· 7 min read
Russian Phrases for Beginners: 36 in Cyrillic
By Language Lab editorial team
36 Russian phrases for beginners in Cyrillic with meanings: greetings, polite words, asking for help, good wishes and celebrations.
Start Russian with the words you will see and hear most. Hello is Здравствуйте, or Привет among friends. Thank you is Спасибо. Пожалуйста is the word to learn first, because it means both please and you're welcome. Yes is Да and no is Нет. To introduce yourself, say Меня зовут and your name. If you are stuck, Я не понимаю means I don't understand, and Вы говорите по-английски? asks whether someone speaks English. Russian is written in the Cyrillic alphabet, so the first job for a beginner is to learn the letters; after that you can read every phrase on this page. The 36 phrases below are from the BBC's Russian phrase lists, shown as they are written in Russian.
Hello and goodbye
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Здравствуйте | Hello |
| Привет! | Hi! |
| Добро пожаловать! | Welcome! |
| До свидания | Goodbye |
| Пока! | Bye! |
| Увидимся! | See you later! |
| Доброй ночи | Good night |
Polite words
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Пожалуйста | Please; also you're welcome |
| Спасибо | Thank you |
| Извините | I'm sorry |
| Да | Yes |
| Нет | No |
Meeting people
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Меня зовут... | My name is ... |
| Очень приятно | Pleased to meet you |
| Как дела? | How are you? |
| Все в порядке, спасибо | I'm fine, thank you |
| не очень хорошо | I'm not well |
| Отлично! | Great! |
When you need help
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Вы говорите по-английски? | Do you speak English? |
| Я не понимаю | I don't understand |
| Извините, я не говорю по-русски | I'm sorry, I don't speak Russian |
| Пожалуйста, помогите мне | I need help, please |
| Скажите пожалуйста, где туалет? | Where is the toilet, please? |
Good wishes
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Удачи | Good luck |
| Всего доброго | Best wishes, take care |
| Хороших выходных | Have a good weekend |
| Приятного путешествия! | Have a great trip! |
| Хорошего отпуска! | Enjoy your holiday! |
| Какая жалость! | What a shame! |
At the table and on special days
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Приятного аппетита | Enjoy your meal |
| За здоровье! | Cheers! |
| Поздравляю! | Congratulations! |
| Молодец! | Well done! |
| С Новым годом! | Happy New Year! |
| С Рождеством! | Merry Christmas! |
| С Пасхой! | Happy Easter! |
Notice the pattern in the last three: each greeting for a special day starts with С.
Formal and informal
The BBC's lists show that Russian separates polite from familiar speech. Здравствуйте is the standard hello, while Привет is the casual hi; До свидания is goodbye and Пока is bye. Get well soon is given in two forms, Поправляйтесь and поправляйся. When in doubt, use the longer, more formal phrase.
First, the alphabet
This page shows Russian as it is written. That is deliberate: you will need the real letters for signs, menus and tickets. Give your first sessions to the alphabet with audio, then come back and read these phrases aloud.
- Learn the letters in small groups, and test yourself by reading real words such as Да, Нет and Спасибо.
- Say each phrase aloud while looking at the Cyrillic.
- Cover the Russian and produce it from the English.
- Review over several days. A 2013 review of learning research rated practice testing and distributed practice as high utility, and rereading as low.
- Plan for a long course if you continue: the US State Department lists Russian in Category III, at about 44 weeks or 1,012 class hours for English speakers.
Language Lab's Russian course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor, so you can hear these phrases spoken and practise saying them.
Frequently asked
How do you say hello in Russian?
Здравствуйте is hello. Among friends, Привет means hi.
How do you say thank you in Russian?
Спасибо. The reply, you're welcome, is Пожалуйста, which also means please.
How do you say yes and no in Russian?
Yes is Да and no is Нет.
How do you say my name is in Russian?
Меня зовут, followed by your name. Pleased to meet you is Очень приятно.
How do you say I don't understand in Russian?
Я не понимаю. To say you don't speak Russian: Извините, я не говорю по-русски.
How do you say cheers in Russian?
За здоровье! Before a meal, Приятного аппетита means enjoy your meal.
Sources: BBC Languages, Russian Quick Fix: essential, basic, social and celebration phrases, and Key phrases (archived pages); US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Saint Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, Vyacheslav Argenberg / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
