Most of what you say in a conversation isn't built fresh from grammar — it's pre-fabricated. You answer the phone, you signal that you're still listening, you wrap up a plan, you announce you're leaving. These conversational routines (рече́вые форму́лы) are nearly fixed in form, and Russian's are different enough from English that translating word-for-word makes you sound foreign even when every word is correct. This page collects the most useful ones, with the register attached, so you can deploy them without thinking.
Answering and managing the phone
The single biggest surprise for English speakers is the phone opening. Russian does not answer with "hello" the way English does, nor by stating a name. The default is Алло́? — borrowed from the same source as English "hello" but reserved almost entirely for the phone. On a landline or at a desk people often answer Слу́шаю (literally "[I'm] listening" — the verb слу́шать in the first person), or Да (a clipped "yes," (informal)).
— Алло́? — Здра́вствуйте, э́то Ива́н?
— Hello? — Hi, is this Ivan? — Алло́ is the phone default, not a face-to-face greeting.
— Слу́шаю вас. — До́брый день, я по по́воду зака́за.
— [I'm] listening / Go ahead. — Good afternoon, I'm calling about my order. — Слу́шаю вас is the (formal) way to answer at a desk or office.
Алло́, я тебя́ пло́хо слы́шу, перезвони́!
Hello, I can barely hear you, call back! — Алло́ also re-establishes contact mid-call when the line drops.
When you don't recognise the caller, you ask Кто э́то? ("who is this?") or, more politely, Прости́те, а кто его́ спра́шивает? ("sorry, who's asking for him?"). To say who you are, Russian uses Э́то + name, never "I am": Э́то Ма́ша ("It's Masha").
— Алло́? — Здра́вствуйте, э́то Анна Петро́вна?
— Hello? — Hello, is this Anna Petrovna? — identifying the other person with Э́то + name.
— Кто э́то? — Э́то я, Серёжа, не узна́л?
— Who is this? — It's me, Seryozha, didn't you recognise me? — Э́то я for 'it's me', never 'Я Серёжа' on the phone.
Getting someone's attention
To flag down a stranger — on the street, in a shop, in a queue — you don't say "excuse me" and stop. You open with Извини́те (informal-neutral) or Прости́те (slightly more (formal)), and you very often follow it with Подскажи́те, пожа́луйста… — literally "prompt me, please," the standard way to ask for information or directions. Подскажи́те softens the request into "could you tell me…" and is far more idiomatic than a bare Скажи́те ("tell me").
Извини́те, подскажи́те, пожа́луйста, как пройти́ к метро́?
Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the metro? — Подскажи́те, пожа́луйста is the go-to opener for asking directions.
Прости́те, вы не подска́жете, кото́рый час?
Sorry, would you happen to know what time it is? — the negated не подска́жете is even softer (and is a request, not a yes/no question).
Де́вушка, извини́те, э́то ме́сто свобо́дно?
Excuse me, miss — is this seat free? — addressing a young woman as Де́вушка to get her attention (see forms of address).
Backchanneling: showing you're following
While the other person talks, a Russian listener is far from silent — they pepper the pauses with little signals meaning "I'm with you, keep going." Staying completely quiet can read as cold or inattentive. The core set, from most casual up:
| Signal | Force / register | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| Угу́ / Ага́ | (informal), very frequent | "mm-hm / uh-huh / yeah" |
| Да-да | (informal) | "yes, yes — go on" |
| Поня́тно | neutral | "I see / got it" |
| Я́сно | neutral, slightly clipped | "clear / right / I see" |
| Коне́чно | neutral | "of course / sure" |
| Серьёзно? / Пра́вда? | (informal) | "really?" |
Угу́ and Ага́ are throat sounds as much as words; you'll hear them constantly on the phone, where a silent listener is alarming because the speaker can't see you nodding. Поня́тно and Я́сно acknowledge that you've absorbed a piece of information — note that a flat, falling Я́сно can also signal "okay, I've heard enough" and end a topic.
— И вот мы прие́хали, а гости́ница закры́та. — Угу́. — И что де́лать?
— So we arrive and the hotel's closed. — Mm-hm. — Now what? — Угу́ keeps the speaker going without taking the floor.
— За́втра собра́ние в де́сять. — Поня́тно, бу́ду.
— There's a meeting at ten tomorrow. — Got it, I'll be there. — Поня́тно confirms the info landed.
— Он, оказа́лось, давно́ уво́лился. — Я́сно…
— Turns out he quit ages ago. — I see… — a trailing Я́сно registers the news, often a little flatly.
— Я вчера́ ви́дел Пу́тина в магази́не! — Серьёзно?!
— I saw Putin in the shop yesterday! — Seriously?! — Серьёзно? / Пра́вда? show surprised engagement.
