterday I watched a movie.”
    (Vchera ya smotrel fil’m)
  • Я вчера смотрел фильм. — literally: “I yesterday watched a movie.”
  • Я смотрел фильм вчера. — literally: “I watched a movie yesterday.”

Sometimes we use the word order to emphasize a specific part of the sentence or to make it sound more poetic. It works exactly like English inversion. However, it’s easier for a beginner to stress a word with intonation, rather than by rearranging the word order. The word order you’re used to in English—SVO (Subject + Verb + Object)—would work just fine in most cases. 

➤ The flexible word order in Russian doesn’t mean the order can be random though. To learn about its nuances, please check out our article about Russian Word Order.

Questions

In Russian, we also use the question words (where, when, who, etc.) to form questions, but we don’t use inversion. We don’t have auxiliary verbs either. The only means of forming a question in Russian is your intonation. Here are a couple of basic rules:

  1. With the question words, we start high and use a falling intonation at the end of the sentence.

    Где здесь метро? — “Where is the subway entrance around here?”
  1. If there are no question words, we emphasize the word we want to draw attention to by raising the intonation.

    Ты хорошо отдохнул? — “Did you rest well?”

Obviously, Russian intonation is not as simple as that, but these two basic patterns are a good place to start. Anyway, this topic is best learned through active listening and practice, rather than through text.

➤ See our vocabulary list of the Top 15 Russian Questions You Should Know and listen to how they’re pronounced. How does the intonation change in each question?

A Man Holding a Map and Talking on the Phone

The man is looking for the subway. What should he ask his Russian friend?

Negation

A simple way to add negation in Russian is to place не (ne) in front of the word you’d like to negate. 

  • Я не дома. (Ya ne doma) — “I’m not home.”
  • Она не врач. (Ona ne vrach) — “She’s not a doctor.”
  • Я не курю. (Ya ne kuryu) — “I don’t smoke.”

Double negation is common in Russian as well. This means that we can combine не with negative pronouns (nowhere, nobody, nothing, etc.).

  • Я никогда не был в Японии. — “I’ve never been to Japan.”
    (Ya nikogda ne byl v Yaponii)
  • Он ничего не нашёл. — “He hasn’t found anything.”
    (On nichego ne nashyol)

Another peculiar word is нет (net). It can be used in a variety of contexts:

  • Здесь ничего нет. — “There is nothing here.”
    (Zdes’ nichego net)
  • «Ты ел?» (Ty yel?) — “Have you eaten?”
    «Нет». (Net) — “No.”
  • Ты его видел или нет? — “Have you seen him or not?”
    (Ty ego videl ili net?)

4. What’s Next?

Once you master all of these topics, you’ll have covered the biggest chunk of Russian grammar. Have you taken notes about what Russian grammar has in common with your native language? Have you spotted many differences? 

Learning the grammar of another language might be a long journey, but we can make it enjoyable. If you happen to have any questions about how to conjugate verbs, put words in order, or differentiate between an adjective and a participle, our teachers at RussianPod101.com will help you dispel any doubts. 

With our Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher, you get personal one-on-one coaching with a tutor. Feel free to ask any grammar-related questions. If you want to practice a specific topic, you’ll receive some grammar assignments, vocabulary exercises, and voice recording tasks to improve your pronunciation. Give it a try!

Eager to learn more? This material will help you move one more step forward with your Russian:

Happy learning with RussianPod101!

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The Top 20 Russian Quotes for Language Learners

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Although quotes don’t play a very important part in our everyday lives, there are some situations where knowing them can be really helpful. With quotes, we can express our thoughts in a more vivid and concise way. 

If you’ve been studying Russian for a long period of time, you’re definitely ready to step up your game and learn some Russian quotes. We’ve prepared a list of twenty famous Russian quotes that you can use to enrich your speech, impress native Russian speakers during a conversation, and make yourself look more intelligent in their eyes. Some of these quotes are of Russian origin, while others are quotes from other languages that have gained popularity in Russia. 

Pick your favorites and learn them by heart. We’re sure that these quotes will come in handy someday!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Russian Table of Contents
  1. Quotes About Success
  2. Quotes About Life
  3. Quotes About Time
  4. Quotes About Love
  5. Quotes About Family
  6. Quotes About Friendship
  7. Quotes About Food
  8. Quotes About Health
  9. Quotes About Animals
  10. Quotes About Language Learning
  11. Conclusion

Quotes About Success

Whether you have big plans for the future or an upcoming project you’re concerned about, reading through these Russian quotes about success is sure to give you the inspiration you need to succeed!

1. Не важно, как медленно ты продвигаешься, главное, что ты не останавливаешься 

Romanization: Ne vazhno, kak medlenno ty prodvigayesh’sya, glavnoye, chto ty ne ostanavlivayesh’sya
Meaning: “It doesn’t matter how slowly you go as long as you don’t stop.”

This is a very old quote from Chinese philosopher Confucius. With these words, he meant that if you don’t give up, then you’ll reach your goal sooner or later. It may take a long time, but it will happen one day.

2. 100% непредпринятых попыток заканчиваются неудачей

Romanization: Sto protsentov nepredprinyatykh popytok zakanchivayutsya neudachey
Meaning: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

This inspirational thought was expressed by the Canadian ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky. It motivates us to have no fear in trying, since it’s impossible to succeed in something if we don’t even attempt to do so.

A Hockey Player Sitting on Ice

Wayne Gretzky is considered the greatest hockey player of all time. This man can tell us much about success!

Quotes About Life

Are you feeling stuck in life or unsatisfied with how things are going? Here are two insightful Russian quotes on life from a couple of massively popular figures.

3. Жизнь – это то, что случается с нами, пока мы строим планы на будущее

Romanization: Zhizn’ – eto to, chto sluchayetsya s nami, poka my stroim plany na budushcheye
Meaning: “Life is what happens to us while we’re busy making other plans.”

The author of this quote is John Lennon from The Beatles. His words perfectly ascertain the fact that people can become so concerned about their future that they totally forget about their present.

4. Если хочешь изменить мир, начни с себя!

Romanization: Esli khochesh’ izmenit’ mir, nachni s sebya!
Meaning: “If you want to change the world, start with yourself.”

This is one of the most famous quotes from Mahatma Gandhi. By saying it, he meant that everyone should start with his or her own personal development. If everybody did this, many of the world’s problems would disappear and no longer affect us.

Quotes About Time

Managing one’s time is one of the most crucial aspects of living a satisfactory life. Read these Russian language quotes on time to view this concept from a Russian angle. You may be surprised how familiar they are to you!

5. Делу – время, потехе – час

Romanization: Delu – vremya, potekhe – chas
Meaning: “Time for business, an hour for fun.”

This Russian quote belongs to the Tsar Alexis of Russia. He wrote it in his falcon hunting manual in the seventeenth century. The main idea is that it’s important to both work and rest. After spending some time as one of the most famous Russian quotes, it finally became a proverb.

6. Счастливые часов не наблюдают

Romanization: Schastlivyye chasov ne nablyudayut
Meaning: “Time flies when you’re having fun.” This phrase is from Alexander Griboyedov’s book Woe from Wit. It expresses the fact that when you’re enjoying something, the time seems to pass unnoticeably.

A Man Reading a Book

Woe from Wit is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn about Russian culture.

Quotes About Love

Are you madly in love with someone? Or maybe you’re a hopeless romantic? Either way, we think you’ll enjoy these Russian quotes about love!

7. Любовь – апофеоз жизни

Romanization: Lyubov’ – apofeoz zhizni
Meaning: “Love is the apotheosis of life.”

This Russian love quote came to us from Aleksandr Herzen, a writer and thinker known as the “father of Russian socialism.” Herzen thought that love is the main thing in life, filling it with sense and joy.

The word “apotheosis” has two meanings. On the one hand, it’s “the highest point in the development,” and on the other hand, it’s “the elevation to divine status.” Both of these meanings are applicable in the context of this Russian love quote.

8. Люди должны влюбляться с закрытыми глазами

Romanization: Lyudi dolzhny vlyublyat’sya s zakrytymi glazami
Meaning: “People should fall in love with their eyes closed.”

This beautiful quote by Andy Warhol, known as “the king of pop art,” persuades us to pay more attention to the human soul and heart rather than the outward appearance. Warhol’s statement has become a really well-known Russian love quote.

Quotes About Family

Family is perhaps the most important social construct, no matter where you are in the world. Here are a couple of Russian quotes on family that express the intricacies of familial relationships.

9. Семья – это один из шедевров природы

Romanization: Sem’ya – eto odin iz shedevrov prirody
Meaning: “Family is one of nature’s masterpieces.”

The author of this quote is the American philosopher and essayist George Santayana. Santayana regarded family as one of the things created by nature, just as things like trees and lakes were. For him, family was an outstanding phenomenon. This wonderful quote reminds us that we should cherish our families.

10. Все счастливые семьи похожи; каждая несчастливая семья несчастлива по-своему

Romanization: Vse schastlivyye sem’i pokhozhi; kazhdaya neschastlivaya sem’ya neschastliva po-svoyemu
Meaning: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

This is how Leo Tolstoy’s novel Anna Karenina begins. Here, Tolstoy meant that there are several factors involved in making a happy family; if even just one is absent, the family will be unhappy.

Quotes About Friendship

Friendship is one of life’s greatest joys and necessities. Here are two poignant Russian quotes on friendship that express this truth.

11. Старый друг лучше новых двух

Romanization: Staryy drug luchshe novykh dvukh
Meaning: “An old friend is better than two new ones.”

This phrase was so popular that it eventually became a proverb. It teaches us not to forget our old friends, because they’re much more reliable and precious than our new acquaintances. This Russian quote is similar in meaning to the Chinese proverb: “Everything is good when new, but friends when old.”

12. Друг познаётся в беде

Romanization: Drug poznayotsya v bede
Meaning: “A friend is known in trouble.”

This quote is from the Greek storyteller Aesop. His words advise us not to rely on superficial friends, because they always leave us in our bad times. This phrase became a well-known proverb and is similar to the English proverb: “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”

Friends Playing on the Beach

Aesop is right, but…don’t forget to enjoy good times with old friends!

Quotes About Food

Who doesn’t enjoy sitting down to a nice meal now and then? Well, even something as simple as food has parallels in life. Here are some Russian sayings that have to do with food!

13. Хлеб — всему голова

Romanization: Hleb — vsemu golova
Meaning: “Bread is the staff of life.”

Unfortunately, the author of this saying is unknown. Russian people consider this to be more of a proverb, rather than a quote. Since it’s one of the oldest Russian sayings, let’s take a look at it from a historical perspective. 

There were many battles and wars in the past, as people went in search of fertile lands where wheat and rye could be easily grown. Therefore, bread was a symbol of welfare and a good life all those years ago. Bread is still an essential part of our daily ration; there are many products we can live without, but bread is not one of them.

14. Аппетит приходит во время еды

Romanization: Appetit prikhodit vo vremya yedy
Meaning: “Appetite comes during the meal.”

This phrase first appeared in a novel by François Rabelais. We use it to say that the more we have, the more we’d like to have. By the way, this can also be applied to other areas of life.

Quotes About Health

One should always make good health a priority, because only when one is healthy can they achieve other important goals. Here are a couple of insightful Russian quotes concerning health. 

    → Sometimes, even our best efforts aren’t enough to keep us healthy. See our list of Common Health Problems so you can discuss your concerns with a professional while in Russia.

15. В здоровом теле – здоровый дух

Romanization: V zdorovom tele – zdorovyy dukh
Meaning: “There is a healthy mind in a healthy body.”

This quote first appeared in the ancient Roman era, but became widely spread in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries through the efforts of European educators Locke and Russo. As we now know, the body and the mind are closely connected. For this reason, people who are physically healthy also tend to have healthy minds; those who are healthy of mind are less likely to suffer from any physical disease.

16. Здоровье дороже золота

Romanization: Zdorovy’e dorozhe zolota
Meaning: “Health is above wealth.”

This quote is by William Shakespeare, and its meaning is pretty obvious.

The Droeshout Portrait of William Shakespeare

Even though Shakespeare’s works were written in the sixteenth century, they are still relevant!

Quotes About Animals

In Russian culture, quotes and sayings about animals are fairly popular. Here are two quotes we think you’ll enjoy!

17. Доброму человеку бывает стыдно даже перед собакой

Romanization: Dobromu cheloveku byvayet stydno dazhe pered sobakoy
Meaning: “A good person sometimes feels ashamed of himself even in front of a dog.”

This idea was expressed by one of the greatest Russian writers, Anton Chekhov. In his opinion, kind-hearted people care about all living creatures, including animals, birds, and insects. A good person is ready to help anyone who needs it. If he doesn’t help, he feels bad—not because of others’ disapproval, but because of his own conscience.

18. О величии нации и её моральном прогрессе можно судить по тому, как она обращается с животными

Romanization: O velichii natsii i yeyo moral’nom progresse mozhno sudit’ po tomu, kak ona obrashchayetsya s zhivotnymi
Meaning: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

This popular statement is attributed to Mahatma Gandhi. It expresses the same idea as the previous quote.

Mahatma Gandhi

To seek to reduce the suffering of those who are completely under one’s domination, and unable to fight back, is truly a mark of a civilized society.

Quotes About Language Learning

To close, let’s look at a couple of quotes in Russian about language learning. 

19. Пределы моего языка есть пределы моего мира

Romanization: Predely moyego yazyka yest’ predely moyego mira
Meaning: “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.”

This quote is from Ludwig Wittgenstein’s philosophical work The Tractatus. Wittgenstein meant that a language constrains the limits of human expression, and therefore limits human understanding.

20. Чем больше языков вы знаете, тем меньше шансов, что вы станете террористом

Romanization: Chem bol’she yazykov vy znayete, tem men’she shansov, chto vy stanete terroristom
Meaning: “The more languages you know, the less likely you are to become a terrorist.”

This heavy idea was offered by Indian litterateur Suniti Chatterji. He supposed that knowing a foreign language makes you more intelligent, open-minded and, as a consequence, more tolerant toward other people.

Conclusion

You’ve just read some of the most famous Russian quotes. Some of them are truly Russian, while others entered the Russian language from other cultures. Each of them conveys a meaningful idea and can be easily implemented into a conversation. 

We’re sure that you’d like to learn more Russian phrases, their meanings, and their correct pronunciations. We’re ready to provide you with all of these on RussianPod101.com. You can study by going through our free lessons or with the help of our MyTeacher option. The latter gives you your own personalized learning program based on your needs, as well as a personal tutor. 

Before you go, which of the quotes did you like the most? Leave your answer in the comments section below! You can also ask us if there’s an equivalent to any quote that we didn’t mention in this article. We look forward to hearing from you.

