Greetings & Politeness Приве́тствия и ве́жливость
19 Russian words on the topic of greetings & politeness — each with a picture, an audio recording and an example sentence. Open and close every conversation. Russian splits “hello” by formality — приве́т for friends, здра́вствуйте for everyone else.
| Picture | English | Russian · Ру́сский | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | hello / hi | приве́т | 🌎 Regionприве́т is informal; здра́вствуйте formal. Its first в is silent. |
 | good morning | до́брое у́тро | у́тро is neuter — до́брое. In the evening: до́брый ве́чер. |
 | good afternoon | до́брый день | Literally 'good day' — the all-purpose daytime greeting. |
 | good night | споко́йной но́чи | Literally 'peaceful night'. Bedtime only — the evening greeting is до́брый ве́чер. |
 | goodbye | до свида́ния | Literally 'until the meeting'. The informal goodbye is пока́. |
 | see you later | до ско́рого | Short for до ско́рого свида́ния. Same pattern: до за́втра (see you tomorrow). |
 | thank you | спаси́бо | 🔗 Word familyFrom «спаси́ Бог» ('God save you'). The reply is пожа́луйста. |
 | thank you very much | большо́е спаси́бо | большо́е means 'big'. The reversed order спаси́бо большо́е is just as common. |
 | you're welcome · please | пожа́луйста | 🔀 Several meaningsMeans both 'please' and 'you're welcome'. |
 | sorry | извини́те | 🔀 Several meaningsBoth 'sorry' and the polite way to address a stranger. |
 | I'm sorry | мне жаль | Literally 'to me [it's a] pity' — dative мне. To apologize, use извини́те. |
 | yes | да | Tacked onto the end of a sentence: …, да? = 'right?'. |
 | no | нет | 🔀 Several meaningsAlso 'there is no': нет де́нег ('no money'), with the genitive. |
 | nice to meet you | прия́тно познако́миться | Literally 'pleasant to get acquainted'. Often one simply says о́чень прия́тно. |
 | congratulations | поздравля́ю | A verb — 'I congratulate'. ⚠️ IrregularTakes с: поздравля́ю с днём рожде́ния. |
 | welcome | до́бро пожа́ловать | A fixed phrase. With в + place: Добро́ пожа́ловать в Москву́! |
 | good luck | уда́чи | Genitive of уда́ча (luck). Wishes take the genitive, like споко́йной но́чи. |
 | enjoy your meal | прия́тного аппети́та | A genitive wish. 🔗 Word familyаппети́т is the same word as 'appetite'. |
 | bless you | будь здоро́в | Literally 'be healthy'. To a woman: будь здоро́ва. 🌎 RegionFormal: бу́дьте здоро́вы. |
See also:Question Words