Confirming and agreeing on a plan
When you settle something — a time, a deal, a "yes, let's do it" — Russian has a tidy set of closers. The most satisfying is Договори́лись (literally "[we have] agreed," perfective past) — "deal / it's settled." For lighter agreement use Ла́дно ("okay, fine," (informal)), Хорошо́ ("good, alright," neutral), or Ока́й / Ок (borrowed, used in texting). To say "no problem, sure" you can add Без пробле́м.
— Встре́тимся за́втра в семь у вхо́да. — Договори́лись!
— Let's meet tomorrow at seven by the entrance. — Deal! — Договори́лись seals a concrete arrangement.
— Мо́жешь зайти́ за хле́бом? — Ла́дно, зайду́.
— Can you grab some bread on the way? — Fine, I'll stop by. — Ла́дно is casual 'okay, will do'.
— Тогда́ присыла́й докуме́нты сего́дня. — Хорошо́, до ве́чера пришлю́.
— Then send the documents today. — Alright, I'll send them by evening. — Хорошо́ is the neutral confirm.
Leave-taking: announcing your departure
English drifts toward the door with "well, I should get going." Russian announces it with a striking little idiom: Ну, я пошёл (man) / Ну, я пошла́ (woman) — literally "Well, I went," using the past tense of идти́ ("to go") for an action you're about to do. The past here marks the departure as already decided and underway — you've mentally left. This is one of Russian's most characteristic everyday turns of phrase.
Ну ла́дно, я пошёл, а то опозда́ю.
Well, okay, I'm off, or I'll be late. — Я пошёл = 'I'm leaving now', past tense for an imminent departure (male speaker).
Всё, девчо́нки, я пошла́, споко́йной но́чи!
Right, girls, I'm heading off, good night! — я пошла́ for a female speaker.
Ну всё, нам пора́, пока́!
Okay, we'd better go, bye! — Ну всё ('that's it') + нам пора́ ('it's time for us') wraps a visit.
The wrap-up frame Ну всё ("okay, that's it / right then") signals the conversation is closing; Ну, ла́дно does the same job more softly. Then comes the actual farewell — Пока́ (informal "bye"), До свида́ния (neutral-formal), Дава́й ((informal), literally "give," used as "see ya"), or Уви́димся ("see you").
— Ну всё, спаси́бо за всё, дава́й, созво́нимся! — Дава́й, пока́!
— Right, thanks for everything, take care, we'll talk by phone! — You bet, bye! — Дава́й as a casual sign-off plus созво́нимся 'we'll call each other'.
Hesitation fillers: keeping your turn
When you need a moment to think, fillers hold the floor so no one cuts in. The all-purpose one is Ну… ("well…"), the most frequent word in spoken Russian after pronouns. Others: Э́то… ("er… that…"), Э-э… (the bare "uh"), Как его́… / Как э́то… ("what's it called…", reaching for a word), and the apologetic Ну, как сказа́ть… ("well, how to put it…"). The verb-hunting filler зна́ешь / зна́ете ("you know") works just like its English cousin.
Ну… я ду́маю, э́то возмо́жно, но на́до прове́рить.
Well… I think it's possible, but we'd need to check. — Ну as the universal opener while you gather your thoughts.
Дай мне э́тот… как его́… штопор!
Hand me that… what's-it-called… the corkscrew! — Как его́ marks word-search for a masculine noun (Как её for feminine).
Ну, как тебе́ сказа́ть… бы́ло, в о́бщем, неплохо́.
Well, how to put it… it was, overall, not bad. — Ну, как сказа́ть… softens before an awkward or hedged answer.
How this differs from English
Three mismatches trip up English speakers. First, the phone: English "Hello?" answers both the door and the phone and even opens a conversation; Russian splits these — Алло́ is phone-only, Здра́вствуйте/Приве́т are face-to-face, and Слу́шаю ("listening") has no English equivalent. Second, getting attention: English "excuse me" is a complete move; Russian pairs Извини́те with Подскажи́те, пожа́луйста to actually launch the request. Third, leaving: English uses a future-ish "I'm going to head out"; Russian uses the past — Я пошёл — because in the speaker's mind the departure has already begun. Get these three patterns and your conversational frame instantly sounds native.
Common Mistakes
❌ — Алло́? — Приве́т, э́то Ива́н? (answering your own door with Алло́)
Incorrect for face-to-face — Алло́ is for the phone only. At the door or in person, answer with Да? / Кто там? or a greeting.
✅ — Кто там? — Э́то я, открыва́й!
— Who's there? — It's me, open up! — Кто там? at the door, not Алло́.