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Telling Time in Russian: Words, Phrases & Exciting Facts

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This article is the result of a diligent inquiry into the question of how native Russians are actually telling time in Russian. If you’ve taken a peek at this topic before, you probably know that Russians usually add one of the following words to the number of hours:

  • утра (utra) — “of the morning”
  • дня (dnya) — “of the day”
  • вечера (vechera) — “of the evening”
  • ночи (nochi) — “of the night” 

But how would you define three a.m.? Is it still night or is it already morning? 

Well, the Russian language is very flexible, so both options are possible depending on the context and what you want to emphasize. If you’re talking about early wakeups, saying Сегодня я встал в 3 утра (Segodnya ya vstal v tri utra), or “Today I woke up at three in the morning,” will be just right.

If you want to put an extra dose of indignation because something has woken you up in the middle of the night, then it will be perfect to say: В три ночи меня разбудил звонок от начальника (V tri nochi menya razbudil zvonok ot nachal’nika), meaning “At three of the night I’ve been woken up by a call from my boss.”

Exciting, isn’t it?

Understanding the limits of language flexibility will help you feel more comfortable using the Russian language for telling time in Russian. In this article, we’ll also explore Russian hours and minutes, and learn how to ask the time in Russian. So, let’s take a bite from this delicious, juicy piece of knowledge!

If you want to learn about both date and time in Russian, RussianPod101 has prepared an article on Russian Dates for you. The two go hand-in-hand, after all!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Time Phrases in Russian Table of Contents
  1. How to Ask the Time in Russian
  2. Russian Hours
  3. Minutes in Russian
  4. Useful Patterns
  5. Conclusion

1. How to Ask the Time in Russian

How to Ask for the Time in Russian.

So, how do you say “What time is it?” in Russian? There are two main phrases:

  • Сколько времени? (Skol’ko vremeni?) — “What time is it?”
  • Который час? (Kotoryy chas?) — (lit.) “Which hour is it?” / “What time is it?”

These phrases are used equally for asking about time in Russian, depending on the speaker’s preference. Let’s have a closer look at each phrase so that you can decide which one to use in your active vocabulary. 

1- Сколько времени? (Skol’ko vryemeni?)

“What time is it?” in the Russian language is Сколько времени? (Skol’ko vremeni?).

Let’s have a closer look at the words in this question and see how we can expand on it to sound better.

  • The word cколько (skol’ko) is a basic question word which means “how much” or “how many.” For example, you can ask Сколько это стоит? (Skol’ko eto stoit?), meaning “How much does it cost?”

You can also add “now” to this phrase. It’s not absolutely necessary, but it makes a phrase a bit longer and, thus, more polite. “Now” in Russian is cейчас (seychas). To remember this word, you can divide it into two parts. The first half cей (sey) is a word often found in old Russian literature that means “this.” The second half час (chas) means “hour.” So basically, the word cейчас (seychas) means “this hour.” Cool, right?

Now let’s put it in a phrase: Сколько сейчас времени? (Skol’ko seychas vremeni?) — “What time is it now?”

The phrase became slightly more polite, but it’s still very informal. 

If you want to ask your colleague about the time in Russian, you need to add a special phrase in front of this question: 

  • Ты не подскажешь, сколько сейчас времени? (Ty ne podskazhesh’, skol’ko seychas vremeni?) — “Could you tell me, what time is it now?” 

Or this question:

  • Вы не подскажете, сколько сейчас времени? (Vy ne podskazhete, skol’ko seychas vremeni?) — “Could you tell me, what time is it now?” 

The word подсказать (podskazat’) means “prompt (to).” Use the first question if you’ve agreed to talk with your colleague in an informal way, or as Russians say на “ты” (na “ty”), meaning “using informal ‘you’.” Use the second sentence in all other cases; it’s very polite. If you want to know more about the differences between the Russian formal and informal “you,” read our article on Russian pronouns.

You can make this phrase even more polite, especially if you’re addressing a stranger on the street. Before the question, add Извините, пожалуйста (Izvinite, pozhaluysta), which means “Excuse me, please.” So, the whole phrase will be: 

  • Извините, пожалуйста, вы не подскажете, сколько сейчас времени? (Izvinite, pozhaluysta, vy ne podskazhete, skol’ko seychas vremeni?) — “Could you tell me, please, what time is it now?” 

This phrase will still sound very polite if you exclude the word пожалуйста (pozhaluysta), meaning “please”: 

  • Извините, вы не подскажете, сколько сейчас времени? (Izvinite, vy ne podskazhete, skol’ko seychas vremeni?) — “Could you tell me, what time is it now?” 

It’s totally up to you to use it or not.

Such a transformation! Now you know the first phrase for how to ask the time in Russian both formally and informally. 

2- Который час? (Kotoryy chas?)

Now, it’s time to break down the second phrase.

  • The word который (kotoryy) means “which” or “what.” For example, you can ask Который из двух тебе нравится? (Kotoryy iz dvukh tebe nravitsya?), meaning “Which one out of the two do you like?”
  • In Russian, “hour” is час (chas). We’ve already seen it as part of the word cейчас (seychas), meaning “now.”

You can also add cейчас (yeychas), or “now,” in the middle of the phrase: 

  • Который сейчас час? (Kotoryy seychas chas?) — “Which hour is it now?”

Also, you can add the polite expressions to the beginning—it works absolutely the same as with the first phrase: 

  • Извините, вы не подскажете, который час? (Izvinite, vy ne podskazhete, kotoryy chas?) — “Could you tell me, what time is it?”

There you go! So, which phrase do you choose? How do YOU say “What time is it?” in Russian? Share in the comment section below! We’re really curious.

2. Russian Hours

Time

When it comes to talking about time in Russian, it’s important to know which time system to use—twelve-hour or twenty-four-hour. In Russia, people use both systems in different situations. In a conversation, Russians prefer using the twelve-hour clock; in all kinds of official messages (e.g. TV programs, flight schedules, official meetings, etc.), they use the twenty-four-hour clock.

Below, you’ll learn how to use both systems properly for telling time in Russian.

1- Twelve-hour Clock in Russian

At the beginning of this article, you already discovered that the time of day in Russian is added to the number of hours: 

утра (utra) — “of the morning” 

дня (dnya) — “of the day” 

вечера (vechera) — “of the evening” 

ночи (nochi) — “of the night” 

And Russians choose the word depending on what time of day it is for them. If three a.m. is already morning for you, then use утра (utra), or “of the morning.” If it’s still night, then use ночи (nochi), meaning “of the night.”

Here’s a list that will be helpful for telling time in Russian: 

  • Час ночи (chas nochi) — “1 a.m.” 
  • Два часа ночи (dva chasa nochi) — “2 a.m.”
  • Три часа ночи (tri chasa nochi) — “3 a.m.”
  • Четыре часа ночи (chetyre chasa nochi) — “4 a.m.”
  • Пять часов утра (pyat’ chasov utra) — “5 a.m.”
  • Шесть часов утра (shest’ chasov utra) — “6 a.m.”
  • Семь часов утра (sem’ chasov utra) — “7 a.m.”
  • Восемь часов утра (vosem’ chasov utra) — “8 a.m.”
  • Девять часов утра (devyat’ chasov utra) — “9 a.m.”
  • Десять часов утра (desyat’ chasov utra) — “10 a.m.”
  • Одиннадцать часов утра (odinnadtsat’ chasov utra) — “11 a.m.”
  • Двенадцать часов дня (dvenadtsat’ chasov utra) — “12 p.m.” or Полдень (polden’) — “Midday”
  • Час дня (chas dnya) — “1 p.m.”
  • Два часа дня (dva chasa dnya) — “2 p.m.”
  • Три часа дня (tri chasa dnya) — “3 p.m.”
  • Четыре часа дня (chetyre chasa dnya) — “4 p.m.”
  • Пять часов вечера (pyat’ chasov vechera) — “5 p.m.”
  • Шесть часов вечера (shest’ chasov vechera) — “6 p.m.”
  • Семь часов вечера (sem’ chasov vechera) — “7 p.m.”
  • Восемь часов вечера (vosem’ chasov vechera) — “8 p.m.”
  • Девять часов вечера (devyat’ chasov vechera) — “9 p.m.”
  • Десять часов вечера (desyat’ chasov vechera) — “10 p.m.”
  • Одиннадцать часов вечера (odinnadtsat’ chasov vechera) — “11 p.m.”
  • Двенадцать часов ночи (dvenadtsat’ chasov nochi) — “12 a.m.” or Полночь (polnoch’) — “Midnight”

You’re probably wondering why the word час (chas) behaves differently after numbers. The thing is that Russian nouns change their endings depending on the numbers that stand before them, according to Russian noun declension rules

After the number of hours, the noun should be in the genitive case. The only thing that changes is the grammatical number of the noun. For numbers from two to four, the noun should be in the singular form; for numbers five or above, the noun should be in the plural form. 

What about numbers like twenty-three? The last number is taken into consideration. Here, the last number is три (tri), or “three,” so the noun after it will behave according to the rules of “three.” By the way, the same rule applies to the word минута (minuta), or “minute,” which we’ll discuss in detail shortly. :)

Please note that Russians don’t usually add один (odin), or “one,” to the beginning of час ночи (chas nochi) meaning “1 a.m.” or час дня (chas dnya) meaning “1 p.m.”

Another thing that you should know is that, in informal speech, Russians usually exclude the word час (chas), or “hour.” So, for example, Одиннадцать часов утра (odinnadtsat’ chasov utra), or “11 a.m.,” will be одиннадцать утра (odinnadtsat’ utra), meaning “11 a.m.”

Now, practice telling time in Russian using the twelve-hour clock. Here are some examples:

  • Я встаю в семь утра (Ya vstayu v sem’ utra) — “I wake up at 7 a.m.” 
  • Сейчас восемь вечера (Seychas vosem’ vechera) — “It’s 8 p.m. now.”

So, what time do you usually wake up? What time is it now? Share in the comments below. In Russian, of course. ;)

2- Twenty-four-hour Clock in Russian

24-hour Clock.

Russians use the twenty-four-hour time system for official purposes. Learn how to tell time in Russian with twenty-four-hour time-tables: 

  • Один час (chas nochi) — “01:00” 
  • Два часа (dva chasa) — “02:00”
  • Три часа (tri chasa) — “03:00”
  • Четыре часа (chetyre chasa) — “04:00”
  • Пять часов (pyat’ chasov) — “05:00”
  • Шесть часов (shest’ chasov) — “06:00”
  • Семь часов (sem’ chasov) — “07:00”
  • Восемь часов (vosem’ chasov) — “08:00”
  • Девять часов (devyat’ chasov) — “09:00”
  • Десять часов (desyat’ chasov) — “10:00”
  • Одиннадцать часов (odinnadtsat’ chasov) — “11:00”
  • Двенадцать часов (dvenadtsat’ chasov) — “12:00”
  • Тринадцать часов (trinadtsat’ chasov) — “13:00”
  • Четырнадцать часов (chetyrnadtsat’ chasov) — “14:00”
  • Пятнадцать часов (pyatnadtsat’ chasov) — “15:00”
  • Шестнадцать часов (shestnadtsat’ chasov) — “16:00”
  • Семнадцать часов (semnadtsat’ chasov) — “17:00”
  • Восемнадцать часов (vosemnadtsat’ chasov) — “18:00”
  • Девятнадцать часов (devyatnadtsat’’ chasov) — “19:00”
  • Двадцать часов (dvadtsat’ chasov) — “20:00”
  • Двадцать один час (dvadtsat’ odin chas) — “21:00”
  • Двадцать два часа (dvadtsat’ dva chasa) — “22:00”
  • Двадцать три часа (dvadtsat’ tri chasa) — “23:00”
  • Ноль часов (nol’ chasov) — “00:00”

You can listen to our audio lesson to practice talking about time

Here are some examples for you:

  • Совещание назначено на одиннадцать часов (Soveshchaniye naznacheno na odinnadtsat’ chasov) — “The meeting has been appointed to start at 11:00.” 
  • Московское время двенадцать часов (Moskovskoe vremya dvenadtsat’ chasov) — “The Moscow time is 12:00.” 

Practice telling time in Russian by making your own sentences and writing them in the comments section at the end of this article.

3. Minutes in Russian 

Minutes in Russian.

“Minute” in Russian is минута (minuta). It’s pretty easy to tell the exact time with the twenty-four-hour clock using this word. Just remember the noun declension rule that we discussed for the word час (chas). Let’s see three possible forms of this word:

  • Шестнадцать часов сорок одна минута (shestnadtsat’ chasov sorok odna minuta) — “16:41”
  • Двадцать один час двадцать три минуты (dvadtsat’ odin chas dvadtsat’ tri minuty) — “21:23”
  • Пятнадцать часов тридцать минут (pyatnadtsat’ chasov tridtsat’ minut) — “15:30”
  • Пять часов шесть минут (pyat’ chasov shest’ minut) — “05:06”
  • Восемь часов ноль минут (vosem’ chasov nol’ minut) — “08:00”

When Russians add minutes, they often omit the words минута (minuta) and час (chas). If there are zeros in the number of minutes, they are pronounced. So, the times above will be pronounced as:

  • Шестнадцать сорок одна (shestnadtsat’ sorok odna) — “16:41”
  • Двадцать один двадцать три (dvadtsat’ odin dvadtsat’ tri) — “21:23”
  • Пятнадцать тридцать (pyatnadtsat’ tridtsat’) — “15:30”
  • Пять ноль шесть (pyat’ nol’ shest’) — “05:06”
  • Восемь ноль ноль (vosem’ nol’ nol’) — “08:00”

Now, let’s explore how to talk about time in Russia during a conversation.

In Russia, there are two scenarios for choosing a language pattern to give the minutes. The first one is used for the first half of the hour—the minutes from one to thirty. Russians look at the hour after the current one, and count how many minutes of this hour have already passed. For example, it’s 15:03. This means that three minutes of the fifteenth hour have already passed. 

Please note that you’ll need to use ordinal numbers. Read our article about Russian numbers to learn more.

Here are some examples:

  • Пять минут четвертого (pyat’ minut chetvyortogo) — “3:05”
  • Одна минута второго (odna minuta vtorogo) — “1:01 “
  • Девятнадцать минут десятого (devyatnadtsat’ minut desyatogo) — “09:19”

This pattern might seem a bit complicated. Believe me, this is true even for Russians! That’s why some of them simply state the hours and minutes, omitting the words минута (minuta) and час (chas):

  • Три ноль три (tri nol’ tri) — “3:03”
  • Час ноль одна (chas nol’ odna) — “1:01 “
  • Девять девятнадцать (devyat’ devyatnadtsat’) — “09:19”

The second pattern is used to talk about the second half of the hour. Russians count how many minutes are left before the upcoming hour. For example, it’s 15:40. This means that twenty minutes are left before the sixteenth hour. 

