Я хочу́ пить.
I am thirsty.
IPA /ˈja xɐˈtɕu ˈpʲitʲ/
Say it YAH khuh-CHOO PEET.
Literally "I want to drink". Russian has no single verb for being thirsty or hungry.
Listen in Russian:
Slow in Russian:
Я хочу пить.
Food and drink
Useful Russian phrases for food and drink, with audio, IPA, stress marks and an English-friendly pronunciation hint.
Eating and drinking anywhere: what you want, what you cannot have, and how to say it was good.
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Food and drink
Я хочу́ есть.
I am hungry.
IPA /ˈja xɐˈtɕu ˈjesʲtʲ/
Say it YAH khuh-CHOO YEST.
Literally "I want to eat". The same verb есть means both "to eat" and "there is" — only the position tells them apart.
Listen in Russian:
Slow in Russian:
Я хочу есть.
Что вы хоти́те?
What would you like?
IPA /ˈʂto ˈvɨ xɐˈtʲitʲə/
Say it SHTOH VIH khuh-TEE-tyuh?
хотеть is irregular in the plural: мы хотим, вы хотите, but я хочу, они хотят.
Listen in Russian:
Slow in Russian:
Что вы хотите?
Чай и́ли ко́фе?
Tea or coffee?
IPA /ˈtɕaj ˈilʲɪ ˈkofʲə/
Say it CHAY EE-lih KOH-fyuh?
кофе is masculine despite ending in -е, so it is этот кофе, хороший кофе.
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Slow in Russian:
Чай или кофе?
Да́йте, пожа́луйста, воды́.
Some water, please.
IPA /ˈdajtʲə pɐˈʐalʊjstə vɐˈdɨ/
Say it DAY-tyuh, puh-ZHAH-luy-stuh, vuh-DIH.
The partitive genitive воды after a request implies "some of it"; accusative воду would mean one specific quantity of water.
Listen in Russian:
Slow in Russian:
Дайте, пожалуйста, воды.
Без са́хара, пожа́луйста.
Without sugar, please.
IPA /bʲɪs ˈsaxərə pɐˈʐalʊjstə/
Say it bis SAH-khuh-ruh, puh-ZHAH-luy-stuh.
без always takes the genitive: без сахара, без молока, без льда.
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Slow in Russian:
Без сахара, пожалуйста.
Я не ем мя́со.
I don't eat meat.
IPA /ˈja ˈnʲe ˈjem ˈmʲasə/
Say it YAH NYEH YEM MYAH-suh.
The direct object stays accusative after a negated verb of eating and drinking; the genitive (я не ем мяса) is also correct but more formal.
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Slow in Russian:
Я не ем мясо.
Я люблю́ чай с лимо́ном.
I like tea with lemon.
IPA /ˈja lʲʊˈblʲu ˈtɕaj s lʲɪˈmonəm/
Say it YAH lyoo-BLYOO CHAY s lih-MOH-num.
с meaning "with" takes the instrumental: с лимоном, с молоком, с сахаром.
Listen in Russian:
Slow in Russian:
Я люблю чай с лимоном.
Э́то вку́сно!
This is delicious!
IPA /ˈɛtə ˈfkusnə/
Say it EH-tuh FKOO-snuh!
вкусно is the short neuter predicative; it says nothing about any noun and so never agrees.
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Slow in Russian:
Это вкусно!
Э́то сли́шком сла́дко.
This is too sweet.
IPA /ˈɛtə ˈslʲiʂkəm ˈslatkə/
Say it EH-tuh SLEE-shkum SLAHT-kuh.
слишком + short adjective is the standard way to complain politely about food.
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Slow in Russian:
Это слишком сладко.
Соль и пе́рец, пожа́луйста.
Salt and pepper, please.
IPA /ˈsolʲ ˈi ˈpʲerʲɪts pɐˈʐalʊjstə/
Say it SYOL EE PYEH-rits, puh-ZHAH-luy-stuh.
A noun on its own with пожалуйста is a complete order in a café; no verb is needed.
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Slow in Russian:
Соль и перец, пожалуйста.
Ещё одну́ ча́шку ча́я, пожа́луйста.
Another cup of tea, please.
IPA /jɪˈɕːo ɐdˈnu ˈtɕaʂkʊ ˈtɕajə pɐˈʐalʊjstə/
Say it yih-SHCHOH ud-NOO CHAH-shkoo CHAH-yuh, puh-ZHAH-luy-stuh.
Two genitives in a row: чашку чая, "a cup of tea". The container is accusative after ещё одну, the contents genitive.
Listen in Russian:
Slow in Russian:
Ещё одну чашку чая, пожалуйста.
Мне нра́вится ру́сская ку́хня.
I like Russian food.
IPA /ˈmnʲe ˈnravʲɪtsə ˈruskəjə ˈkuxnʲə/
Say it muh-NYEH NRAH-vih-tsyuh ROO-skuh-yuh KOOKH-nyuh.
нравиться takes a dative subject and a nominative object: the food pleases me. Literally "to me Russian cuisine is pleasing".
Listen in Russian:
Slow in Russian:
Мне нравится русская кухня.
А что э́то за блю́до?
And what kind of dish is this?
IPA /ˈa ˈʂto ˈɛtə zə ˈblʲudə/
Say it AH SHTOH EH-tuh zuh BLYOO-duh?
что это за + nominative is the fixed frame for "what sort of…". The за is not a preposition here and never changes.
Listen in Russian:
Slow in Russian:
А что это за блюдо?