How to say "hello" in Russian
When to use it
Informal greeting between friends, peers, or younger people. For strangers or formal settings use 'Здравствуйте'.
Syllables & stress
Formal or informal?
Informal. With strangers, older people, in shops or at work use «Здравствуйте» — using «Привет» there reads as over-familiar.
Variations
Examples
Common mistakes
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "hello" in Russian?
"hello" in Russian is Привет, pronounced Privet (pri-VYET — stress on the capitalised syllable).
How do you pronounce Привет?
Privet — IPA /prʲɪˈvʲet/. Syllables: pri-VYET. Use the Listen button above to hear it.
Is Привет formal or informal?
Informal. With strangers, older people, in shops or at work use «Здравствуйте» — using «Привет» there reads as over-familiar.
Are there other ways to say "hello" in Russian?
Yes: Здравствуйте (Zdravstvuyte) — Formal, polite; Здорово (Zdorovo) — Casual, masculine.
More phrases
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Written by Vlad Lario
Russian in Lisbon. I read both sides and write down what differs.
About the author