Basic Russian Greetings & Easy Phrases

You know what never goes out of style? Learning basic phrases in your target language. If that target language is Russian, then yes—learning basics never goes out of style. Mastering these commonly used phrases is a fantastic foundation for your journey toward Russian fluency.

As you know, basic phrases are used in almost every conversation. Whether you're answering a "yes or no" question, greeting someone hello, bidding farewell, or even just asking where the bathroom is.

These are essential phrases for a reason—they are the building blocks for both locals and learners alike. So, instead of dilly-dallying, here’s a short list of essentials you need to learn in Russian.

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Essential Russian Phrases & Greetings

• good morning: доброе утро (do-bro-ye ut-ro)
• good day / afternoon: добрый день (do-bryy den)
• good evening: добрый вечер (do-bryy ve-cher)
• good night: доброй ночи (do-broy no-chi)
• hello / hi: привет (pri-vyet)
• bye: пока (pa-ka)
• goodbye: до свидания (da svee-dan-ya)
• see you soon: до скорого (da sko-ro-go)
• thank you: спасибо (spa-see-ba)
• thank you very much: спасибо большое (spa-see-ba bol-sho-yeh)
• you’re welcome / please: пожалуйста (po-zhals-ta)
• excuse me: извините (eez-vee-nee-teh)
• yes: да (da)
• no: нет (nyet)
• maybe: может быть (mo-zhet byt)
• I love you: я тебя люблю (ya teb-ya lyu-blyu)
• how are you: как дела (kak de-la)
• can I pay by credit card: можно заплатить кредитной карточкой
• where is the toilet: где туалет (g-de tu-ah-let)