Here are some examples:

  • Без двадцати четыре (bez dvadtsati chetyre) — “3:40”
  • Без трёх минут девять (bez tryokh minut devyat’) — “8:57”
  • Без восьми минут пять (bez vos’mi minut pyat’) — “4:52”

Please note that for the most-used increments of minutes, such as twenty, fifteen, ten, and five, the word “minutes” is almost always omitted.

What about утра (utra)—”of the morning,” дня (dnya)—”of the day,” вечера (vechera)—”of the evening,” and ночи (nochi)—”of the night?” Are they used when we add minutes? 

Yes, of course. But in most cases, they’re omitted when it’s clear from the context what part of the day it is.

4. Useful Patterns

Improve Listening

Okay, so how do Russians tell time? It’s time to learn patterns that don’t need to include the word “minute.” The following patterns can be used only for the twelve-hour clock system:

  • Половина (polovina) — here: “half an hour to” 

For example, половина третьего (polovina tryet’yego), meaning “02:30” or “half an hour to three.”

  • Пол- (pol-) — here: “half an hour to” 

For example, полчетвёртого (polchetvyortogo), meaning “03:30” or “half an hour to four.” Please note that you don’t need to put a hyphen after пол- (pol-) except for with one number: одиннадцать (odinnadtsat’), or “11.” For this number, it will be пол-одиннадцатого (pol-odinnadtsatogo), or “10:30.” 

  • Четверть (chetvert’) — here: “quarter past” 

For example, четверть седьмого (chetvert’ sed’mogo), meaning “06:15” or “quarter past six.” 

  • Без четверти (bez chetverti) — here: “quarter to” 

For example, без четверти десять (bez chetverti desyat’), meaning “09:45” or “quarter to ten.” 

The following patterns can be used for both the twelve-hour and twenty-four-hour clock systems:

  • Ровно (rovno) — “exactly” 

For example, ровно шесть утра (rovno shest’ utra), meaning “exactly 06:00.” Or ровно шесть ноль ноль (rovno shest’ nol’ nol’), meaning “exactly 06:00.” 

  • Почти (pochti) — “almost” 

For example, почти пять часов (pochti pyat’ chasov), meaning “almost 05:00.”

Do you need more words and expressions of time in Russian? Here’s our vocabulary list to talk about time. Check it out!

5. Conclusion

Basic Questions

Yaaay, you did it! Now, telling time in Russian shouldn’t feel that hard. You also know how to ask the time in Russian. 

To practice telling time in Russian, we strongly recommend that you do a listening practice with our special audio lesson about time

If you want to dig even more into the topic of time, learn the phrase “What time does it open?” from our audio lesson and check out our article on how to read dates in Russian.

Searching for a professional Russian tutor? Here’s RussianPod101’s MyTeacher program for Russian-learners. Native Russian teachers with impressive teaching backgrounds will help you to understand all the grammar rules and enrich your vocabulary. Just take a trial lesson to see how it works for you. ;-)

Before you go, let us know in the comments what new Russian nouns you learned today! Are there any you still want to know? We look forward to hearing from you! 

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Russian Etiquette: 7 Do’s and Don’ts in Russia

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Did you know that it’s considered good etiquette in Russia to bring something к чаю (k chayu) or “for the tea?” That means something sweet: cake, chocolate, candies, or a sweet pastry. There are many interesting and exciting Russian customs which may not seem obvious, but definitely are to native Russians. Knowing even basic Russian etiquette for tourists can go a long way during your visit to the country!

Let’s start this exciting journey. Learn Russian etiquette with RussianPod101.com’s Russian tourist etiquette guide!

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Table of Contents

  1. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #1: Basic Russian Etiquette
  2. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #2: Russian Dining Etiquette
  3. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #3: Russian Drinking Etiquette
  4. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #4: What to Expect from a Date with a Russian Girl or Russian Guy
  5. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #5: So, You’re Going to Visit a Russian House
  6. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #6: How Russians Behave in a Public Transport
  7. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #7: Russian Business Etiquette Tips
  8. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #8: Russian Gift Giving Etiquette
  9. Conclusion: How RussianPod101 Can Help You Learn Russian Better

1. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #1: Basic Russian Etiquette

1- Russian Greeting Etiquette

Someone Putting Their Hand Out to Shake

1. Cheek kiss.

There’s a well-known Russian greeting tradition: the triple cheek-kiss. It’s usually common between close relatives. Sometimes, it’s shortened to two kisses.

One cheek kiss is often used by girls to greet friends, or even close female coworkers.

2. Russian handshake etiquette.

This is a usual greeting between men—regardless of how close they are—who are meeting for the first time, or for the 100th time.

Important advice! If you’re wearing gloves, make sure to take them off before a handshake. If you don’t take them off when another person has prepared to give you a handshake with his bare hands, he might think that you’re disrespecting him.

Another piece of important advice! Don’t give a handshake across a doorway. Walk inside the apartment or wait for someone to come outside, but don’t stick your hand across a threshold immediately after you see a person. This is considered very bad luck in Russia, and a lot of people will refuse to shake your hand in this situation.

For girls, a handshake works in business settings where this American tradition has become popular. But still, most girls prefer just to smile and nod instead of shaking hands.

When you leave a place where you’ve spent some time—a party, a house, or an office—make sure to shake hands as a goodbye with everyone you previously greeted with a handshake. If you leave without saying goodbye, people call this Уходить по-английски (Ukhodit’ po-angliysky) meaning “To leave as Englishmen do.” In England, people can leave without saying goodbye; but in Russia, it would be considered rude to do so. Always be mindful of this Russian meeting etiquette rule.

3. Smile and nod.

This is a basic solution for all other situations. If you feel awkward with other greetings, just stick with this one and you’ll be fine.

4. Hug.

This greeting is often used when greeting close friends, family members, or family members of close friends.

To learn greeting words and phrases, check out our article on how to say “Hello” in Russian.

2- Asking for Forgiveness

There are no specific Russian traditions or gestures for a formal apology. Just use formal Russian apology expressions and you’ll be fine.

If the situation isn’t formal or serious, look into the other person’s eyes. Note that, in Russian culture, looking down during the apology will make it look more sincere.

Learn how to say “I’m sorry” in Russian in our relevant article.

3- Gratitude

Thanks

Спасибо (spasibo) means “thank you” in Russian. You can use it in any situation, both formal and informal.

In informal situations, you can add a hug if you’re feeling extremely grateful. Men are most likely to add a handshake (yes, pretty much the same one they use in greeting).

For additional information on this topic, listen to our audio lesson on how to say “You are welcome” in Russian. By listening to this audio lesson, you can also practice using etiquette interjections.

4- Forms of Address for Different People

When you talk with an elder person or a person you don’t know, don’t use an informal way of speaking. It will be considered extremely rude. Well, of course, not if you’re addressing your own granny who happens to be Russian.

You can use an informal way of speaking only with kids or school children.

2. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #2: Russian Dining Etiquette

Hygiene

1- Paying for Food

First on our list of Russian etiquette at restaurants: paying.

If you’re visiting Russian friends for a short period of time, they’ll most likely pay for your food to show hospitality.

But normally, if you go to a restaurant with your Russian friends, you’ll notice that when it comes to payment, everyone takes a look at the bill and pays for their own food.

Splitting the bill is an option if Russians buy some food to be shared, like pizza or Japanese rolls.

2- When Should You Start Eating?

Don’t start eating your food before everyone gets to the table. According to Russian meal etiquette, this is considered rude.

Before eating, people usually wish Приятного аппетита (Priyatnogo appetita) which means “Enjoy your meal,” in Russian. This phrase is used both in formal and informal situations.

3- Going to the Toilet

It’s perfectly fine Russian table etiquette to leave the table to go to the toilet in Russia. Just say Извините, сейчас вернусь (Izvinite, seychas vernus’) which means “I’m sorry, I’ll be back soon,” and go. However, if you go more than once, it may be considered rude (or cause people to question your digestion). :-)

To learn even more about table manners in Russia, listen to our audio lesson about basic table etiquette.

3. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #3: Russian Drinking Etiquette

Friends Drinking at Lunch

1- Making a Toast

In Russia, no one should drink at the table without making a toast. It’s a famous Russian tradition that shows that they’re aware of the people around them and want to share the moment.

Usually, after making a toast, people clink glasses. Then, everyone drinks.

2- Pouring

There’s a tradition that a man should pour alcohol for the women sitting next to him. This is especially relevant during big occasions such as weddings or funerals, so that women won’t spoil their pretty dresses with a clumsy glass refill.

3- Don’t Put Empty Bottles on the Table

Russia is full of traditions and superstitions, especially about alcohol. One of the famous ones is that keeping empty bottles on the table is considered bad luck, and is thought to make you poor. That’s why, as soon as the bottle gets empty, it should be passed to the waiter, removed to the trash bin, or at least put under the table to be thrown away later.

4. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #4: What to Expect from a Date with a Russian Girl or Russian Guy

Couple at Dinner

In this section, we’ll go over the basic Russian social etiquette that’s expected when dating a Russian. Let’s get started.

1- Dating a Russian Woman Etiquette

1. Bringing Flowers

Bringing flowers on a date with a girl—even on a first date—has become popular in Russian etiquette and customs for dates. It shows that the guy has romantic feelings toward the girl. If you follow this dating tradition, you’ll score a couple of points already, at the beginning of the date.

But make sure that:

  • You don’t bring an even number of flowers. This is REALLY important. Russians bring an even number of flowers only to funerals or when they visit a tomb.
  • Gifting carnations is also associated with funerals—Soviet ones. If you happen to be in Russia on a Victory Day (9th of May) you’ll see a lot of carnations that commemorate war heroes.
  • Don’t gift yellow roses. According to Russian superstition, yellow roses will bring a couple apart.

2. Russian Girls on the Date

Russian girls are famous for being really girly. They put on makeup and dress up even when going out to the supermarket or to throw away the garbage. One of the things that makes them more “girly” are high heels.

Sometimes it’s inconvenient to wear high heels all the time. So they just bring them along to wear when they arrive at the place (the cinema, theatre, or party, for instance).

3. Being a Gentleman

If you go out on a date with a Russian girl, behave like a gentleman. Open the doors for her, let her sit on public transport if there’s only one free seat left, and pay for her food in a restaurant.

Russian girls believe that they spend a lot of money and time to stay pretty—makeup, nails, eyelashes, eyebrows, clothes, etc., so it’s only natural that the guys pay for them on the date.

2- Dating a Russian Man Etiquette

If you want to date a Russian guy, then you should be aware of things that Russian men expect from their dates:

1. Act Like a Lady

While Russian guys, since childhood, are expected to act like gentlemen around girls, Russian girls are expected to accept that. Don’t fight for your life if a guy wants to pay for you on a date. You can take out your purse to show that you’re ready to pay, and if a guy offers to pay for you, just accept that; put your purse back in your pouch and warmly thank him.

2. Be Ready for High Expectations

While women and men in Russia have equal rights, relationships are still built with a specific division of responsibilities.

In a dating phase, women are expected to show good knowledge of doing simple house chores. Girls should clean a messy place of her beloved one and cook some food. In exchange, men will be paying for her when going out.

Of course, this isn’t set in stone, and you can always negotiate your responsibilities. But just know that your boyfriend’s mother is probably very traditional, and she’ll accept you only if you show that you’re good at performing household duties.

5. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #5: So, You’re Going to Visit a Russian House

Bad Phrases

Now, for some Russian guest etiquette so that you can be a great visitor in a friend’s home.

1- Take Your Shoes Off

Once you enter a Russian house, take your shoes off unless you’re told not to. Many Russian houses are decorated with big rugs that are difficult to clean. You may be offered to wear slippers instead.

2- Don’t Show up Empty-handed

It’s considered rude not to bring something along when you come as a guest to a Russian house. A perfect gift is something sweet like a cake, candies, chocolate, pastry, etc., that can be eaten during a tea-time. There’s even a special expression—Что-нибудь к чаю (Chto-nibud’ k chayu) meaning “something for tea”—that you’ll probably hear as an answer if you ask Что купить? (Chto kupit’?) or “What should I buy?”

3- Don’t Whistle Indoors

Russians are very superstitious. Whistling indoors means that you’ll become poor. So, as in many European countries, whistling indoors is considered unacceptable.

4- Offer to Help Clean Dishes After the Meal

This is a really nice thing to do to get extra points for being a good guest in Russia, as it is in many other countries. A Russian hostess would probably refuse your help, but she will for sure remember how considerate you were and will gladly invite you the next time.

It’s especially beneficial if you’re visiting your future parents-in-law. ;-)

5- Russian Food Etiquette

Russian people are extremely hospitable. They’ll feed and feed you until you feel like you’ll blow up from inside from food. It’s considered rude to refuse food when the hostess offers you something.

But there’s a small secret about how to avoid being overfed. When you feel that you’re almost full, leave a small portion of food on your plate to show the hostess that you’re full. It shouldn’t be too much, or the hostess will think that you didn’t like the food, but it shouldn’t be extremely small, or you’ll be offered some more food. About 1/8 of a plateful is fine.

And don’t forget that drinking tea with a cake or sweets is a must after the main course. Leave some free room in your stomach for that.

6. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #6: How Russians Behave in a Public Transport

1- Offering a Seat

There’s an etiquette rule that Russians teach their kids from childhood. You should offer your seat to elder people, pregnant women, women with a child up to seven years old, and disabled people.

There’s a nuance in offering a seat to older people. Do it only when you see that they’re bringing really heavy bags or when it’s hard for them to walk (e.g. they’re really old or bring along a crutch). If you offer a seat to a perfectly normal woman, she might think that she looks too old and even get angry. :-)

If you’re a guy, offer your seat to a girl. This is considered to be a gentlemanly behavior.

2- Pushing in a Crowd and Public Lines

If you get to the Moscow underground, you’ll see that there are no lines to enter a train. People will push to get inside and catch a better spot for a ride.

If you feel uncomfortable around crowds, wait until people get onto the train before getting on the train yourself.

Also, try to avoid rush hour. Usually, people go to work at 8-9 a.m. and go back at 6-7 p.m.

3- Staring at Women

In Russia, it’s rude to stare at people you don’t know. In some countries it’s considered normal to stare at women who walk by themselves, but in Russia, a girl who’s being stared at will feel offended and disrespected.

Of course, quick looks are okay, so don’t walk around trying not to meet some girl’s eyes by accident. :-)

7. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #7: Russian Business Etiquette Tips

People Shaking Hands in a Meeting Room

1- Business and Alcohol

Business

Russian business etiquette is closely connected with alcohol traditions. Russians tend to have greater trust in those with whom they’ve gotten drunk. In a drunken condition, people loosen up and say what they really think. And Russians use this.

