How to Say Hello in Russian

There's more than one way to greet someone in Russian. To say hello in Russian, try one of the following phrases.

EditSteps

1. The most basic, informal phrase used to greet someone is “привет” (pri-VET). This is informal and amounts to the English "Hi". Listen to an audio recording of привет
   
2. The most common formal phrase used to greet someone is “Здравствуйте” (ZDRAST-vwee-tye)/(zdra-stvooi-te). This amounts to "Hello" in English; the literal meaning is "Be healthy." Listen to an audio recording of Здравствуйте
   
3. To ask someone's name, say “Как тебя зовут?” (KAK tye-BYA za-VOOT), which is informal, or “Как вас зовут?” (KAK VAS za-VOOT?), which is formal. This literally means "How are you called?"
   
4. The informal way to say goodbye is “Пока” (pa-KA). This simply translates to “bye.” Listen to an audio recording of Пока
   
5. The formal way to say goodbye is “До свидания” (Da-svi-DA-nee-ye)/ (da-svee-dan`ye). This literally means "Until meeting" and is used pretty much as one word. Listen to an audio recording of До свидания
   

EditVideo

EditTips

• Use the formal way of speaking for an adult you do not know very well or an instructor. Use the informal way when speaking to adults you know well or children. These instructions apply to both children and adults.
• Work on your pronunciation- the best way is by asking a Russian speaker to help you.
• Remember to roll your "R"s by placing your tongue to the back of your upper teeth and vibrating it.

EditWarnings

• Until you brush up on your pronunciation, native Russian speakers may have trouble understanding you.

EditRelated wikiHows

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