Learning Russian

Russian Lessons

If you are really serious about learning the language then it is worth finding yourself a good Russian teacher and having classes once a week or more. You may even want to take a one or two week intensive course to get you started when you arrive. Beginners should look for a teacher who knows English, while those of intermediate level or above will benefit more from classes held solely in Russian.

 1. Moscow State University run very good Russian language programmes.

 2. There are also a number of specialist language schools offering Russian classes, such as Language Link , LSI and RUSLANGUAGE .

Learning Russian is also a great way to meet new expats in a similar situation as you and to make Russian friends!

Mastering the Basics!

In the meantime, here is a short list of basic Russian words, phrases and numbers which will be useful to get you started. For those of you who have yet to master the Cyrillic alphabet we have included the phonetic pronunciation as well!

Greetings:

Hello

 

Zdrastvooeetye

Hi!

 

Preevyet!

Good morning

 

Dobroye ootra

Good afternoon

 

Dobriy dyen

Good evening

 

Dobriy vyecher

What's your name?

 

Kak vas zavoot?

I’m called...

 

Menya zavoot...

Where are you from?

 

Vy at'kooda?

How are you?

 

Kak dela?

OK, thanks!

 

Spaseeba, kharasho!

Not bad!

 

Nyeeplokha!


Saying Thanks:

Thank you!

 

Spaseeba!

Thank you very much

 

Spaseeba bal'shoye

Don ‘t mention it

 

Nyezashtoa

You're welcome

 

Pazhal’sta


Apologies:

Sorry

 

Eezveeneetye

Excuse me

 

Prasteetye

It’s nothing

 

Neechyevo

No harm done

 

Neechyevo strashnava


Saying Goodbye:

Goodbye

 

Da sveedaneeya

Bye!

 

Paka!

See you later!

 

Ooveedeemsya!


Understanding…or not!

Do you speak English?

 

Vygavareetyepaangleeskee?

I don’t speak Russian

 

Ya nye gavaryoo pa rooskee

I don’t speak Russian very well

 

Ya nye ochen kharasho gavaryoo pa rooskee

Could you speak more slowly please?

 

Gavareetye pazhalooysta myedlyenye

I do not understand  

Ya nye paneemayoo

I understand

 

Ya paneemayoo


At a restaurant or cafe:

Could I have the menu, please?

 

Daytye pazhal’sta menu

Do you have an English menu?

 

Oo vas yest menu na angleeskum?

Please, can I have…?

 

Daytye mnye pazhal’sta

Bon appetit!

 

Preeyatnava apeteeta !

Bring the bill, please

 

Schyot pazhal’sta


Shopping:

Do you have any...?

 

Yest lee oo vas…?

I'll take it

 

Ya vaz'moo eta

Where's the cashdesk?

 

Gdye kassa?

How much is this?

 

Skol'ka eta stoeet?


Useful words:

Who?

 

Kto?

What?

 

Shto?

When?

 

Kagda?

Where?

 

Gdye?

Why?

 

Pachemoo?

How much?

 

Skol’ka?


Numbers:

Zero

 

Nol'

One

 

Adeen

Two

 

Dva

Three

 

Tree

Four

 

Cheteerye

Five

 

Pyat'

Six

 

Shest'

Seven

 

Syem'

Eight

 

Vosyem'

Nine

 

Deyvyat'

Ten

 

Dyesat'

Twenty

 

Dvadsat'

Thirty

 

Tridsat'

Forty

 

Sorok

Fifty

 

Peet'dyesat

Sixty

 

Shest'dyesat

Seventy

 

Sem'dyesat

Eighty

 

Vosem'dyesat

Ninety

 

Devyanosta

Hundred

 

Sto

Thousand

 

Tysyacha

Million

 

Miliyon