Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases. All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get what you need, or where you need to go.
Here are the bare minimum of Russian words and phrases you need to know to survive.
Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum. If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases, Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.
|
Hello.
How much is it?|
Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ...
The Top 20 ... |
|
  |
Kak vaz zavút? What is your name? Mʲinʲá zavút ... My name is ... Kak vɨ pazhɨvájitʲe? Kak dʲilá? How are you? Kharashó. A vɨ? Fine. And you? Gdʲe ...? Where is ...? Gdʲe tualyét? Mushhskój (М) / Zhénskʲij (Ж) Where is the toilet? Men/Women Prastʲítʲe. Izvʲinʲítʲe. Sorry. Excuse me. Bʲis prablyém. Nʲet prablyém. Nʲichivó. No problem. Ja khachú ... I want ... Ja nʲe khachú ... I don't want ... |
|
Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ...
The Top 30 ... |
|
   |
Atkúda vɨ? Where are you from? Ja iz Afstrálʲii.* I am from Australia. Shhot, pazhálsta. The bill, please. Ja zabludʲílsʲa. (man) Ja zabludʲílasʲ. (woman) I'm lost. Stójtʲe! Padazhdʲítʲe! Stop! Wait! Zdʲisʲ, tam. Here, there. Taksí. Gastʲínʲitsa. Aerapórt. Vagzál. Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station. Mnʲe nrávʲitsa ... Ja lʲublʲú ... I like ... Mnʲe nʲe nrávʲitsa ... Ja nʲe lʲublʲú ... I don't like ... adʲín, dva, trʲi, chitɨ´rʲi, pʲætʲ. one, two, three, four, five. shestʲ, sʲemʲ, vósʲimʲ, dʲévʲitʲ, dʲésʲitʲ. six, seven, eight, nine, ten. *Or choose your country: iz Amʲérʲikʲi - from America iz Kanádɨ - from Canada iz Ánglʲii - from England iz Irlándʲii - from Ireland iz Nóvəj Zʲilándʲii - from New Zealand |
|
Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ...
Useful Extras ... |
|
   |
Za váshɨ zdaróvʲe! Cheers! kharóshɨj / plakhój good / bad balʲshój / málʲinʲkij big / small blʲíska / dalʲikó near / far mʲénʲshɨ / bólʲshɨ less / more jishhó adʲín / dastátachna another / enough Ja vʲigʲitarʲiánʲits. (man) Ja vʲigʲitarʲiánka. (woman) I am vegetarian. Ja nʲe jem mʲása. I don't eat meat. ... kúrʲitsɨ. ... chicken. ... rɨbɨ. ... fish. U mʲinʲá alʲirgʲíja na arʲékhʲi. I am allergic to nuts. ... arakhʲís. ... peanuts. ... rɨbu. ... fish. ... marʲipradúktɨ. ... seafood. ... jáitsa. ... eggs. |
An acute accent shows the stress falls in the word (eg. Zdrástvuytye).
Vowels:
æ is pronounced as a as in hat
e is pronounced as e as in pet (ɛ)
ə is pronounced as e as in brother
ɨ is pronounced as a high schwa ə or New Zealand i (Cyrillic ы)
o is pronounced as o as in pot (ɔ)
unstressed a is reduced to u as in nut (ɐ) or e as in brother (ə)
unstressed e and i are reduced to i as in pin (ɪ), eg. nye becomes nyɪ
unstressed u is reduced to u as in put (ʊ)
Consonants:
ch is pronounced as a palatalised ch, like ch + y (tɕ)
kh is pronounced as kh as in loch or Bach (x)
lʲ is pronounced as lʲ as in million (ʎ)
nʲ is pronounced as nʲ as in canʲon (ɲ)
sh is pronounced as a retroflex sh as in shop (ʂ)
shh are pronounced as a long palatalised sh, like sh + y (ɕ:)
a small j (ʲ) after a consonant indicates a palatalised consonant
eg. lʲ indicates lʲ, sʲ indicates sʲ, tʲ indicates tʲ etc.
zh are pronounced as retroflex zh as in pleasure (ʐ)
(Hint: Retroflex consonants are made with the tongue curled back against the palate.)
Vowels:
æ is pronounced as a as in hat
e is pronounced as e as in pet (ɛ)
ə is pronounced as e as in brother
ɨ is pronounced as a high schwa ə or New Zealand i (Cyrillic ы)
o is pronounced as o as in pot (ɔ)
unstressed a is reduced to u as in nut (ɐ) or e as in brother (ə)
unstressed e and i are reduced to i as in pin (ɪ), eg. nye becomes nyɪ
unstressed u is reduced to u as in put (ʊ)
Consonants:
ch is pronounced as a palatalised ch, like ch + y (tɕ)
kh is pronounced as kh as in loch or Bach (x)
lʲ is pronounced as lʲ as in million (ʎ)
nʲ is pronounced as nʲ as in canʲon (ɲ)
sh is pronounced as a retroflex sh as in shop (ʂ)
shh are pronounced as a long palatalised sh, like sh + y (ɕ:)
a small j (ʲ) after a consonant indicates a palatalised consonant
eg. lʲ indicates lʲ, sʲ indicates sʲ, tʲ indicates tʲ etc.
zh are pronounced as retroflex zh as in pleasure (ʐ)
(Hint: Retroflex consonants are made with the tongue curled back against the palate.)