Useful Russian phrases for questions and clarification, with audio, IPA, stress marks and an English-friendly pronunciation hint.
Question words, yes/no questions, and the clarification requests you need the moment you stop following.
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Кто э́то?
Who is this?
IPA /ˈxto ˈɛtə/
Say it KHTOH EH-tuh?
Кто always takes a masculine singular verb or adjective, whatever the person's gender: Кто это пришла? is wrong; Кто это пришёл? is right.
Что э́то?
What is this?
IPA /ˈʂto ˈɛtə/
Say it SHTOH EH-tuh?
Где э́то?
Where is that?
IPA /ˈɡdʲe ˈɛtə/
Say it guh-DYEH EH-tuh?
Где asks where something is. For where something is going, use Куда.
Куда́ вы идёте?
Where are you going?
IPA /kʊˈda ˈvɨ ɪˈdʲotʲə/
Say it koo-DAH VIH ih-DYOH-tyuh?
Куда is the accusative of motion, где the prepositional of rest. This pair is the single most useful distinction in Russian place words.
Когда́?
When?
IPA /kɐɡˈda/
Say it kug-DAH?
Почему́?
Why?
IPA /pətɕɪˈmu/
Say it puh-chih-MOO?
Ско́лько э́то сто́ит?
How much is this?
IPA /ˈskolʲkə ˈɛtə ˈstoɪt/
Say it SKOHL-kuh EH-tuh STOH-it?
A fixed chunk — learn it whole. Сколько governs the genitive: сколько времени, сколько рублей, сколько человек.
Вы говори́те по-англи́йски?
Do you speak English?
IPA /ˈvɨ ɡəvɐˈrʲitʲə pəɐnˈɡlʲijskʲɪ/
Say it VIH guh-vuh-REE-tyuh puh-un-GLEE-skih?
A yes/no question uses exactly the same words as the statement. Only the intonation rises, sharply, on the stressed syllable.
Э́то свобо́дно?
Is this free?
IPA /ˈɛtə svɐˈbodnə/
Say it EH-tuh svuh-BOHD-nuh?
Asked about a seat, a table or a taxi. Свободно is the neuter short form, so it needs no noun to agree with.
Не могли́ бы вы повтори́ть?
Could you say that again?
IPA /ˈnʲe mɐˈɡlʲi ˈbɨ ˈvɨ pəftɐˈrʲitʲ/
Say it NYEH muh-GLEE BIH VIH puh-ftuh-REET?
The formal clarification request, and the one worth memorising first: it works with anyone.
Повтори́, пожа́луйста.
Say that again, please.
IPA /pəftɐˈrʲi pɐˈʐalʊjstə/
Say it puh-ftuh-REE, puh-ZHAH-luy-stuh.
The ты imperative. Use only with children or close acquaintances.
Как э́то бу́дет по-ру́сски?
How do you say this in Russian?
IPA /ˈkak ˈɛtə ˈbudʲɪt pɐˈruskʲɪ/
Say it KAHK EH-tuh BOO-dit puh-ROO-skih?
Literally "how will this be in Russian?". The future tense is idiomatic here; the present would sound like a question about a fact.
Что зна́чит э́то сло́во?
What does this word mean?
IPA /ˈʂto ˈznatɕɪt ˈɛtə ˈslovə/
Say it SHTOH ZNAH-chit EH-tuh SLOH-vuh?
значит is the fixed third-person form used in definitions; it does not agree with the word being defined.
Вы меня́ понима́ете?
Do you understand me?
IPA /ˈvɨ mʲɪˈnʲa pənʲɪˈmajɪtʲə/
Say it VIH mih-NYAH puh-nih-MAH-yih-tyuh?
меня is the accusative of я. Note that "I understand you" would be Я вас понимаю — the pronoun changes case, the verb does not.
Вы не подска́жете, где метро́?
Could you tell me where the metro is?
IPA /ˈvɨ ˈnʲe pɐtsˈkaʐɨtʲə ˈɡdʲe mʲɪˈtro/
Say it VIH NYEH put-SKAH-zhih-tyuh, guh-DYEH mih-TROH?
A negative yes/no question is the polite Russian request form, and the subordinate clause keeps statement word order: где метро, not где находится метро ли.
Мо́жно спроси́ть?
May I ask?
IPA /ˈmoʐnə sprɐˈsʲitʲ/
Say it MOHZH-nuh spruh-SEET?
The impersonal можно plus an infinitive is how Russian asks permission without naming who is allowed.
