15 most useful basic PHRASES for your TRIP to Russia

From my experience these are the phrases that foreigners visiting Russia encounter the most. The only exception is if you are traveling to Russia with a tour agency in a group of foreigners and don't get to stay in the company of Russians. Even if so, it will never hurt to learn a bit of Russian and show it off, if you get a chance to do so.

Here you can find writing in Russian, how it sounds in English and the translation. In the transcription, vowels with a sign ' are the ones where you put the accent and pronounce it longer.

Да [dah] - Yes

Нет [net] - No

Привет [preeve't] - Hello (informal)

Здравствуйте [zdra'stvuiteh] - Hello (formal)

Comment: in general the formal way of addressing people is used if you don't know the person well and if the person is older than you (in work environments people tend to always use the formal).

Спасибо [spasee'bah] - Thank you

Пожалуйста [pazha'lustah] - Please / You are welcome / Here you are
Comment: in Russian we have the same word for all the above meanings! :-)

Меня зовут ... [meenya'h zavu't] - My name is ...

Я из [yah eez] - I am from ...
Италии [eeta'lyee] - Italy, 
США [s-sh-ah] - USA, 
Великобритании [veleekobreeta'nyee] - Great Britain, 
Франции [fra'ntsyee] - France, 
Германии [gheerma'nyee] - Germany, 
Испании [eespa'nyee] - Spain

Мне нравится [mneh nra'veetsah] - I like it 
Мне очень нравится [mneh o'chen nra'veetsah] - I like it a lot

Очень красиво [o'cheen krasee'vah] - Very beautiful
Comment: you can also use only "красиво" [krasee'vah] without "очень"

Как дела? [kak deela'h] - How do you do?

Хорошо [kharasho'] - Well / Good / Okay

Очень вкусно [o'chen vku'snah] - Very tasty

Пока [paka'] - Bye (informal)

До свидания [da sveeda'nyah] - Good-bye (formal)