Week 2, Lesson 3, Monday
Say hello and introduce yourself
Russian has two ways to say hello and two ways to say you. Choosing the right one is the first thing Russians notice.
1Recap 5 minutes
Three questions from Week 1, before anything new.
2Goal 1 minute
I can greet people, say my name and ask theirs, choosing ты or вы.
3The lesson 20 minutes
Hello, formal or informal
Russian has two everyday hellos. Здра́вствуйте is the safe, polite one for teachers, colleagues and strangers; Приве́т is for friends. The time-of-day greetings work like buenos días and buenas tardes.
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Здра́вствуйте! | Hello (formal) |
| Приве́т! | Hi (informal) |
| До́брое у́тро! | Good morning |
| До́брый день! | Good afternoon |
| До́брый ве́чер! | Good evening |
The first в in Здра́вствуйте is silent: [ZDRAST-vuy-tye].
Names
Russians ask your name with Как вас зову́т? and answer Меня́ зову́т …, literally they call me. With teachers and colleagues, adults often add the patronymic, as in А́нна Серге́евна. Recognise it for now; you will use it later.
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Как вас зову́т? | What is your name? (formal) |
| Как тебя́ зову́т? | What is your name? (informal) |
| Меня́ зову́т Ба́йрон. | My name is Byron. |
| О́чень прия́тно. | Pleased to meet you. |
Меня́ зову́т literally means they call me.
Ты or вы
This is the choice Russians notice first. Ты is close; вы is respectful, or plural. Moving from вы to ты is a small social event, and the older or more senior person usually offers it.
| Use | With |
|---|---|
| ты | friends, family, children |
| вы | strangers, older people, professionals, and anyone plural |
When in doubt, вы. Being too formal is invisible; being too familiar is remembered.
How are you, and goodbye
Как дела́? is a real question in Russian, not just a greeting, so a short honest answer is normal: хорошо́, good, or норма́льно, fine.
| Russian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Как дела́? | How are you? |
| Хорошо́, спаси́бо. | Good, thanks. |
| До свида́ния! | Goodbye (formal) |
| Пока́! | Bye (informal) |
4Listen and say 5 minutes
Sound of the lesson: Skip the silent letters
Russians swallow a few letters in common words. The first в in здра́вствуйте is silent, and пожа́луйста drops a syllable.
- здра́вствуйте [ZDRAST-vuy-tye] Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
- пожа́луйста [pa-ZHAL-sta] Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
Listen to the textbook
The book's own recordings for this topic, free on the publisher's site. Listen once for the gist, then again with the book open.
5Phrases and words 5 minutes
Phrases to learn whole
Learn each one as a single unit, the way you would learn a word. They come back in your Daily 10.
- Здра́вствуйте!Hello! (polite)
- Меня́ зову́т …My name is …
- А вас?And yours?
- О́чень прия́тно!Nice to meet you!
- До свида́ния!Goodbye!
Words to read aloud
Read each one aloud, then open it to check.
Здра́вствуйте!
Hello (formal)
Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)Приве́т!
Hi (informal)
Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)До́брое у́тро!
Good morning
До́брый день!
Good afternoon
До́брый ве́чер!
Good evening
Как вас зову́т?
What is your name? (formal)
Как тебя́ зову́т?
What is your name? (informal)
Меня́ зову́т Ба́йрон.
My name is Byron.
О́чень прия́тно.
Pleased to meet you.
Как дела́?
How are you?
Хорошо́, спаси́бо.
Good, thanks.
До свида́ния!
Goodbye (formal)
Пока́!
Bye (informal)
Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)6Class exercises 15 minutes
Checked instantly. Get one wrong and you can try it again.
7Your turn 5 minutes
Write a formal and an informal greeting, each with your name.
See a model answer
Здра́вствуйте! Меня́ зову́т Ба́йрон. Приве́т! Я Ба́йрон.
Saved as you type. It goes to Екатерина together with Homework 3.
8Mini questionnaire required, 80% to pass
9Feedback 5 minutes
10Homework
Homework 3 on Tuesday: write a formal and an informal first meeting, and read both aloud.
I can greet people, say my name and ask theirs, choosing ты or вы.