Another tradition is to celebrate a sealed business deal with alcohol. Very often, Russians go to баня (banya) or a “banya; Russian sauna” for that. This may look weird to foreigners, but it’s one of the famous Russian etiquette business traditions that you should just accept.

2- Don’t Keep Your Hands in Your Pockets

This is another etiquette point that Russians teach their kids: not keeping hands in pockets during official events. Doing so shows disrespect to the person you’re speaking with.

This is due to psychological logic that comes from old times. When people show their empty hands, it’s considered a gesture of peace; when you keep your hands in your pockets, it indicates that you might be ready to use a weapon.

3- Don’t Spread Your Legs Wide Apart

This is an important Russian office etiquette rule. This posture is popular among men as it allows them to occupy more space and thus show their dominance. But in Russia, it’s also considered a sign of a man with bad etiquette. Showing dominance that way is considered vulgar.

Instead, keep your legs together, or at a natural distance.

If you’re interested in finding a job in Russia, here’s our useful article for you on that very topic.

8. Do’s and Don’ts in Russia #8: Russian Gift Giving Etiquette

1- Gift Superstitions

There are famous superstitions that have naturally converted into Russian gift etiquette:

1. Don’t gift an empty wallet. In Russia, giving an empty wallet as a present is like wishing financial hardships to that person. Just put some cash inside to make it a great gift.

2. Don’t give a knife as a gift. Giving a knife as a present is believed to cause the breakup of a relationship. Just give them money to buy a knife with to avoid that.

3. Pay for a pet. When Russians receive a cat or a dog, they need to pay some money even though the pet is a present. Russians believe that if they do, the animal will grow up happy and healthy.

2- First Refusing the Gift and Then Accepting it

Russians tend to refuse any gift that you try to give them. They can say Что ты, это слишком дорого (Chto ty, eto slishkom dorogo) meaning “No-no, it’s too expensive,” or Нет, спасибо, тебе не стоило (Net, spasibo, tebe ne stoilo) meaning “No, thank you, you didn’t need to.”

Just insist on giving them the gift. You’ll get a gush of gratitude.

3- Gifts to Women

If you want to give a gift to a woman on her birthday or another important date, bring along a flower or a flower bouquet. It’s an etiquette tradition that’s followed both in the business world and in personal life.

Some women may not even like flowers that much, but they still gladly accept them as it’s a tradition.

9. Conclusion: How RussianPod101 Can Help You Learn Russian Better

So, now you know the most common Russian traditions and etiquette. Of course, if you don’t follow them, people will understand. But you’ll be much more welcomed and appreciated if you’re aware of Russian etiquette and follow it as much as you can.

Did you learn anything new in our Russian etiquette guide? Are there similar etiquette rules in your own country? Or is etiquette very different? Let us know in the comments!

Once you’ve learned Russian etiquette, it would be a great help to learn basic Russian vocabulary to be polite around Russians. Our teachers will gladly help you with that. Check out our MyTeacher program for Russian-learners. Our teachers are all native speakers with an impressive teaching background. They’ll make sure that you start talking in Russian very soon. ;-)

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Reading Russian Dates: Learn Years, Months and Days in Russian

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Just imagine that you need to make an appointment to save the world with native Russian super heroes—just for the usual international superhero meeting. :-) Well, you’d definitely need to be able to tell the date…the Russian date.

Maybe you have a super ability to read other people’s minds? Well, you still need to learn the dates because Russian superheroes—and actually all other Russians—think in…yep, Russian! Surprise. :-)

So, gonna save the world? Learn how to read and tell the date in Russian. Let’s get started with the basics, and you’ll soon see that expressing dates in Russian really isn’t so hard.

Table of Contents

  1. Russian Dates: Calendar Dates in Russian
  2. Days of the Week in Russian
  3. Must-Know Phrases and Words to Talk about Dates in Russian
  4. Conclusion: How RussianPod101 Can Help You Master Russian

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1. Russian Dates: Calendar Dates in Russian

Russian Dates

Let’s learn how to say dates in Russian. More specifically, we’ll answer the question “How are dates written in Russian?”

Russian dates are usually written in the following order: day-month-year. For example, 22.05.2025. Let’s learn how to read Russian dates and use the Russian calendar, so that you can soon start talking about dates in Russian like it’s nothing!

1- How to Say Months in Russian

Months

Let’s start with the months of the year in Russian. You may notice that Russian month names resemble the English ones. That’s because the etymology for these words is the same:

  • “January” in Russian is Январь (yanvar’). This month got its name from the ancient Roman god Janus. He was the god of time, gates, and doorways. So, metaphorically speaking, январь (yanvar’) is a doorway to the new year.
  • Февраль (fevral’) is “February.” In Russia, this month has always been the coldest month of the whole year. The month’s name comes from the name of the ancient Roman god of purification, Februus. His holy month was February.
  • Март (mart) is “March.” The first spring month was named after the god of war, Mars. But how are spring and war connected? Well, the thing is that this god also guarded agriculture. That’s why most of his festivals were held in this first spring month.
  • Апрель (aprel’) is “April.” This month was named after the ancient Greek goddess, Afrodita. During this month, the snow melts and everything starts to grow and bloom.
  • Май (may) is “May.” The warmest spring month was named after the ancient Greek pleiad Maia, who symbolized the growth and blooming of nature.
  • Июнь (iyun’) is “June.” The first summer month was named after the ancient Roman goddess Juno, who took care of soil fertility and the strength of marriage.
  • Июль (iyul‘) is “July.” The hottest summer month was named after Gaius Julius Caesar, the Roman emperor.
  • Август (avgust) is “August.” This month’s name comes from the name of another Roman emperor: Augustus.
  • Сентябрь (sentyabr’) is “September.” In ancient times, the year started not in January but in March. That is why the first autumn month was derived from the Latin word septum which means “seven.”
  • Октябрь (oktyabr’) is “October.” October was derived from the Latin word octo which means “eight.” But did the fantasy of the ancient month name-giver finish? :-)
  • Ноябрь (noyabr’) is “November.” This is from the Latin word novo which means “nine.”
  • Декабрь (dekabr’) is “December.” This month’s name is also derived from a Latin word: decem which means “ten.”

If you need to say “leap month” in Russian, use високосный месяц (visokosnyy mesyats).

Now, practice the Russian calendar months with our word list.

2- How to Say Days in Russian

Learning Dates

Dates and numbers in Russian go hand-in-hand. When telling dates in Russian, you need to use Russian ordinal numbers for the days, which behave like adjectives in sentences. “Date” or “number” in Russian is число (chislo). This noun has a neutral gender, which is why all the date numbers are used with neutral endings as well:

  • Первое (pervoye)—”the first”
  • Второе (vtoroye)—”the second”
  • Третье (tret’ye)—”the third”
  • Четвертое (chetvyortoye)—”the fourth”
  • Пятое (pyatoye)—”the fifth”
  • Шестое (shestoye)—”the sixth”
  • Седьмое (sed’moye)—”the seventh”
  • Восьмое (vos’moye)—”the eighth”
  • Девятое (devyatoye)—”the ninth”
  • Десятое (desyatoye)—”the tenth”
  • Одиннадцатое (odinnadtsatoye)—”the eleventh”
    • Please, note that the letter д (d) in the number одиннадцатый and in the following numbers is not pronounced.
  • Двенадцатое (dvenadtsatoye)—”the twelfth”
  • Тринадцатое (trinadtsatoye)—”the thirteenth”
  • Четырнадцатое (chetyrnadtsatoye)—”the fourteenth”
  • Пятнадцатое (pyatnadtsatoye)—”the fifteenth”
  • Шестнадцатое (shestnadtsatoye)—”the sixteenth”
  • Семнадцатое (semnadtsatoye)—”the seventeenth”
  • Восемнадцатое (vosemnadtsatoye)—”the eighteenth”
  • Девятнадцатое (devyatnadtsatoye)—”the nineteenth”
  • Двадцатое (dvadtsatoye)—”the twentieth”
  • Двадцать первое (dvadtsat’ pervoye)—”the twenty-first”
  • Двадцать второе (dvadtsat’ vtotoye)—”the twenty-second”
  • Двадцать третье (dvadtsat’ tret’ye)—”the twenty-third”
  • Двадцать четвертое (dvadtsat’ chetvyortoye)—”the twenty-fourth”
  • Двадцать пятое (dvadtsat’ pyatoye)—”the twenty-fifth”
  • Двадцать шестое (dvadtsat’ shestoye)—”the twenty-sixth”
  • Двадцать седьмое (dvadtsat’ sed’moye)—”the twenty-seventh”
  • Двадцать восьмое (dvadtsat’ vos’moye)—”the twenty-eighth”
  • Двадцать девятое (dvadtsat’ devyatoye)—”the twenty-ninth”
  • Тридцатое (tridtsatoye)—”the thirtieth”
  • Тридцать первое (tridtsat’ pervoye)—”the thirty-first”

In order to write the day in Russian dates with numerals, write a number, add a hyphen, and add the last two letters of the last number-word. For example:

  • Первое (pervoye)
    1-ое
    “the first”
  • Второе (vtoroye)
    2-ое
    “the second”
  • Третье (tret’ye)
    3-ье
    “the third”
  • Четвертое (chetvyortoye)
    4-ое
    “the fourth”
  • Пятое (pyatoye)
    5-ое
    “the fifth”
  • Двадцать восьмое (dvadtsat’ vos’moye)
    28-ое
    “the twenty-eighth”
  • Тридцатое (tridtsatoye)
    30-ое
    “the thirtieth”

You can learn more about Russian ordinal and cardinal numbers from our article about Russian numbers, and practice naming numbers with our word list.

3- How to Say the Years in Russian

Learning Years in Russian

Now, onto dates and years in Russian. The numbers of the year in Russian are also ordinal numbers. “Year” in Russian is год (god). This noun has a masculine gender, which is why all year numbers are used with masculine endings as well. For example:

  • 1876: тысяча восемьсот семдесят шестой (tysyacha vosem’sot semdesyat shestoy)
  • 1925: тысяча девятьсот двадцать пятый (tysyacha devyat’sot dvadtsat’ pyatyy)
  • 2012: две тысячи двенадцатый (dve tysyachi dvenadtsatyy)

Please, note that there’s more than one way to read 1000 in Russian: тысяча (tysyacha or tyshcha) or одна тысяча (odna tysyacha). The shorter version is used in spoken language.

4- How to Say Dates in Russian: Putting it Together

Numbers

Now you know how to tell days, months, and years in Russian. Let’s see how they work together, and how to write dates in Russian in full.

In order to tell the date, use the Genitive case for the name of the month and the number of the year:

  • 08.03.2007
    восьмое марта две тысячи седьмого года
    vos’moye marta dve tysyachi sed’mogo goda
    “The 8th of March, 2007.”

By the way, the 8th of March is an official holiday in Russia: International Women’s Day. To learn more about important dates in Russia, listen to our audio.

  • 23.04.1991
    двадцать третье апреля тысяча девятьсот девяносто первого года
    dvadtsat’ tret’ye aprelya tysyacha devyat’sot devyanosto pervogo goda
    “The 23d of April, 1991.”

Now, to practice writing dates in Russian yourself, write down your birthday in Russian in the comments section below. ;)

Now you’re ready to learn how to ask “When is your birthday?” in Russian.

2. Days of the Week in Russian

Weekdays

The first day of the Russian week is usually Monday. “Weekdays” are called будни (budni). If you want to say “weekday,” use будний день (budniy den’).

“Weekend” is выходные (vykhodnyye). To say “weekend day,” use выходной день (vykhodnoy den’).

1- Monday

So, let’s start with how to say “Monday” in Russian. First, you need to know that there’s a Russian tradition of not doing anything on Sunday. In Russian, this is called не делать (ne delat’) or “not to do.” That’s why “Monday” in Russian language is called понедельник (ponedel’nik). It’s the day after not doing anything.

2- Tuesday

“Tuesday” in Russian is вторник (vtornik). You can see that it starts similarly to the word второй (vtoroy) which means “the second.” That was actually how this weekday was named; it’s the second day of the week.

3- Wednesday

“Wednesday” in Russian is среда (sreda). Wednesday in Russia is usually considered to be the middle of the week (at least, the middle of the working week). That’s why the name was created from the word середина (seredina) meaning “the middle.”

4- Thursday

“Thursday” in Russian is четверг (chetverg). Thursday is the fourth day of a Russian week, so the name comes from the number четыре (chetyre) which means “four.” If you want to know more about Russian numbers, check out our article.

5- Friday

“Friday” in Russian is пятница (pyatnitsa). In Russian, “five” is пять (pyat’), hence the name of the weekday.

6- Saturday

So, now let’s learn how to say “Saturday” in Russian: суббота (subbota). The name has an interesting history. It comes from the Jewish word Sabbath which means “to rest.”

7- Sunday

“Sunday” in Russian is воскресенье (voskresen’ye). The name comes from the Russian Christian tradition and means the day of the resurrection of Jesus. In Russian, “resurrection” is воскресение (voskreseniye). As you can see, only one letter is different. Make sure that you don’t mix the words up!

Now practice Russian days of the week with our word list.

3. Must-Know Phrases and Words to Talk about Dates in Russian

Let’s Learn How to Make an Appointment in Russian

Now you know how to give the dates and days of the week in Russian. Let’s enrich your vocabulary so that you can learn how to use these words in a sentence and build a proper dialogue about the dates. By the end of this section, you should also have a better idea about how to read dates in Russian.

  • Вчера (vchera)—”yesterday”
    Вчера шёл дождь (Vchera shyol dozhd’)—”It was raining yesterday.”
  • Сегодня (segodnya)—”today”
    Сегодня плохая погода (Segodnya plokhaya pogoda)—”The weather is bad today.”
  • Завтра (zavtra)—”tomorrow”
    Завтра будет солнечно (Zavtra budet solnechno)—”It will be sunny tomorrow.”
    Давай встретимся завтра (Davay vstretimsya zavtra)—”Let’s meet tomorrow.”

    The answer to that suggestion can be:
              Давай! (Davay!)—”Sure!”

  • Позавчера (pozavchera)—”the day before yesterday”
    Позавчера я встретился с русским другом (Pozavchera ya vstretilsya s russkim drugom)—”The day before yesterday, I met up with my Russian friend.”
  • Послезавтра (poslezavtra)—”the day after tomorrow”
    Послезавтра я собираюсь в больницу (Poslezavtra ya sobirayus’ v bol’nitsu)—”The day after tomorrow, I’m going to a hospital.”
  • Квартал (kvartal)—”quarter”
    This word is seldom used in actual conversations, but you’ll come across it if you work with Russian-speaking colleagues. Business goals are usually set for a quarter (among monthly and yearly goals).
  • Какое сегодня число? (Kakoye segodnya chislo?)—”What date is it today?”
    The answer could be:

    • Сегодня двадцать девятое июня (Segodnya dvadtsat’ devyatoye iyunya)—”Today is the 29th of June.”
  • Какого числа начинаются занятия? (Kakogo chisla nachinayutsya zanyatiya?)—”When does the study start?”

