Russian travel phrases

Essentials

• Yes

  Да

  Da

  DAH

• No

  Нет

  Net

  NYET

• Please

  Пожалуйста

  Pozhaluysta

  pah-ZHAHL-stah

  Also the reply to "спасибо" (spasibo), like "you're welcome".

• Thank you

  Спасибо

  Spasibo

  spah-SEE-bah

• Do you speak English?

  Вы говорите по-английски?

  Vy govorite po-angliyski?

  vih gah-vah-REE-tee pah-ahn-GLEE-skee

  Formal

• I don't understand

  Я не понимаю

  Ya ne ponimayu

  yah nee pah-nee-MAH-yoo

• Please speak slowly

  Говорите, пожалуйста, помедленнее

  Govorite, pozhaluysta, pomedlenneye

  gah-vah-REE-tee, pah-ZHAHL-stah, pah-MYED-lee-nee-yeh

  Formal

• How much does it cost?

  Сколько это стоит?

  Skolko eto stoit?

  SKOHL-kah EH-tah STOH-eet

• Where is the bathroom?

  Где туалет?

  Gde tualet?

  gdyeh too-ah-LYET

  Doors are marked "М" (M) for men and "Ж" (Zh) for women.

Greetings

• Hello

  Здравствуйте

  Zdravstvuyte

  ZDRAHST-vooy-tee

  Formal

• Good morning

  Доброе утро

  Dobroye utro

  DOH-brah-yeh OO-trah

• Goodbye

  До свидания

  Do svidaniya

  dah svee-DAH-nee-yah

• How are you?

  Как у вас дела?

  Kak u vas dela?

  kahk oo vahs dee-LAH

  Formal

  Asked of people you know, and a real answer is expected; it is not a hello for staff or strangers.

• Nice to meet you

  Очень приятно

  Ochen priyatno

  OH-cheen pree-YAHT-nah

  Literally: “Very pleasant”

Courtesy

• Excuse me

  Извините

  Izvinite

  eez-vee-NEE-tee

  Formal

• I'm sorry

  Простите

  Prostite

  prah-STEE-tee

  Formal

  "Извините" (izvinite) works just as well.

• You're welcome.

  Пожалуйста.

  Pozhaluysta.

  pah-ZHAHL-stah

• Cheers!

  За здоровье!

  Za zdorovye!

  zah zdah-ROHV-yeh

  Not "На здоровье" (na zdorovye): that is the reply when someone thanks you for food.

Restaurants

• A table for two, please.

  Столик на двоих, пожалуйста.

  Stolik na dvoikh, pozhaluysta.

  STOH-leek nah dvah-EEKH, pah-ZHAHL-stah

• Do you have a menu in English?

  У вас есть меню на английском?

  U vas yest menyu na angliyskom?

  oo vahs yest mee-NYOO nah ahn-GLEE-skahm

  Formal

• I'll have this, please.

  Мне вот это, пожалуйста.

  Mne vot eto, pozhaluysta.

  mnyeh voht EH-tah, pah-ZHAHL-stah

  Literally: “For me, this one here, please”

• Water, please

  Воды, пожалуйста

  Vody, pozhaluysta

  vah-DIH, pah-ZHAHL-stah

  Expect the question "С газом или без?" (S gazom ili bez?): sparkling or still.

• The check, please

  Счёт, пожалуйста

  Schyot, pozhaluysta

  shyoht, pah-ZHAHL-stah

• Can I pay by card?

  Можно оплатить картой?

  Mozhno oplatit kartoy?

  MOHZH-nah ah-plah-TEET KAHR-tai

Directions

• How do I get to the station?

  Как добраться до вокзала?

  Kak dobratsya do vokzala?

  kahk dah-BRAH-tsah dah vahg-ZAH-lah

  "Вокзал" (vokzal) is a railway station; a metro station is "станция метро" (stantsiya metro).

• Is it far from here?

  Это далеко отсюда?

  Eto daleko otsyuda?

  EH-tah dah-lee-KOH aht-SYOO-dah

• Can I walk there?

  Туда можно дойти пешком?

  Tuda mozhno doyti peshkom?

  too-DAH MOHZH-nah dai-TEE peesh-KOHM

Getting Understood

• I only speak a little.

  Я говорю по-русски совсем немного.

  Ya govoryu po-russki sovsem nemnogo.

  yah gah-vah-RYOO pah-ROO-skee sahf-SYEM neem-NOH-gah

• Could you say that again, please?

  Повторите, пожалуйста.

  Povtorite, pozhaluysta.

  pahf-tah-REE-tee, pah-ZHAHL-stah

  Formal

• Could you write it down, please?

  Напишите это, пожалуйста.

  Napishite eto, pozhaluysta.

  nah-pee-SHIH-tee EH-tah, pah-ZHAHL-stah

  Formal

Time & Opening Hours

• What time do you open?

  Во сколько вы открываетесь?

