Phrasebook

Phone and internet

Useful Russian phrases for phone and internet, with audio, IPA, stress marks and an English-friendly pronunciation hint.

Calls, messages, connectivity and the small practical questions around them.

Favourites only

Phone and internet

Алло́!

Hello? (on the phone)

IPA /ɐˈlo/

Say it uh-LOH!

Said by the person answering. Привет is not used on the telephone with someone you do not know well.

neutral communication phone

Кто говори́т?

Who is speaking?

IPA /ˈxto ɡəvɐˈrʲit/

Say it KHTOH guh-vuh-REET?

Literally "who speaks?". On the telephone Russian asks кто, not "what", when establishing who is calling.

neutral communication questions phone

Мо́жно А́нну?

Can I speak to Anna, please?

IPA /ˈmoʐnə ˈanʊ/

Say it MOHZH-nuh AH-noo?

Just the name in the accusative, with no verb: this is the normal, idiomatic way to ask for someone.

neutral communication phone questions

Я вас не слы́шу.

I can't hear you.

IPA /ˈja ˈvas ˈnʲe ˈslɨʂʊ/

Say it YAH VAHS NYEH SLIH-shoo.

слышать is a state, so the imperfective present is used even for what is happening now.

neutral communication negation phone

Плоха́я связь.

The connection is bad.

IPA /plɐˈxajə ˈsvʲasʲ/

Say it pluh-KHAH-yuh SVYAS.

связь is feminine and third declension, so the adjective is плохая.

neutral communication phone

Перезвони́те по́зже.

Call back later.

IPA /pʲɪrʲɪzvɐˈnʲitʲə ˈpoʐːə/

Say it pih-rih-zvuh-NEE-tyuh POH-zhih.

пере- is the prefix that turns "call" into "call back", exactly as переписать turns "write" into "rewrite".

neutral communication phone

Я вам позвоню́.

I will call you.

IPA /ˈja ˈvam pəzvɐˈnʲu/

Say it YAH VAHM puh-zvuh-NYOO.

позвонить is perfective, so the future is a single word. The stress is on the ending throughout: позвоню́, позвони́т — never зво́нит.

neutral communication phone future

Позвони́те мне, пожа́луйста.

Give me a call, please.

IPA /pəzvɐˈnʲitʲə ˈmnʲe pɐˈʐalʊjstə/

Say it puh-zvuh-NEE-tyuh muh-NYEH, puh-ZHAH-luy-stuh.

звонить takes the dative: позвоните мне, позвоните врачу.

neutral communication phone politeness

Како́й у вас но́мер телефо́на?

What is your phone number?

IPA /kɐˈkoj ʊ ˈvas ˈnomʲɪr tʲɪlʲɪˈfonə/

Say it kuh-KOY oo VAHS NOH-mihr tih-lih-FOH-nuh?

neutral communication phone questions numbers

Запиши́те мой но́мер.

Write down my number.

IPA /zəpʲɪˈʂitʲə ˈmoj ˈnomʲɪr/

Say it zuh-pih-SHIH-tyuh MOY NOH-mihr.

записать is perfective and means "write down once, completely"; писать alone would be the open-ended activity of writing.

neutral communication phone

Отпра́вьте мне сообще́ние.

Send me a message.

IPA /ɐtˈprafʲtʲə ˈmnʲe səɐpˈɕːenʲɪjə/

Say it ut-PRAH-ftyuh muh-NYEH suh-up-SHCHEH-nih-yuh.

отправить takes two objects without a preposition: the message accusative and the recipient dative.

neutral communication phone

У меня́ нет интерне́та.

I have no internet.

IPA /ʊ mʲɪˈnʲa ˈnʲet ɪntʲɪrˈnʲetə/

Say it oo mih-NYAH NYET in-tih-RNYEH-tuh.

нет governs the genitive, hence интернета.

neutral communication negation

Здесь есть вай-фа́й?

Is there Wi-Fi here?

IPA /ˈzʲdʲesʲ ˈjesʲtʲ vɐjˈfaj/

Say it ZDYES YEST vuy-FAY?

The loanword is hyphenated and stressed on the second half: вай-фа́й.

neutral communication

Како́й паро́ль?

What is the password?

IPA /kɐˈkoj pɐˈrolʲ/

Say it kuh-KOY puh-RYOL?

neutral communication questions

Мо́жно заря́дить телефо́н?

Can I charge my phone?

IPA /ˈmoʐnə zɐˈrʲadʲɪtʲ tʲɪlʲɪˈfon/

Say it MOHZH-nuh zuh-RYAH-dit tih-lih-FOHN?

neutral communication objects