    The answer could be:

    • Занятия начинаются первого сентября (Zanyatiya nachinayutsya pervogo sentyabrya)—”The study starts on the 1st of September.”

      Interesting fact. The 1st of September is called День Знаний (Den’ Znaniy) which means “Knowledge Day.” Every year on the 1st of September, Russian students have the first school/university day. If you’re lucky to be in Russia on this day, you’ll probably see a lot of school children formally dressed and with flowers to give to their teachers.

  • Какого числа ты выходишь на работу? (Kakogo chisla ty vykhodish’ na rabotu?)—”When will you get back to work?” or “When is your first day at work?” depending on the context.

    The answer could be:

    • Я выхожу на работу тридцать первого ноября (Ya vykhozhu na rabotu tridtsat’ pervogo noyabrya)—”I will start working on the 31st of November.”
  • Когда у тебя день рождения? (Kogda u tebya den’ rozhdeniya?)—”When is your birthday?”

    The answer could be:

    • Мой день рождения одиннадцатого апреля (Moy den’ rozhdeniya odinnadtsatogo aprelya)—”My birthday is on the 11th of April.”
    • Семнадцатого января (Semnadtsatogo yanvarya)—”On the 17th of January.”
  • Какой сегодня день недели? (Kakoy segodnya den’ nedeli?)—”What weekday is it today?”

    The answer could be:

    • Сегодня вторник (Segodnya vtornik)—”Today is Tuesday.”
  • В каком месяце ты собираешься приехать? (V kakom mesyatse ty sobirayesh’sya priyekhat’?)—”What month are you planning to come?”

    The answer could be:

    • В феврале (V fevrale)—”In February.”

If you wanna dig even deeper, you can learn how to reschedule an appointment or what to do when you arrive late for the appointment.

4. Conclusion: How RussianPod101 Can Help You Master Russian

So, now you know how to talk about dates, how to make appointments, and how to tell someone when your birthday is (so no one has an excuse not to prepare a gift for you). ;-)

If the Russian language and Russian culture make you excited and you wanna tell more about yourself in Russian, check out our MyTeacher program for Russian-learners. You can set your own goals and reach them fast with our professional native Russian teachers. You can also choose a specially prepared program to pass Russian language exams and to achieve the level of Russian you need.

And remember, keep the learning process fun and exciting—that way, you’ll keep moving forward no matter what difficulties you meet on your way.

Before you go, let us know how you feel about reading dates in Russian now. And why not practice Russian dates by telling us today’s date in Russian in the comments section? ;) We look forward to hearing from you!

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Useful Russian Phrases for Tourists: Travel Vocabulary

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Going to explore gorgeous Moscow Kremlin or travel back into the XIX century on the tiny cobblestone streets of Saint Petersburg? Or maybe you’re coming to study or work in Russia? Whatever your goal is, knowing useful Russian phrases for tourists will make your life easier in this snowy country.

If you’ve had trouble finding travel guides when having road trips in Russia, look no further. RussianPod101.com is here to help you learn Russian travel phrases in English, so that your stay in Russia will be much more enjoyable and comfortable.

Please note that hotel staff in Russia usually speak English, so we’re not going to cover hotel phrases in this article. But once you leave your hotel, it’ll become a little bit trickier to find a person who knows English. In Moscow and Saint-Petersburg you’ll probably find an English-speaking person to help you out, but in smaller cities this becomes a real challenge. Thus, it’s definitely good to know at least a few Russian language travel phrases.

So, let’s get started with common phrases in Russian for travelers in our Russian travel phrases guide!

Table of Contents

  1. Basic Russian Phrases for Travel
  2. Transport
  3. Shopping
  4. Restaurant Phrases
  5. Asking for and Giving Directions
  6. Emergencies
  7. Flattery Phrases
  8. Useful Phrases to Go through Language Problems
  9. Conclusion

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1. Basic Russian Phrases for Travel

Basic Questions

Even if your language skills are poor—or if you’ve just opened this article in a last attempt to learn at least a couple of the most important words—then you’ve come to the right place! These fifteen basic Russian language travel phrases are just enough to show that you’re really trying. You may also gain a few points in the eyes of Russian people.

1- Спасибо (Spasibo)

This means “Thank you,” and is one of the most common Russian travel phrases. You can use it in any situation, both formal and informal. For example:

Спасибо за помощь (Spasibo za pomoshch) — “Thank you for your help.”

2- Пожалуйста (Pozhaluysta)

This is translated into English as “You are welcome,” or “Please…” For example:

Пожалуйста, дайте пройти (Pozhalusta, dayte proyti) — “Please, let me walk past you.”

3- Извините (Izvinite)

This means, “Excuse me, sorry.”

When it comes to travel phrases in Russian grammar, you can also ask for forgiveness with Простите (Prostite) — “Sorry.”

Check out our article about how to say “I’m sorry” in Russian if you want to know more.

4- Привет (Privet)

That means informal “Hi.” Alternatively, Здравствуйте (Zdravstvuyte)—is formal “Hello.” If you want to know more, please, read our article about Russian ways to say Hello.

5- Пока (Poka)

This easy word is an informal way of saying, “Bye.” Don’t hesitate to use it with people your age or younger when you meet them while traveling. For older people, use the formal До свидания (Do svidaniya) — “Goodbye. ”

6- Да (Da)

This simply means, “Yes.” An important word to remember, isn’t it?

You can emphasize your answer by adding Хорошо (Khorosho), meaning “Good,” so it sounds like Да, хорошо (Da, khorosho), meaning “Yes, okay.”

Or you can add “of course”: Да, конечно! (Da, konechno!), meaning “Yes, sure!” or “Yes, of course!”

7- Нет (Net)

This simple means, “No.” You can make your refusal more polite by adding words of gratitude: Нет, спасибо (Net, spasibo) — “No, thank you.”

8- Вы не могли бы меня сфотографировать (Vy ni mogli by menya sfotografirovat’)

This important phrase for every traveler means, “Please, could you take a picture of me.” If you wanna take a picture with other people, use Вы не могли бы нас сфотографировать (Vy ni mogli by nas sfotografirovat’), meaning “Please, could you take a picture of us.”

9- Я не говорю по-русски (Ya ne govoryu po-russki)

This basic Russian travel phrase means, “I don’t speak Russian.” It’s a nice phrase to know even if you do know Russian, right? To get rid of annoying salespeople. ;-)

10- Хорошо (Khorosho)

This means “Good.” If things go better than good, use Отлично! (Otlichno!), meaning “Great! Perfect!” We hope that your Russian trip goes отлично!

Learn more conversational phrases from our vocabulary list.

By the way, do you know what the Russian word for “travel” is? It’s путешествовать (puteshestvovat’).

2. Transport

Airplane Phrases

Transportation is one of the most vital aspects of a trip to anywhere, making Russian phrases for traveling related to this so important. Let’s look at some Russian travel words and phrases to help you find your way around Russia.

1- Taxi Phrases

Taxis are a popular way of transportation in Russia. Be aware of stopping the car on the street, because there are plenty of cases of robberies and fraudulent actions. The best way to order a taxi is through an app or by calling a taxi company. The prices will be absolutely the same as the prices of cars you stop on the street, and most of the time even lower.

You can use Uber or Yandex taxis (which works the same way as Uber). If you’re in a small city, you’ll probably be able to use either Uber or Yandex as well, but there might be less cars available, so give yourself a time cushion to account for searching for one. Or ask your friends or fellow travelers for a local taxi app.

Here are the phrases that will help you communicate with the driver:

  • Мне нужно доехать до… (Mne nuzhno doyekhat’ do…) — “I need to get to… [location].” Use this phrase when you need to get somewhere using a transportation service.
  • Остановите, пожалуйста… (Ostanovite, pozhaluysta…) — “Please, stop…” After that, add where you want to stop:
    • …на остановке (…na ostanovke) — “…at the public transport stop.”
    • …за перекрестком (…za perekryostkom) — “…after the crossroads.”
    • …у светофора (…u svetofora) — “…near the traffic light.”
    • …у следующего подъезда (…u sleduyushchego pod’yezda) — “…near the next entrance.”
    • …у того подъезда (…u togo pod’yezda) — “…near that entrance.”
    • …прямо здесь (…pryamo zd’es’) — “…right here.”
    • …у того магазина (…u togo magazina) — “…on the public transport stop.”
  • Можно остановить тут (Mozhno ostanovit’ tut) — “You can stop here.”
  • Остановите, пожалуйста, чуть подальше (Ostanovite, pozhaluysta, chut’ podal’she) — “Please, stop a little bit further.”

2- Bus/Trolleybus/Tram/Metro Phrases

There are several means of public transportation in Russia—trams, trolleybuses, buses, and the metro. Use the following phrases to ensure that you don’t miss the right stop and to be polite during your ride:

  • На какой остановке мне выходить? (Na kakoy ostanovke mne vykhodit’?) — “On which stop should I get off?”
  • Подскажите, пожалуйста, какая следующая остановка? (Podskazhite, pozhaluysta, kakaya sleduyishchaya ostanovka?) — “Please, could you tell me what the next stop is?”
  • Какая это остановка? (Kakaya eto ostanovka?) — “What stop is it now?”
  • Сколько остановок до…? (Skol’ko ostanovok do…?) — “How many stops until… [location]?”
  • Садитесь, пожалуйста (Sadites’, pozhaluysta) — “Sit, please.”
    • In Russia, it’s considered polite to give up your seat for old people, pregnant ladies, and parents with little kids. It also looks really chivalrous when a guy gives up his seat for a girl.

Also, there’s one interesting means of public transport that’s not very common in other countries. It’s called маршрутка (marshrutka) — “route taxi.” It works like a shared taxi or a small bus, which drives along one route back and forth. Usually, it’s slightly more expensive than a bus/tram/trolleybus, but moves faster. It usually doesn’t stop on every public transport stop, so you’ll need to ask for a stop:

  • На остановке остановите, пожалуйста… (Na ostanovke ostanovite, pozhaluysta…) — “Please, stop on the (next; nearest) public transport stop.”
    • Use the phrase right before the needed stop. Remember to shout loud so the driver hears you. Don’t hesitate to shout one more time, if the driver has missed the stop and keeps driving: Остановите, пожалуйста! (Ostanovite, pozhaluysta!) — “Please, stop!”

To make public transportation more predictable, use the app Yandex Transport. After you set the starting point and final point of the route, the app shows you the fastest way to get there with the numbers of buses/route taxis/trams/trolleybuses needed. In big cities, such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg, you’ll also be able to see on the map where the needed bus is and how many minutes it will be until it arrives.

3- Suburban Train Phrases

If you want to travel between cities, especially if they’re four hours (or less) away from each other, consider taking a suburban sitting train. It’s usually quite cheap and fast. Unfortunately, for now you can’t buy a ticket online. You’ll have to buy a ticket at a ticket window or from a ticket machine. These are usually located on the way to the station before the security turnstile, or right at the station if it’s a smaller station. In 90% of stations, especially big ones, you’ll be able to pay by card.

These phrases will be useful for you:

  • Электричка (Elektrichka) — “Suburban electric train.”
  • Сколько стоит билет до…? (Skol’ko stoit bilet do…?) — “How much is the ticket to… [location]?”
  • До…, пожалуйста (Do…, pozhaluysta) — “Ticket to… [location], please.”
  • Где я могу купить билет на электричку? (Gde ya mogu kupit’ bilet na elektrichku?) — “Where can I buy a ticket on a suburban train?”
  • Подскажите, пожалуйста, где туалет? (Podskazhite, pozhaluysta, gde tualet?) — “Please, tell me which way the bathroom is.”

4- Sleeping Train Phrases

Sleeping Train.

Usually, tickets to sleeping trains are bought online, but you can also buy them at the ticket window on the station in advance.

While you’re on the train, you’ll probably have some questions. These phrases will help you deal with most of the situations that might occur:

  • Когда мы приедем? (Kogda my priyedem?) — “When will we arrive?”
  • Это какая станция? (Eto kakaya stantsiya?) — “What station is this?”
  • Сколько стоим на этой станции? (Skol’ko stoim na etoy stantsii?) — “How long will we stay on this station?”
  • У вас есть зарядка для… (U vas est’ zaryadka dlya…?) — “Do you have a charger for…?” (Where the blank space is the model of the phone.)
    • …такого телефона? (…takogo telefona?) — “…this kind of the phone?” After that, show your phone.
    • …Айфона? (…Ayfona?) — “…iPhone?”
    • …Самсунга? (…Samsunga?) — “…Samsung?”
  • Как пройти в вагон-ресторан? (Kak proyt’i v vagon-restoran?) — “How can I get to the restaurant-carriage?”
  • Где можно покурить? (Gde mozhno pokurit’?) — “Where could I smoke?”
    • Курить запрещено (Kurit’ zapreshcheno) — “Smoking is prohibited.” Usually, it’s prohibited to smoke on the trains, though people do it on stops outside.
  • Проводник (Provodnik) — “Train conductor.” The provodnik’s room is located at the beginning of each wagon. You can ask him any questions during your trip.The provodnik usually checks tickets, and provides bed-clothes and food if it’s included in your ticket. Most of the time, the provodnik reminds you in advance about your stop, but still be careful and in control about where you should get off the train yourself. You can also order a tea from provodnik, but be ready to pay for it:
    • Сколько стоит чай? (Skol’ko stoit chay?) — “How much does the tea cost?”
    • Зеленый чай (Zelyonyy chay) — “Green tea”
    • Черный чай (Chyornyy chay) — “Black tea”
  • Вагон (Vagon) — “Wagon.” You’ll probably buy a ticket for one of these types of wagons:
    • Плацкарт (Platskart) — “Open plan carriage.” This is the cheapest kind of carriage. Open plan coach has no separate rooms.
    • Купе (Kupe) — “Сompartment.” There are separate rooms in these. Each room in a compartment coach has four beds: two upper ones and two lower ones. Upper ones are usually cheaper because you need to be physically fit to climb into them.
    • СВ (Es Ve) — “Sleeping wagon.” This is the most expensive type. A sleeping wagon consists of separate rooms with two beds in each room.
  • Постельное белье (Postel’noye bel’yo) — “Bed-clothes.” When you’re booking the ticket, check if they provide the bed-clothes or not. If you plan to sleep during your trip, then it’s better to include it in your ticket. However, nobody will blame you if you bring and use your own bed-clothes or a sleeping bag to lower your travel expenses.

3. Shopping

Shopping with a Credit Card.

