Essential Russian Phrases for Travel (with Pronunciation)
Russian is spoken by about 250 million people and is widely understood across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. English is limited outside big hotels, so knowing a few phrases — with transliteration — makes daily life much easier.
Updated October 2026
Basics and greetings
| English | Russian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Здравствуйте | Zdravstvuyte |
| Goodbye | До свидания | Do svidaniya |
| Please | Пожалуйста | Pozhaluysta |
| Thank you | Спасибо | Spasibo |
| Yes | Да | Da |
| No | Нет | Net |
| Excuse me / Sorry | Извините | Izvinite |
| I don't understand | Я не понимаю | Ya ne ponimayu |
| Do you speak English? | Вы говорите по-английски? | Vy govorite po-angliyski? |
At the restaurant
| English | Russian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| A table for two, please | Столик на двоих, пожалуйста | Stolik na dvoikh, pozhaluysta |
| The menu, please | Меню, пожалуйста | Menyu, pozhaluysta |
| Water, please | Воду, пожалуйста | Vodu, pozhaluysta |
| The bill, please | Счёт, пожалуйста | Schyot, pozhaluysta |
| It's delicious | Очень вкусно | Ochen vkusno |
Getting around and shopping
| English | Russian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the toilet? | Где туалет? | Gde tualet? |
| Where is the station? | Где вокзал? | Gde vokzal? |
| How much is it? | Сколько это стоит? | Skolko eto stoit? |
| Can you write it down? | Можете написать? | Mozhete napisat? |
Emergencies and health
| English | Russian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Помогите! | Pomogite! |
| I need a doctor | Мне нужен врач | Mne nuzhen vrach |
| Where is the pharmacy? | Где аптека? | Gde apteka? |
| Call the police! | Вызовите полицию! | Vyzovite politsiyu! |
| I'm lost | Я заблудился / заблудилась | Ya zabludilsya / zabludilas |
Practical tips
- Learning the Cyrillic alphabet takes a few hours and lets you read metro stations and menus.
- "Pozhaluysta" means please, you're welcome and "here you go".
- Smiling at strangers is less common — it doesn't mean people are unfriendly.
- Russian is also widely spoken in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and the Baltic states, especially by older people.
Too many phrases to remember?
With OIEM Translator you can simply talk. Choose English and Russian, tap the microphone once and speak normally: the translation appears in about half a second and is spoken out loud in Russian. When the other person answers, OIEM detects their language automatically and translates back — no need to tap again.
- Hands-free two-way conversation
- Text translation also works offline
- Photo translation for menus and signs
Free to download with free voice translations to try. The weekly plan includes a 3-day free trial.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to read Cyrillic?
Not to speak, but it helps a lot for signs and menus. The transliteration on this page lets you say every phrase without it.
Can my phone speak Russian for me?
Yes. With a voice translator like OIEM Translator you speak in English and your iPhone says it out loud in Russian, then translates the answer back. It is useful when a phrase list is not enough.
Do these phrases work offline?
This page works offline if you save it or take screenshots before your trip. In OIEM Translator, text translation works offline; voice translation needs an internet connection.