30 Essential Russian Phrases for Your First Trip to Moscow

The polite hello, right for anyone you do not know. The first в is silent. With friends, привет is the casual hi.

The polite goodbye; word for word, "until seeing". With friends, пока is bye.

Большое спасибо is thank you very much. The usual reply is пожалуйста, phrase 8.

Где туалет? asks for the toilet. On the doors, М is for men and Ж for women.

No is нет. Да, спасибо is yes, thank you.

Нет, спасибо is no, thank you. Нет also says there is none: воды нет, there's no water.

The cry for urgent help. The emergency number in Russia is 112.

Please, and also you're welcome, and here you are when handing something over. The й is usually swallowed in speech.

Both an apology and the polite way to get attention before a question: извините, где метро?

Можно пройти? asks if you may get past. On a crowded bus or metro, say it as you step toward the door.

One syllable: the г and д run together. Где здесь...? asks where the nearest one is around here.

The verb to understand. Я не понимаю, I don't understand, is the form to have ready.

Говорите медленнее, пожалуйста asks someone to speak more slowly.

Пожалуйста, phrase 8, is also the usual reply to спасибо. С удовольствием is with pleasure.

Сколько стоит? asks the price; add это, this, and point.

Счёт, пожалуйста asks for the bill. The сч is said like щ, a long, soft sh, and ё always carries the stress.

Look for the word over a green cross. Где здесь аптека?, phrase 11, asks for the nearest one.

Still water is вода без газа, sparkling вода с газом. Asking for it, the stress moves: можно воду?

Said until about noon; after that, добрый день. The same words do for everyone.

У меня аллергия на... names what you react to: у меня аллергия на орехи, I'm allergic to nuts.

Можно asks if something is allowed. A card issued outside Russia will probably be refused, so bring enough cash, наличные.

Столик, a small стол, is a restaurant table. На двоих is for two; for three, say на троих.

Moscow metro entrances are marked with a large red М. Где метро? asks the way to the nearest one.

Билет does for the metro, a train or a museum. For two, say два билета.

The verb to help. Вы можете мне помочь? asks politely, with вы. For an emergency, use phrase 7.

Ещё раз is once more. Не могли бы вы...? is the polite could you. The щ is a long, soft sh.

To stop, of a car or a person. Остановитесь здесь is for the taxi driver; здесь is here.

Скорая, short for скорая помощь, is the ambulance; after вызовите, call, it becomes скорую. Dial 112, or 103 for an ambulance directly.

Это вкусно! uses вкусно, the form for how something tastes. Say it to the waiter or your host.

Острый is spicy, and also sharp; for a dish, острое. A woman says я бы хотела. Russian cooking is mild, so ask if you like heat.