While you’re traveling, you may need to buy food from a shop, some souvenirs, or even hunt for great deals on clothes and other goods. This list has everything you need to know to feel comfortable while shopping:

  • Рубль (Rubl’) — “Ruble.” This is the Russian currency. Learn more about the Ruble in our short video.
  • Сколько это стоит? (Skol’ko eto stoit?) — “How much does it cost?”
  • Вы не могли бы сделать скидочку? (Vy ne mogli by sdelat’ skidochku?) — “Could you give me a discount?”
  • Что посоветуете? (Chto posovetuyete?) — “What would you recommend?”
  • Дайте, пожалуйста, это (Dayte, pozhaluysta, eto) — “Give me this, please.”
  • Картой можно оплатить? (Kartoy mozhno oplatit’?) — “Can I pay by card?”
    • If you travel to smaller cities, paying by credit card might not be an option. You may hear a Russian salesperson offer you: Можете перевести на Сбербанк (Mozhete perevesti na Sberbank) — “You could transfer money to Sberbank.” This means that you can make a wire transfer to a Russian bank account.
    • Sberbank is the most common bank in Russia. Please, note that if you transfer from a foreign bank account, the commission may be taken. Also, if you transfer from a Russian bank, whether Sberbank or another one, the commission might be taken as well. Please, carefully check this option with your bank in advance.
  • Оплата наличными? (Oplata nalichnymi?) — “Should I pay by cash?”

Talking about prices requires knowing Russian numbers. Learn how to count in Russian and how to use these numbers in shopping phrases in our article.

4. Restaurant Phrases

Communicating with a Waiter.

Eating local food in local restaurants is usually one a “must” during a trip. And you, for sure, don’t wanna miss trying out traditional Russian food. Of course, you might have food or beverage preferences, or just want to feel free when communicating with waiters, so our list with the most important phrases will come in handy:

  • Меню, пожалуйста (Menyu, pozhaluysta) — “Bring the menu, please.”
  • Мне, пожалуйста, это (Mne, pozhaluysta, eto) — “Give me this one, please. ” This way, you can smartly avoid pronouncing the name of the dish. Just point to the picture, to the menu item, or to the food on the shop window.
  • Воду, пожалуйста (Vodu, pozhaluysta) — “Craft beer.”
    • Вода с газом (Voda s gazom) — “Sparkling water, soda.”
    • Газированная вода (Gazirovannaya voda) — “Sparkling water, soda.”
    • Вода без газа (Voda bez gaza) — “Still water.”
    • Негазированная вода (Negazirovannaya voda) — S”till water.”
  • Пиво, пожалуйста (Pivo, pozhaluysta) — “Beer, please.”
    • Светлое пиво (Svetloye pivo) — “Light beer.”
    • Темное пиво (Tyomnoye pivo) — “Dark beer.”
    • Нефильтрованное пиво (Nefil’trovannoye pivo) — “Unfiltered beer.”
    • Крафтовое пиво (Kraftovoye pivo) — “Craft beer.”
  • Я вегетарианец (Ya vegetarianets) — “I’m a vegetarian.”
  • Я веган (Ya vegan) — “I am vegan.” Please, note that your waiter probably won’t know the difference between being a vegan and being a vegetarian. Check out the list of ingredients on the menu carefully, and if you order a salad, ask them to bring the sauce (dressing) separately, just in case: Соус отдельно, пожалуйста (Sous otdel’no, pozhaluysta) — “Bring the sauce separately, please.”
  • Я не ем мясо. Какие у вас блюда без мяса? (Ya ne yem myaso. Kakiye u vas blyuda bez myasa?) — “I don’t eat meat. Which dishes are without meat?”
  • У меня аллергия на… (U menya allergiya na…) — “I’m allergic to…”
  • Это очень вкусно! (Eto ochen’ vkusno!) — “It’s really tasty!”
  • Официант! (Ofitsiant!) — “Waiter!”
  • Посчитайте, пожалуйста (Poschitayte pozhaluysta) — “Bring the bill, please.” You’ll sound really “Russian” if you use this phrase. Literally, the translation is “Count, please.”
  • Счет, пожалуйста (Shchot, pozhaluysta) — “Bill, please.”
  • Оплата картой (Oplata kartoy) — “Payment by card.”
  • Оплата наличными (Oplata nalichnymi) — “Payment by cash.”

If you want to feel even more confident in a Russian restaurant, check out our restaurant vocabulary list.

5. Asking for and Giving Directions

Figuring out the Direction

Getting lost in a foreign country is a terrifying thing. That’s why it’s important to make sure to remember basic Russian expressions—or even print them out on paper in case your phone dies:

  • Где я? (Gde ya?) — “Where am I?”
  • Где находится… (Gde nakhoditsya…?) — “Where is… [location] located?”
  • Подскажите, пожалуйста, где ближайший туалет? (Podskazhite, pozhaluysta, gde blizhayshiy tualet?) — “Please, could you tell me where the nearest bathroom is?”
  • Как мне дойти до…? (Kak mne doyti do…?) — “How can I get to… [location]?”
  • Идите… (Idite…) — “Go…”
    • …прямо (pryamo) — “…straight”
    • …направо (napravo) — “…to the right”
    • …налево (nalevo) — “…to the left”
    • …туда (tuda) — “…that way”
    • …сюда (syuda) — “…this way”

If you feel like going into the wild—and we know that Russian wilderness can be amazingly beautiful and attractive for hiking-lovers—study our vocabulary list with direction words that will come in handy when you use the map.

6. Emergencies

Calling the Emergency Number.

The Russian emergency number is 112. The operator will redirect your call to the police, ambulance, fire brigade, gas alarm, or rescuers.

  • Помогите! (Pomogite) — “Help me!”
  • Спасите! (Spasite!) — “Save me!”
  • Пожар! (Pozhar!) — “Fire!”
  • Вызовите скорую! (Vyzovite skoruyu!) — “Call an ambulance!”
  • Здесь есть доктор? (Zdes’ yest’ doctor?) — “Is there a doctor?”
  • Я потерял свой паспорт (Ya poteryal svoy pasport) — “I’ve lost my passport.” (For a male.)

    • Я потеряла свой паспорт (Ya poteryalа svoy pasport) — “I’ve lost my passport.” (For a female.)
  • Я потерял свой кошелек (Ya poteryal svoy koshelyok) — “I’ve lost my purse.” (For a male.)
    • Я потеряла свой кошелек (Ya poteryalа svoy koshelyok) — “I’ve lost my purse.” (For a female.)

Study our vocabulary list with more words and phrases for emergency situations.

7. Flattery Phrases

Complimenting Russians is One of the Ways to Their Hearts.

When you travel in a foreign country, you’ll probably get a chance to make new Russian friends. Learn some phrases to leave a good first impression:

  • Мне нравятся русские (Mne nravyatsya russkiye) — “I like Russians.”
  • Я люблю русскую еду (Ya lyublyu russkuyu yedu) — “I love Russian food.”
  • Я люблю Россию (Ya lyublyu Rossiyu) — “I love Russia.”
  • Я хочу быть твоим другом (Ya khochu byt’ tvoim drugom) — “I wanna be your friend.”
  • У тебя есть Фейсбук или Инстаграм? (U tebya yest’ Feysbuk ili Instagram?) — “Do you have Facebook or Instagram?”

8. Useful Phrases to Go through Language Problems

Survival Phrases

Well, even if you’ve learned all the phrases above, in some situations, the phrase you need may disappear from your memory or you might not understand what that gloomy Russian is saying. Don’t worry, just use the following phrases:

  • Вы говорите по-английски? (Vy govorite po-angliyski?) — “Do you speak English?”
  • Я не понимаю (Ya ne ponimayu) — “I don’t understand.”
  • Вы не могли бы повторить? (Vy ne mogli by povtorit’?) — “Could you repeat, please?”
  • Пожалуйста, говорите помедленнее (Pozhaluysta, govorite pomedlenneye) — “Please, speak more slowly.”
  • Я не говорю по-русски (Ya ne govoryu po-russki) — “I don’t speak Russian.”
  • Напишите это, пожалуйста (Napishite eto, pozhaluysta) — “Write it down, please.”
  • Как это читается? (Kak eto chitayetsya?) — “How do you read this?”

9. Conclusion

We hope you now know why travel phrases, to learn Russian, are so vital. Travel phrases in Russian language learning provide you with helpful information for when you’re in a pinch, and also give you cultural context to make learning easier and more relevant!

Make sure that you return to the basic Russian words for tourists list and look through it one more time, as it’s the most important part of the article. Believe me, Russian people will be kinder to you once they understand that you’ve come prepared. Having some travel phrases in your Russian vocabulary is the first step to a good first impression.

Remember that knowing and using foreign words are totally different skills. Find a Russian-speaking language partner to practice or consider taking some lessons with our MyTeacher program for Russian-learners to start using the vocabulary for free and to feel more comfortable while you’re staying in Russia. Our teachers are native Russians and they’ll help you digest the most important and useful Russian phrases for tourists.

We wish you a great Russian journey that you’ll remember with excitement for a long time!

Log

How to Say Happy New Year in Russian & New Year Wishes

Learn all the Russian New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join RussianPod101 for a special Russian New Year celebration!

How to Say Happy New Year in Russian

Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March – December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated.

So, how do you say Happy New Year in Russian? Let a native teach you! At RussianPod101, you will learn how to correctly greet your friends over New Year, and wish them well with these Russian New Year wishes!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - How to Master A Language!

Table of Contents

  1. How to Celebrate New Year in Russia
  2. Must-Know Russian Words & Phrases for the New Year!
  3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions in Russian
  4. Inspirational New Year Quotes
  5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes
  6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages
  7. How RussianPod101 Can Help You Learn Russian

But let’s start with some vocabulary for Russian New Year celebrations, very handy for conversations.

1. How to Celebrate New Year in Russia

Do you know what holiday the Russian people like the most? It’s New Year’s Day which of course is celebrated on the evening of December 31. New Year’s Day is the largest, most significant holiday in Russia, and people start preparing for it as early as the middle of December. In this lesson, you will learn about traditions associated with celebrating New Year’s Day in Russia, as well as some well-known New Year’s omens.

Now, before we go into more detail, we’ve got a question for you- how many times do you think New Year’s Day is celebrated in Russia?

If you don’t already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep reading!

There is a Russian proverb that says “How you celebrate the New Year shows how the whole year will go.” In Russian, it’s “Как встретишь Новый год, так его и проведёшь.” It’s believed that the merrier and more joyful the New Year’s Day celebration is, the luckier and happier the next year will be. That is why everyone in Russia tries to celebrate New Year’s Day with their nearest and dearest. Many people like celebrating New Year’s Day with friends at a restaurant, while others may like going to a ski resort. But wherever you are, a big holiday tree is decorated in the main square in almost every city.

Almost all households set up a festive New Year spread which isn’t complete unless it includes Olivier salad, which is called “салат Оливье” in Russian, and champagne. As the saying goes, the more lavish the New Year spread is, the more prosperous the coming year will be, which is why the table is laden with numerous delicacies. People typically start sitting at their tables at 10 p.m., so they can raise a toast to the departing year. In the evening, the “Russia 1” TV channel shows the New Year’s Eve concert “Blue Flame” which in Russian is called “Голубой огонёк”. It’s also said that on New Year’s Eve, Grandfather Frost, or “Дед Мороз” and his granddaughter Snow White, or “Снегурочка” visit people’s houses and put presents under the New Year tree for kids. By the way, Grandfather Frost’s home is located in the city named “Великий Устюг”.

About ten minutes before the clocks strike midnight, the whole country listens to the President’s New Year speech. In Russian, it’s called “новогоднее поздравление Президента”. There is also a custom of making a wish while the Kremlin clock is chiming. After the last chime, people wish each other “Happy New Year” and clink glasses full of champagne. In Russian “Happy New Year” is “С Новым годом!”. People celebrate till morning, and the sounds of fireworks can be heard all night long.

Every year on New Year’s Eve, old Soviet movies are shown. The movie “The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!”, or “Ирония судьбы или с легким паром” has been shown every December 31 for more than twenty years.

So, coming back to our quiz, how many times do you think New Year’s Eve is celebrated in Russia?

Well, in fact, Russia is the only country in the world where New Year’s Eve is celebrated nine times. Because of its huge expanse, the territory of Russia includes nine time zones. The first ones to celebrate the New Year are the Кури́льские острова́ and Kamchatka, and the last one is Kaliningrad.

Happy New Year!

С Новым годом!
S Novym godam!

2. Must-Know Russian Words & Phrases for the New Year!

Russian Words & Phrases for the New Year

1- Year

год
god

This is pretty self-explanatory. Most countries follow a Gregorian calendar, which has approximately 365 days in a year, while in some cultures, other year designations are also honored. Therefore, New Year’s day in Russia could fall on a different day than in your country. When do you celebrate New Year?

2- Midnight

полночь
polnoch’

The point in time when a day ends and a new one starts. Many New Year celebrants prefer to stay awake till midnight, and greet the new annum as it breaks with fanfare and fireworks!

3- New Year’s Day

Новый год
Novyy got

In most countries, the new year is celebrated for one whole day. On the Gregorian calendar, this falls on January 1st. On this day, different cultures engage in festive activities, like parties, parades, big meals with families and many more.

You can do it!

4- Party

вечеринка
vecherinka

A party is most people’s favorite way to end the old year, and charge festively into the new one! We celebrate all we accomplished in the old year, and joyfully anticipate what lies ahead.

5- Dancing

танец
tanets

Usually, when the clock strikes midnight and the New Year officially begins, people break out in dance! It is a jolly way to express a celebratory mood with good expectations for the year ahead. Also, perhaps, that the old year with its problems has finally passed! Dance parties are also a popular way to spend New Year’s Eve in many places.

6- Champagne

шампанское
shampanskoye

Originating in France, champagne is a bubbly, alcoholic drink that is often used to toast something or someone during celebrations.

7- Fireworks

салют
salyut

These are explosives that cause spectacular effects when ignited. They are popular for announcing the start of the new year with loud noises and colorful displays! In some countries, fireworks are set off to scare away evil spirits. In others, the use of fireworks is forbidden in urban areas due to their harmful effect on pets. Most animals’ hearing is much more sensitive than humans’, so this noisy display can be very frightful and traumatising to them.

Happy Near Year!

8- Countdown

отсчёт времени
atshchot vremeni

This countdown refers to New Year celebrants counting the seconds, usually backward, till midnight, when New Year starts – a great group activity that doesn’t scare animals, and involves a lot of joyful shouting when the clock strikes midnight!

9- New Year’s Holiday

Новогодние каникулы
Novogodniye kanikuly

In many countries, New Year’s Day is a public holiday – to recuperate from the party the previous night, perhaps! Families also like to meet on this day to enjoy a meal and spend time together.

