If you’re unsure though, I recommend you only say it to those that you’d otherwise address with the informal “you” (ты). Back to being realistic, when meeting your friend in Russia you can also say Здравствуй , which is a shorter and informal version for Здравствуйте . However, this is a singular form and can only be addressed to one person. This is the most common phrase to say when parting ways in Russia.
It is not uncommon to find the expression “Дóброй нóчи! ” (translating to “Good night”) as a greeting on Russian language blogs, but this is not correct. Use “Дóбрый вéчер” to greet Russians in the evening and “Дóброй нóчи” only to wish somebody a good night or say goodbye in the evening. While the literal meaning of this expression is “be healthy” in the imperative mood, Russians commonly use it as a way to say “Hello”. It is suitable for most everyday situations and is considered to be Russian for “hello”. If you would like to greet your local grocery store owner, for example, “Здрáвствуйте!
Good manners are important, especially when you’re speaking in a language you don’t know very well. If you pepper your conversation with polite words and phrases, native speakers will have more patience with you. Learning how to say “hello” and introduce yourself is an important skill if you plan on traveling to an area where the language is spoken.
Use these formal greetings in the same situations as “Здравствуйте”, choosing your greeting depending on the time of day – morning, day, or evening. As a language learner, use вы (and therefore, Здравствуйте or another formal greeting) with everyone how do i say hi in russian at first. If you’re being too formal, then you can always switch to ты when the other person asks. This popular greeting means, of course, “hello”. It is a familiar and informal word to be used in casual settings, with friends or family.
Interestingly, if you’d meet someone at 1AM, you’d still say this. There is a word for good night, but it’s exclusively used to wish someone a good night’s sleep. Fun – some Russian greetings are a bit wacky or said more of a joke.
You can hardly go wrong with one of the following Russian greetings, be it in the street or in a circle of same-age individuals who speak Russian. For greetings, depending on the time of day, the same rules apply as in English. There is no distinction between official and colloquial use. It is also used to greet friends and close one and it’s very colloquial and non-standard, probably deriving from the French ‘salut’. The word “привет” (pronounced privièt) is the most common way to say “hi” in Russian and the one you want to stick with to play it safe.
These informal, slang phrases are reserved for close friends and are often used for online communication. On the contrary, most Russians will appreciate it a lot that you’re taking the time and effort to learn Russian. Even if you’re just for a week in Russia as a tourist, it’s still great to know a couple of basic phrases. Or if you’d like to surprise people, try some of these Russian words.
If you’re not a native Russian speaker (and if you’re here, I guess you aren’t), don’t be too confused by all the different phrases on this page. They’re merely here so you can surprise your Russian friends. The following phrases are best used when you know someone well, or with friends.
До завтра literally means “until tomorrow”. So if you’re seeing someone again tomorrow, this is the easiest way to say bye to them. This is the most common way of quickly saying “bye” in Russian. Just like in English, you can also say Пока twice, as in Пока Пока, to say “bye-bye”.
The Russian language is kind of a big deal in the global scene — statistically speaking. Here’s a numerical case for why you might want to put some Russki in your back pocket. It’s very helpful, please continue this type of subject for learning.