Useful Russian phrases for introductions, with audio, IPA, stress marks and an English-friendly pronunciation hint.
Names, where you come from, your age and your work — the first two minutes of almost any conversation.
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Меня́ зову́т А́нна.
My name is Anna.
IPA /mʲɪˈnʲa zɐˈvut ˈanə/
Say it mih-NYAH zuh-VOOT AH-nuh.
Literally "they call me Anna". Меня is the accusative of я and Анна stays in the nominative — the construction has no subject "I" in it at all.
Как вас зову́т?
What is your name?
IPA /ˈkak ˈvas zɐˈvut/
Say it KAHK VAHS zuh-VOOT?
The вы form. Ask it of any adult you have just met.
Как тебя́ зову́т?
What's your name?
IPA /ˈkak tʲɪˈbʲa zɐˈvut/
Say it KAHK tih-BYAH zuh-VOOT?
The ты form, for children and for people who have offered to switch.
О́чень прия́тно!
Pleased to meet you!
IPA /ˈotɕɪnʲ prʲɪˈjatnə/
Say it OH-chin prih-YAHT-nuh!
Literally "very pleasant". Said once, right after names are exchanged.
Я из А́нглии.
I am from England.
IPA /ˈja ɪz ˈanɡlʲɪɪ/
Say it YAH iz AHN-glih-ih.
The country goes in the genitive after из: из Англии, из России, из Италии. The "am" is simply absent, which is normal in the present tense.
Отку́да вы?
Where are you from?
IPA /ɐtˈkudə ˈvɨ/
Say it ut-KOO-duh VIH?
Откуда asks about origin; где asks about location. Mixing them up is the most common beginner mistake here.
Где вы живёте?
Where do you live?
IPA /ˈɡdʲe ˈvɨ ʐɨˈvʲotʲə/
Say it guh-DYEH VIH zhih-VYOH-tyuh?
Я живу́ в Ло́ндоне.
I live in London.
IPA /ˈja ʐɨˈvu v ˈlondənʲə/
Say it YAH zhih-VOO v LOHN-duh-nyuh.
After в meaning "in", a city takes the prepositional case: в Лондоне, в Москве. The nominative is a hard error.
Ско́лько вам лет?
How old are you?
IPA /ˈskolʲkə ˈvam ˈlʲet/
Say it SKOHL-kuh VAHM LYET?
Literally "how many years to you?". Age is something a person HAS (dative + лет), never something they ARE.
Мне два́дцать пять лет.
I am twenty-five.
IPA /ˈmnʲe ˈdvatsɨtʲ ˈpʲatʲ ˈlʲet/
Say it muh-NYEH DVAH-tsit PYAT LYET.
Literally "to me twenty-five years". The number governs the noun: 1 год, 2–4 года, 5 and above лет. The verb "to be" does not appear.
Я не говорю́ по-ру́сски.
I do not speak Russian.
IPA /ˈja ˈnʲe ɡəvɐˈrʲu pɐˈruskʲɪ/
Say it YAH NYEH guh-vuh-RYOO puh-ROO-skih.
The adverb is по-русски, with a final -и. Russian does not need "the Russian language" here, though я не говорю по-русски and я не говорю на русском are both heard.
Я немно́го говорю́ по-ру́сски.
I speak a little Russian.
IPA /ˈja nʲɪmˈnoɡə ɡəvɐˈrʲu pɐˈruskʲɪ/
Say it YAH nim-NOH-guh guh-vuh-RYOO puh-ROO-skih.
A much better opener than an apology: it invites the other person to slow down rather than switch to English.
Кто вы по профе́ссии?
What do you do for a living?
IPA /ˈxto ˈvɨ pə prɐˈfʲesɪɪ/
Say it KHTOH VIH puh pruh-FYEH-sih-ih?
Literally "who are you by profession?". The answer is a noun in the nominative: Я врач, Я учитель.
Чем вы занима́етесь?
What do you do?
IPA /ˈtɕem ˈvɨ zənʲɪˈmajɪtʲɪsʲ/
Say it CHEM VIH zuh-nih-MAH-yih-tis?
The -ся verb means "occupy yourself with"; чем is the instrumental of что, so the literal sense is "with what do you occupy yourself?".