10- Confetti

конфети
kanfeti

In most Western countries, confetti is traditionally associated with weddings, but often it is used as a party decoration. Some prefer to throw it in the air at the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve.

11- New Year’s Eve

Канун Нового года
Kanun Novogo goda

This is the evening before New Year breaks at midnight! Often, friends and family meet for a party or meal the evening before, sometimes engaging in year-end rituals. How are you planning to give your New Year greetings in 2018?

12- Toast

тост
tost

A toast is a type of group-salutation that involves raising your glass to drink with others in honor of something or someone. A toast to the new year is definitely in order!

13- Resolution

резолюция
rezolyutsiya

Those goals or intentions you hope to, but seldom keep in the new year! Many people consider the start of a new year to be the opportune time for making changes or plans. Resolutions are those intentions to change, or the plans. It’s best to keep your resolutions realistic so as not to disappoint yourself!

14- Parade

парад
parad

New Year celebrations are a huge deal in some countries! Parades are held in the streets, often to celebratory music, with colorful costumes and lots of dancing. Parades are like marches, only less formal and way more fun. At RussianPod101, you can engage in forums with natives who can tell you what Russian New Year celebrations are like!

3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions

So, you learned the Russian word for ‘resolution’. Fabulous! Resolutions are those goals and intentions that we hope to manifest in the year that lies ahead. The beginning of a new year serves as a good marker in time to formalise these. Some like to do it in writing, others only hold these resolutions in their hearts. Here are our Top 10 New Year’s resolutions at RussianPod101 – what are yours?

Learn these phrases and impress your Russian friends with your vocabulary.

New Year's Resolutions

1- Read more

Больше читать.
Bol’she chitat’.

Reading is a fantastic skill that everyone can benefit from. You’re a business person? Apparently, successful business men and women read up to 60 books a year. This probably excludes fiction, so better scan your library or Amazon for the top business reads if you plan to follow in the footsteps of the successful! Otherwise, why not make it your resolution to read more Russian in the new year? You will be surprised by how much this will improve your Russian language skills!

2- Spend more time with family

Проводить больше времени с семьёй.
Pravadit’ bol’she vremeni s sem’yoy.

Former US President George Bush’s wife, Barbara Bush, was quoted as having said this: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, a parent.” This is very true! Relationships are often what gives life meaning, so this is a worthy resolution for any year.

3- Lose weight

Похудеть.
Pakhudet’.

Hands up, how many of you made this new year’s resolution last year too…?! This is a notoriously difficult goal to keep, as it takes a lot of self discipline not to eat unhealthily. Good luck with this one, and avoid unhealthy fad diets!

4- Save money

Накопить денег.
Nakapit’ denek.

Another common and difficult resolution! However, no one has ever been sorry when they saved towards reaching a goal. Make it your resolution to save money to upgrade your subscription to RussianPod101’s Premium PLUS option in the new year – it will be money well spent!

5- Quit smoking

Бросить курить.
Brosit’ kurit’.

This is a resolution that you should definitely keep, or your body could punish you severely later! Smoking is a harmful habit with many hazardous effects on your health. Do everything in your power to make this resolution come true in the new year, as your health is your most precious asset.

6- Learn something new

Выучить что-то новое.
Vyuchit’ shto-ta novaye.

Science has proven that learning new skills can help keep brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay! It can even slow down the progression of the disease. So, keep your brain healthy by learning to speak a new language, studying towards a qualification, learning how to sew, or how to play chess – no matter how old you are, the possibilities are infinite!

7- Drink less

Меньше пить.
Men’she pit’.

This is another health resolution that is good to heed any time of the year. Excessive drinking is associated with many diseases, and its effect can be very detrimental to good relationships too. Alcohol is a poison and harmful for the body in large quantities!

8- Exercise regularly

Регулярно заниматься спортом.
Regulyarna zanimatsa sportam.

This resolution goes hand-in-hand with ‘Lose weight’! An inactive body is an unhealthy and often overweight one, so give this resolution priority in the new year.

9- Eat healthy

Кушать здоровую пищу.
Kushat’ zdarovuyu pishchu.

If you stick with this resolution, you will lose weight and feel better in general. It is a very worthy goal to have!

10- Study Russian with RussianPod101

учить русский язык с RussianPod101.com
uchit` ruskiy yazyk s RussianPod101.com

Of course! You can only benefit from learning Russian, especially with us! Learning how to speak Russian can keep your brain healthy, it can widen your circle of friends, and improve your chances to land a dream job anywhere in the world. RussianPod101 makes it easy and enjoyable for you to stick to this resolution.

4. Inspirational New Year Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

Everyone knows that it is sometimes very hard to stick to resolutions, and not only over New Year. The reasons for this vary from person to person, but all of us need inspiration every now and then! A good way to remain motivated is to keep inspirational quotes near as reminders that it’s up to us to reach our goals.

Click here for quotes that will also work well in a card for a special Russian new year greeting!

Make decorative notes of these in Russian, and keep them close! Perhaps you could stick them above your bathroom mirror, or on your study’s wall. This way you not only get to read Russian incidentally, but also remain inspired to reach your goals! Imagine feeling like giving up on a goal, but reading this quote when you go to the bathroom: “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” What a positive affirmation!

5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes

Language Learning Quotes

Still undecided whether you should enroll with RussianPod101 to learn a new language? There’s no time like the present to decide! Let the following Language Learning Quotes inspire you with their wisdom.

Click here to read the most inspirational Language Learning Quotes!

As legendary President Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” So, learning how to say Happy New Year in Russian could well be a way into someone special’s heart for you! Let this year be the one where you to learn how to say Happy New Year, and much more, in Russian – it could open many and unexpected doors for you.

6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages

Here’s a lovely bonus for you! Why stop with Russian – learn how to say Happy New Year in 31 other languages too! Watch this video and learn how to pronounce these New Year’s wishes like a native in under two minutes.

7. Why Enrolling with RussianPod101 Would Be the Perfect New Year’s Gift to Yourself!

If you are unsure how to celebrate the New Year, why not give yourself a huge gift, and enroll to learn Russian! With more than 12 years of experience behind us, we know that RussianPod101 would be the perfect fit for you. There are so many reasons for this!

Learning Paths

  • Custom-tailored Learning Paths: Start learning Russian at the level that you are. We have numerous Learning Pathways, and we tailor them just for you based on your goals and interests! What a boon!
  • Marked Progress and Fresh Learning Material Every Week: We make new lessons available every week, with an option to track your progress. Topics are culturally appropriate and useful, such as “Learning how to deliver negative answers politely to a business partner.” Our aim is to equip you with Russian that makes sense!
  • Multiple Learning Tools: Learn in fun, easy ways with resources such 1,000+ video and audio lessons, flashcards, detailed PDF downloads, and mobile apps suitable for multiple devices!
  • Fast Track Learning Option: If you’re serious about fast-tracking your learning, Premium Plus would be the perfect way to go! Enjoy perks such as personalised lessons with ongoing guidance from your own, native-speaking teacher, and one-on-one learning on your mobile app! You will not be alone in your learning. Weekly assignments with non-stop feedback, answers and corrections will ensure speedy progress.
  • Fun and Easy: Keeping the lessons fun and easy-to-learn is our aim, so you will stay motivated by your progress!

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There’s no reason not to go big in 2018 by learning Russian with RussianPod101. Just imagine how the world can open up for you!

How to Say ‘Merry Christmas’ in Russian

How to Say Merry Christmas in Russian

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Russian? RussianPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of Russian Christmas phrases!

Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native Russian speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas phrases and vocabulary, RussianPod101 will teach you the most important ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Russian!

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Table of Contents

  1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Russia
  2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes
  3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary
  4. Twelve Days of Christmas
  5. Top 10 Christmas Characters
  6. How RussianPod101 Can Help You

1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Russia

Christmas Words in Russian

Did you know that in Russia people don’t give presents for Christmas? Let’s discuss how people celebrate Christmas in Russia.

Now, before we go into more detail, I’ve got a question for you – why is Christmas in Russia celebrated on January 7 and not on December 25?

If you don’t already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep reading.

Christmas, or as it’s known in Russian Рождество (Razdestvo), is actually observed in Russia on January 7. It’s a state holiday and a day off. As is the same in all Christian nations, Christmas in Russia is a celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ. In Russian, Jesus Christ is called Иисус Христос (Iisus Khristos).

Christmas in Russia is a warm, family-centric holiday which most Russian people try to spend at home. In Russia, It’s not customary to give each other presents for Christmas, there is no Santa Claus, and people don’t especially decorate a Christmas tree. On this holy day, a great number of people attend celebratory church services, make confessions, and receive communion. It’s customary to serve Russian food on a festive table, pork dishes such as aspic or холодец (Khaladets) in Russian, homemade sausages, and ragout.

The day before Christmas is called Сочельник (Sachel’nik), which means Christmas Eve. The word сочельник meaning “Christmas Eve” comes from the word сочиво (sochiva). Сочиво (sochiva) is a meatless porridge made from wheat with a little honey added. It’s customary to make twelve meatless dishes for Christmas Eve, among which there should be sochiva, a porridge made from wheat, millet, rice or other grains with added poppy seeds, walnuts, raisins, and honey. Tradition dictates that all twelve dishes must be sampled, but none should be eaten completely in order to ensure that there will always be prosperity in the family.

On Christmas Eve, the Orthodox churches are decorated with a Nativity scene including small models of Bethlehem Cave. In Russian, the Bethlehem Cave is called Вифлеемская пещера (Vifleyemskaya peshchera) with small figures inside. The Nativity scene depicts the birth of Christ. The main decorations of the Nativity scene are the manger with the baby Jesus, the Virgin Mary, or Дева Мария (Deva Maria), and Joseph, or Иосиф (Iosif).

In Russia, the tradition of Christmas divinations has been preserved right up until this day. Divinations made on the night of January 6 are considered the most accurate and truthful. On that night, young maidens request divinations about who their betrothed will be and when they will find love.

So then, why is Christmas celebrated on January 7 and not on December 25 in Russia?

It’s all because of the calendar. The Russian orthodox church uses the Julian calendar, or “The old calendar”. December 25th on the Julian calendar corresponds to January 7th on the Gregorian calendar.

2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes for the Holiday Season

Holiday Greetings and Wishes

1- Merry Christmas!

Счастливого Рождества!
Schastlivogo Rozhdestva!

Do you know how to say ‘Merry Christmas’ in Russian? Learn here how to pronounce it perfectly! ‘Merry’ means to be joyful, to celebrate and generally be in good spirits. So, with this phrase you are wishing someone a joyful, celebratory remembrance of Christ’s birth!

2- Happy Kwanzaa!

Счастливой Кванзы!
Schastlivoy Kvanzy!

Surprise your African-American, or West African native friends with this phrase over the Christmas holidays! Kwanzaa is a seven-day, non-religious celebration, starting on Dec 26th each year. It has its roots in African American modern history, and many people celebrate both Kwanzaa and Christmas!

3- Have a happy New Year!

Счастливого Нового года!
Schastlivogo Novogo goda!

In countries where Christmas is not officially celebrated, but a Gregorian calendar is observed, this would be a friendly festive-season wish over New Year.

4- Happy Hanukkah!

Счастливой Хануки!
Schastlivoy Khanuki!

Hanukkah is the beautiful Hebrew festival over November or December each year. It is also called the ‘Festival of Lights’ and is celebrated to commemorate the Jewish freedom of religion.

5- Have a great winter vacation!

Весёлых зимних каникул!
Vesolykh zimnikh kanikul!

This is a good phrase to keep handy if someone doesn’t observe any religious festival over the Christmas holidays! However, this will only be applicable in the Northern hemisphere, where it is winter over Christmas.

6- See you next year!

Увидимся в новом году!
Uvidimsya v novom godu!

Going away on holiday over Christmas season, or saying goodbye to someone about to leave on vacation? This would be a good way to say goodbye to your friends and family.

7- Warm wishes!

тёплые пожелания!
toplyye pozhelaniya!

An informal, friendly phrase to write in Russian Christmas cards, especially for secular friends who prefer to observe Christmas celebrations without the religious symbolism. It conveys the warmth of friendship and friendly wishes associated with this time of year.

8- Happy holidays!

Весёлых праздников! Весёлых праздников!
Vesyolykh praznikaf!

If you forget how to say ‘Merry Christmas!’ in Russian, this is a safe, generic phrase to use instead.

9- Enjoy the holidays!

Наслаждайтесь праздниками!
Naslazhdaytes’ prazdnikami!

After saying ‘Merry Christmas’ in Russian, this would be a good phrase with which to wish Christmas holiday-goers well! It is also good to use for secular friends who don’t celebrate Christmas but take a holiday at this time of the year.

10- Best wishes for the New Year!

Всего самого лучшего в Новом году!
Vsevo samava luchsheva v Novam gadu!

This is another way of wishing someone well in the New Year if they observe a Gregorian calendar. New Year’s day would then fall on January 1st.

3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary

Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary

Christmas is associated with many traditions and religious symbols in multiple countries across the world. It originated centuries ago in the West with the birth of Christianity, and the celebrations are often embedded with rich cultural significance. So, by now you know how to say Merry Christmas in Russian! Next, learn pertinent vocabulary and phrases pertaining to Christmas, as well as how to pronounce them correctly. At RussianPod101, we make sure you sound like a native speaker!

1- Christmas

Рождество
Rozhdestvo

This is the Russian word for ‘Christmas’. Most happy Christmas wishes in Russian will include this word!

2- Snow

снеговик
snegovik

In most Northern-hemisphere countries, Christmas is synonymous with snow, and for Christmas, the snowman is often dressed as Santa Claus.

3- Snowflake

снежинка
snezhynka

Snowflakes collectively make up snow. A single snowflake is small, white, light like a feather and icy cold! When put under a microscope, the snowflake reveals itself to have the most beautiful, symmetrical patterns. These patterns have become popular Christmas decorations, especially in Western countries.

4- Snowman

снеговик
snegovik

As you guessed – a snowman is only possible to build if it is snowing! What a fun way to spend Christmas day outside.

5- Turkey

индейка
indeyka

Roast turkey is the traditional main dish on thousands of lunch tables on Christmas day, mainly in Western countries. What is your favorite Christmas dish?

6- Wreath

гирлянда
girlyanda

Another traditional Western decoration for Christmas, the wreath is an arrangement of flowers, leaves, or stems fastened in a ring. Many families like to hang a Christmas wreath outside on their houses’ front doors.

7- Reindeer

северный олень
severnyy olen’

Reindeer are the animals commonly fabled to pull Santa Claus’ sled across the sky! Western Christmas folklore tells of Father Christmas or Santa Claus doing the rounds with his sled, carrying Christmas presents for children, and dropping them into houses through the chimney. But who is Santa Claus?