  Vo skolko vy otkryvayetes?

  vah SKOHL-kah vih aht-krih-VAH-yee-tees

  Formal

• What time do you close?

  Во сколько вы закрываетесь?

  Vo skolko vy zakryvayetes?

  vah SKOHL-kah vih zah-krih-VAH-yee-tees

  Formal

Transport & Tickets

• One ticket, please.

  Один билет, пожалуйста.

  Odin bilet, pozhaluysta.

  ah-DEEN bee-LYET, pah-ZHAHL-stah

• Which platform?

  С какой платформы?

  S kakoy platformy?

  skah-KOY plaht-FOHR-mih

  Station boards also show the track, "путь" (put).

• Does this go to the airport?

  Это до аэропорта?

  Eto do aeroporta?

  EH-tah dah ah-eh-rah-POHR-tah

  To be explicit on a bus, say "Этот автобус идёт до аэропорта?" (Etot avtobus idyot do aeroporta?).

• Stop here, please.

  Остановите здесь, пожалуйста.

  Ostanovite zdes, pozhaluysta.

  ah-stah-nah-VEE-tee zdyes, pah-ZHAHL-stah

  Formal

Hotels & Lodging

• I have a reservation.

  У меня забронирован номер.

  U menya zabronirovan nomer.

  oo mee-NYAH zah-brah-NEE-rah-vahn NOH-meer

  To give the name on the booking, add "на имя" (na imya, nah EE-myah) and your name.

• What time is check-out?

  Во сколько нужно освободить номер?

  Vo skolko nuzhno osvobodit nomer?

  vah SKOHL-kah NOOZH-nah ah-svah-bah-DEET NOH-meer

  Russian hotels call check-out time "расчётный час" (raschyotnyy chas).

• Could I leave my bags here?

  Можно оставить у вас вещи?

  Mozhno ostavit u vas veshchi?

  MOHZH-nah ah-STAH-veet oo vahs VYEH-shee

  Formal

  A luggage room is a "камера хранения" (kamera khraneniya).

Airport & Border

• I'm here on holiday.

  Я здесь в отпуске.

  Ya zdes v otpuske.

  yah zdyes VOHT-poos-kee

  At the border, "туризм" (turizm), tourism, is the usual one-word answer.

• Where is baggage claim?

  Где выдача багажа?

  Gde vydacha bagazha?

  gdyeh VIH-dah-chah bah-gah-ZHAH

Shopping & Money

• I'm just looking, thank you.

  Я просто смотрю, спасибо.

  Ya prosto smotryu, spasibo.

  yah PROH-stah smah-TRYOO, spah-SEE-bah

• That's too expensive.

  Это слишком дорого.

  Eto slishkom dorogo.

  EH-tah SLEESH-kahm DOH-rah-gah

• Could I have a receipt, please?

  Можно чек, пожалуйста?

  Mozhno chek, pozhaluysta?

  MOHZH-nah chek, pah-ZHAHL-stah

Wi-Fi & Phone

• Is there Wi-Fi here?

  Здесь есть Wi-Fi?

  Zdes yest Wi-Fi?

  zdyes yest vai-FAI

• I'd like a SIM card with data.

  Мне нужна сим-карта с интернетом.

  Mne nuzhna sim-karta s internetom.

  mnyeh noozh-NAH seem-KAHR-tah sihn-ter-NEH-tahm

  Shops will ask for your passport to register the SIM card.

Meeting People

• My name is…

  Меня зовут…

  Menya zovut…

  mee-NYAH zah-VOOT…

  Literally: “They call me…”

• Where are you from?

  Откуда вы?

  Otkuda vy?

  aht-KOO-dah vih

  Formal

What you'll hear

Questions and answers people are likely to say to you. You only need to recognize them.

• Passport, please.

  Паспорт, пожалуйста.

  Pasport, pozhaluysta.

  PAHS-pahrt, pah-ZHAHL-stah

• How long will you be staying?

  Сколько вы здесь пробудете?

  Skolko vy zdes probudete?

  SKOHL-kah vih zdyes prah-BOO-dee-tee

  Formal

• For how many people?

  На сколько человек?

  Na skolko chelovek?

  nah SKOHL-kah chee-lah-VYEK

• Are you ready to order?

  Вы готовы сделать заказ?

  Vy gotovy sdelat zakaz?

  vih gah-TOH-vih ZDYEH-laht zah-KAHS

  Formal

• Cash or card?

  Наличными или картой?

  Nalichnymi ili kartoy?

  nah-LEECH-nih-mee EE-lee KAHR-tai

• Go straight ahead.

  Идите прямо.

  Idite pryamo.

  ee-DEE-tee PRYAH-mah

  Formal

• Turn left.

  Поверните налево.

  Povernite nalevo.

  pah-veer-NEE-tee nah-LYEH-vah

  Formal

• Turn right.

  Поверните направо.

  Povernite napravo.

  pah-veer-NEE-tee nah-PRAH-vah

  Formal