8- Santa Claus

Санта Клаус
Santa Klaus

Santa Claus is a legendary and jolly figure originating in the Western Christian culture. He is known by many names, but is traditionally depicted as a rotund man wearing a red costume with a pointy hat, and sporting a long, snow-white beard!

9- Elf

эльф
el’f

An elf is a supernatural creature of folklore with pointy ears, a dainty, humanoid body and a capricious nature. Elves are said to help Santa Claus distribute presents to children over Christmas!

10- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

оленёнок Рудольф
olenyonok Rudol’f

‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ is a Christmas song based on an American children’s story book with the same name. Rudolph is one of Santa’s reindeer. The song became more famous than the book, and can still be heard playing in many shopping malls over Christmas time across the globe!

11- North Pole

Северный полюс
Severnyy polyus

The cold North Pole is where Santa Claus is reputed to live with his reindeer!

12- Sled

санки
sanki

A sled is a non-motorised land vehicle used to travel over snow in countries where it snows a lot, and is usually pulled by animals such as horses, dogs or reindeer. This one obviously refers to Santa’s sled! Another word for sled is sleigh or sledge.

13- Present

подарок
podarok

Gift or present giving is synonymous with Christmas Eve and the greatest source of joy for children over this festive time! This tradition signifies that Christ’s birth was a gift to mankind, but not all people who hand out presents over Christmas observe the religious meaning.

14- Bell

колокол
kolokol

On Christmas Day, or Christmas Eve, many religious celebrants enjoy going to church for a special sermon and Christmas rituals. The start of the sermon is often announced with bells or a bell, if the church has one. For this reason, the sound of ringing bells is often associated with Christmas Day.

15- Chimney

труба
truba

The chimney is the entrance Santa Claus uses to deliver children’s presents on Christmas Day, according to folklore! Wonder how the chubby man and his elves stay clean…?!

16- Fireplace

камин
kamin

In most countries where it snows, Christmas is synonymous with a fire or burning embers in houses’ fireplaces. Families huddle around its warmth while opening Christmas presents. Also, this is where Santa Claus is reputed to pop out after his journey down the chimney!

17- Christmas Day

Рождество Христово
Razhdestvo Khristova

This is the official day of commemorative celebration of Christ’s birth, and falls each year on December 25.

18- Decoration

украшение
ukrasheniye

Decorations are the colourful trinkets and posters that make their appearance in shops and homes during the Christmas holiday season in many countries! They give the places a celebratory atmosphere in anticipation of the big Christmas celebration. Typical Christmas decorations include colorful photographs and posters, strings of lights, figurines of Santa Claus and the nativity scene, poinsettia flowers, snowflakes and many more.

19- Stocking

чулок
chulok

According to legend, Santa Claus places children’s presents in a red stocking hanging over the fireplace. This has also become a popular decoration, signifying Christmas.

20- Holly

падуб
padub

Holly is a shrub native to the UK, and parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. It is characterised by glossy, spiny-toothed leaves, small, whitish flowers, and red berries. Ironically, its significance for Christmas relates to Christ’s crucifixion and suffering rather than his birth. However, the leaves’ distinctive shape and image have become popular Christmas decorations.

21- Gingerbread house

пряничный домик
pryanichnyy domik

According to legend, the gingerbread house synonymous with Christmas is related to Christ’s birth place, Bethlehem. Bethlehem literally means ‘House of Bread’. Over centuries, it has become a popular treat over Christmas time in many non-religious households as well.

22- Candy cane

леденец
ledenets

According to folklore, Christmas candy canes made their appearance first in Germany in the 16th century. A choir master gave children the candy canes to suck on in church in order to keep them quiet during the Christmas sermon! Apparently, the candy is shaped like a cane in remembrance of the shepherds who were the first to visit the baby Jesus. Today, like gingerbread houses, they are still a popular sweet over the festive season!

23- Mistletoe

омела
omela

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on certain trees. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the mistletoe has magical powers, and could protect a household from evil if hung above a door during December. The belief didn’t last but the habit did, and the mistletoe is another popular Christmas decoration!

4. Twelve Days of Christmas

Twelve Days of Christmas

Wow, you’re doing extremely well! You know how to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Russian, and you learned pertinent vocabulary too! The Twelve Days of Christmas is not very well known in modern times, so, you’re on your way to becoming an expert in Christmas traditions and rituals. Well done!

The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a traditional festive period of 12 days dedicated to celebrate the nativity of Christ. Christmas Day is, for many who observe Twelvetide, the first day of this period.

‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ is also a popular Christmas song about a series of gifts given on each day of Twelvetide. According to experts, these gifts were created as a coded reference to important symbols in the Christian church. Here is a list of those gifts mentioned in the song! Do you recognise them?

5. Top 10 Christmas Characters in American Culture

Top 10 Christmas Characters

This is fantastic, you know how to explain almost everything about Christmas in Russian! However, do you know the most popular Christmas characters in American culture? Your knowledge will not be complete without this list.

6. RussianPod101 Is One Of The Best Online Language Schools Available!

Visit RussianPod101!

We don’t just say this – we can prove it! Geared to your personal needs and goals, we have several learning paths from which to choose. From Russian for Absolute Beginners to Advanced Russian, lessons are designed to meet you where you are, and increase your language abilities in fun, easy and interactive lessons! Mastering a new language has never been this easy or enjoyable.

We have over a decade of experience and research behind us, and it shows! With thousands of audio and video lessons, detailed PDF lessons and notes, as well as friendly, knowledgeable hosts, RussianPod101 is simply unbeatable when it comes to learning correct Russian. Plenty of tools and resources are available when you study with us. New lessons are added every week so material remains fresh and relevant. You also have the option to upgrade and enjoy even more personalised guidance and services. This is a sure way to fast-track your learning!

So, this Christmas, why don’t you give yourself a present and enroll in RussianPod101? Or give an enrollment as a present to a loved one. It will be a gift with benefits for a whole lifetime, not just over Christmas!

How To Say ‘Thank you’ in Russian

How to Say Thank You in Russian

In most cultures, it is custom to express gratitude in some way or another. The dictionary defines gratitude as follows: it is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Giving a sincere, thankful response to someone’s actions or words is often the ‘glue’ that keeps relationships together. This is true in most societies! Doing so in a foreign country also shows your respect and appreciation for the culture. Words have great power – use these ones sincerely and often!

Table of Contents

  1. 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Russian
  2. Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes
  3. Infographic & Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases – Thank You
  4. Video Lesson: ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages
  5. How RussianPod101 Can Help You

So, how do you say ‘Thank you’ in Russian? You can learn easily! Below, RussianPod101 brings you perfect translations and pronunciation as you learn the most common ways Russian speakers say ‘Thanks’ in various situations.

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1. 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Russian

1- Thank you.

Спасибо.
Spasibo.

The magical words that can bring a smile to any face. For one day, truly mean it whenever you say these words, and see how this lifts your spirit too!

2- That’s very kind of you.

Это очень мило с Вашей стороны.
Eta ochen’ mila s Vashey starany.

This phrase is appropriate when someone clearly goes out of their way to give good service, or to offer you a kindness.

3- Thanks for your kind words!

Спасибо за добрые слова!
Spasiba za dobryye slava!

Someone paid you a compliment and made you feel good? That is kind of him/her, so express your gratitude!

4- Thank you for coming today.

Спасибо за то, что пришли сегодня.
Spasiba za to, shto prishli sevodnya.

This welcoming phrase should be part of your arsenal if you’re conducting more formal meetings with Russian speakers. If you’re hosting a party, this is also a good phrase when you greet your Russian guests!

5- Thank you for your consideration.

Спасибо, что уделили внимание.
Spasiba, shto udelili vnimaniye.

This is a more formal, almost solemn way to thank someone for their thoughtfulness and sensitivity towards you. It is also suitable to use when a native speaker has to consider something you submit, like a job application, a project or a proposal. You are thanking them, in essence, for time and effort they are about to, or have spent on your submission.

6- Thanks a lot!

Большое спасибо!
Bal’shoye spasiba!

This means the same as ‘Thank you’, but with energy and enthusiasm added! It means almost the same as ‘thank you so much’ in Russian. Use this in an informal setting with your Russian friends or teachers.

7- Teachers like you are not easy to find.

Такого учителя, как Вы, непросто найти.
Takova uchitelya, kak Vy, neprosta nayti.

Some phrases are compliments, which express gratitude by inference. This is one of them. If you’re particularly impressed with your RussianPod101 teacher, this is an excellent phrase to memorize!

8- Thank you for spending time with us.

Спасибо, что уделили нам время.
Spasiba, shto udelili nam vremya.

Any host at a gathering with Russian speakers, such as a meeting or a party, should have this under his/her belt! Use it when you’re saying goodbye or busy closing a meeting. It could also be another lovely way to thank your Russian language teacher for her time.

9- Thank you for being patient and helping me improve.

Благодарю Вас за терпение и за то, что помогаете мне становиться лучше.
Blagadaryu Vas za terpeniye i za to, shto pamagayete mne stanavitsa luchshe.

This phrase is another sure way to melt any formal or informal Russian teacher’s heart! Teaching is not easy, and often a lot of patience is required from the teacher. Thank him/her for it! It’s also a good phrase to use if you work in Russia, and want to thank your trainer or employer. You will go a long way towards making yourself a popular employee – gratitude is the most attractive trait in any person!

10- You’re the best teacher ever!

Вы самый лучший учитель!
Vy samyy luchshyy uchitel’!

This is also an enthusiastic way to thank your teacher by means of a compliment. It could just make their day!

11- Thank you for the gift.

Спасибо за подарок.
Spasiba za padarak.

This is a good phrase to remember when you’re the lucky recipient of a gift. Show your respect and gratitude with these words.

12- I have learned so much thanks to you.

Я так много узнал благодаря Вам.
Ya tak mnoga uznal blagadarya Vam.

What a wonderful compliment to give a good teacher! It means they have succeeded in their goal, and you’re thankful for it.

2. Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes

Wherever your destination maybe, manners are a must! And in this respect, Russia is no different.

1- спасибо. Spasiba
In Russian “Thank you” is spasiba. Now in Russian there are other ways to express one’s gratitude. There are more formal and more casual ways to do this.

2- Большое спасибо. Bol’shoye spasibo
You can emphasize spasiba by adding bol’shoy which means “big”. Bol’shoy spasibo literally means “Big thank you” and is the equivalent of “Thank you very much” in English.

3- Благодарю Вас. Blagadaryu vas
For very special occasions when someone goes above and beyond the call of being kind, when someone is extremely generous, or for any other time you’re extremely grateful, we have the following phrase to express extreme gratitude: Blagadaryu vas. The first word blagadaryu means “(I am) thankful.” It is followed by the polite “you” which in Russian is vy but in this sentence we use vas. So in English it would be something like “I am grateful (thankful) to you”.

To reproduce the Russian consonant “r” in blagadaryu you should roll your “r”‘s. The Russian “r” resembles the Italian or Spanish ones, but even if you don’t roll it properly you will be easily understood anyway.

Cultural Insights

Please do know that in Russian there are two ways of referring to people: formal and informal.

So let’s start first with the polite form. The polite equivalent of the English “you” is vy in Russian. This polite word contains a sound that does not exist in English and is transcribed by the letter “y” but please don’t worry; I will teach you how to produce this sound. Open your mouth as if you were preparing to pronounce the sound “a” in the word “able” and holding the same open position of your mouth try to reproduce the sound “ee” like in the word “if”. Doing it this way you will achieve the desired sound “y” which is present in vy. Please note the same letter “y” will be also used to show the short “ee” sound and after some consonants in order to soften them.

We use vy when we want to show respect to the other person or when the context requires formality. For instance, when meeting someone for the first time, at a shop, at work, with a professor, or with an older person. However, vy is not always required when you meet someone for the first time if the setting is casual, say at a party with people of your own age.

Younger people, especially, are using vy less and less.They often speak directly inty with each other and even their grandparents. So ty is the informal equivalent of “you”.The sound “y” here is the same as vy. We use ty in contexts where we know the person personally and the environment is casual. People of one’s own age, classmates, family, and friends are such people. At home, at school, friendly social settings are such contexts. Ty is the most common form of “you” that you will hear, so don’t feel nervous about using it.

Not many Russians know that the origin of the word spasiba came from two words, spasi which means “save” and Bog which means “God”. So the meaning of it is “May God keep you safe!” which was an old way of expressing gratitude. So surprise your Russian friends by asking them the origin of the word spasiba!

On the run to Russia? Wait! You can’t go without some basic language phrases under your belt! Especially if you’re heading to meet your prospective employer! Either in person or online, knowing how to say ‘Thank you’ in the Russian language will only improve their impression of you! RussianPod101 saves you time with this short lesson that nevertheless packs a punch. Learn to say ‘Thank you’ in Russian in no time!

3. Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases – Thank You

5 Ways to Say Thank You in Russian

Perhaps you think it’s unimportant that you don’t know what ‘Thank you’ is in Russian, or that it’s too difficult a language to learn. Yet, as a traveler or visitor, you will be surprised at how far you can go using a little bit of Russian in Russia!

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At RussianPod101, we offer you a few ways of saying ‘Thank you’ in Russian that you have no excuse not knowing, as they’re so simple and easy to learn. The lesson is geared to aid your ‘survival’ in formal and informal situations in Russia, so don’t wait! You will never have to google ‘How do you say thanks in Russian’ again…!

4. ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages

For the global traveler in a hurry, here are 31 ways to say ‘Thank you’! These are the first words you need to learn in any foreign language – it is sure to smooth your way with native speakers by showing your gratitude for services rendered, and your respect for their culture! Learn and know how to correctly say ‘Thank you’ in 31 different languages in this short video.

5. Why would RussianPod101 be the perfect choice to learn Russian?

However, you need not stop at ‘Thank you’ in Russian – why not learn to speak the language?! You have absolutely nothing to lose. Research has shown that learning a new language increases intelligence and combats brain-aging. Also, the ability to communicate with native speakers in their own language is an instant way to make friends and win respect! Or imagine you know how to write ‘Thank you’ to that special Russian friend after a date…he/she will be so impressed!

Thank You

RussianPod101 Has Special Lessons, Tools and Resources to Teach You How to Say Thank You and Other Key Phrases

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Best of all is that you’re never alone! We believe that practice is the holy grail of learning any new language, and we gear our courses to ensure lots of it. Enroll with us, and you gain immediate access to our lively forum where we meet and greet, and discuss your burning questions. Our certified teachers are friendly and helpful, and you are very likely to practice your first ‘Thanks!’ in Russian on him/her, AND mean it! Hurry up, and sign up now – you will thank us for it.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year From RussianPod101.com!

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