❌ Я Ма́ша. (said when answering the phone)
Incorrect on the phone — use the pointer Э́то, not 'I am'. Я Ма́ша sounds like a first face-to-face introduction.
✅ — Алло́? — Здра́вствуйте, э́то Ма́ша.
— Hello? — Hi, this is Masha. (Э́то + name)
❌ Извини́те. (then silence, waiting for the person to guess what you want)
Incomplete — a bare Извини́те only flags attention; launch the request with Подскажи́те, пожа́луйста…
✅ Извини́те, подскажи́те, пожа́луйста, где апте́ка?
Excuse me, could you tell me where the pharmacy is?
❌ Ну, я иду́. (meaning 'I'm leaving now')
Wrong tense for announcing departure — the idiom uses the PAST: Я пошёл / Я пошла́. Я иду́ means 'I'm walking / on my way' as a process.
✅ Ну всё, я пошла́, до за́втра!
Okay, I'm off, see you tomorrow!
❌ (silent listening on the phone for 30 seconds)
Reads as 'are you still there?' — backchannel out loud with Угу́ / Ага́ / Да-да so the speaker hears you following.
✅ — …и вот тогда́ он сказа́л… — Угу́. — …что всё отме́няется. — Поня́тно.
— …and that's when he said… — Mm-hm. — …it's all cancelled. — I see. (audible nods)
Key Takeaways
- Phone: answer with Алло́ / Слу́шаю (never a face-to-face greeting); identify people with Э́то
- name, not "I am"; ask Кто э́то? for an unknown caller.
- Getting attention: Извини́те / Прости́те
- Подскажи́те, пожа́луйста… — the bare "excuse me" isn't enough on its own.
- Backchannel out loud with Угу́, Ага́, Да-да, Поня́тно, Я́сно — silence, especially on the phone, reads as absence.
- Confirm a plan with Договори́лись (deal), Ла́дно/Хорошо́ (okay); close with Ну всё then Пока́ / До свида́ния / Дава́й.
- Announce leaving with the past-tense idiom Я пошёл / Я пошла́ — "I'm off."
- Hold your turn with Ну…, Э́то…, Как его́…, Ну, как сказа́ть… — these make you sound fluent, not sloppy.
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- Greetings and FarewellsA1 — The full hello-and-goodbye system with register. Greetings: Здра́вствуйте (formal/plural, with a silent first в — 'zdrastvuytye'), Здра́вствуй (informal sg), Приве́т (casual), and the time-of-day До́брое у́тро / До́брый день / До́брый ве́чер. Farewells: До свида́ния (formal, 'until the meeting'), Пока́ (casual), До за́втра / До встре́чи / Уви́димся, Споко́йной но́чи. The insight English speakers miss: most farewell-wishes are frozen GENITIVES governed by an implied 'I wish you' — Споко́йной но́чи, Счастли́вого пути́, Всего́ до́брого — so they look like fragments but are genitive objects of жела́ть; and Как дела́? expects a brief positive default, not a real status report.
- On the Phone and in Service EncountersB1 — The fixed, scripted phrases of Russian phone calls and service situations — answering with Алло́/Слу́шаю (never your name), asking for someone with Мо́жно + accusative (Мо́жно А́нну?), handling wrong numbers, getting a stranger's attention with Де́вушка/Молодо́й челове́к (since there's no neutral 'miss/sir'), the вы-register of transactions, and the all-important queue convention Кто после́дний? to claim your place in line.
- Particles in Conversation: A Practical SummaryB1 — A usable toolkit of the conversational particles, organized by the job you want done rather than alphabetically. Emphasis: же, и́менно. Softening a request or suggestion: -ка, бы. Appeal to shared knowledge: ведь, же. Surprise or doubt: ра́зве, неуже́ли. Filler and transition: ну, вот. Indefinite or topic: -то, -нибудь. You don't need all of them at once — reliably deploying three or four of these is the single fastest way to make your Russian sound like a person instead of a textbook.
- Да, Нет, and the Particles of Affirmation/NegationA2 — Да is 'yes' — but it is also a conversational filler and connector ('well, so'), an emphatic booster on commands (Да замолчи́ ты! — 'oh do shut up!'), and the first half of the famously confusing Да нет (наве́рное) ('well, no, probably not'). Нет is 'no' — and also the existential 'there isn't' (Здесь нет воды́). The real trap for English speakers is answering negative questions: Russian agrees with the literal proposition, not with the questioner's hope, so — Ты не голо́ден? — Нет means 'right, I'm not.' This page sorts out when да isn't 'yes' and how Да нет works.
- Demonstrative and Softening Particles: Вот, Вон, -каA2 — Three small particles for pointing and softening. вот presents or points at something present — 'here is / voilà': Вот мой дом, Вот и всё, Вот так. вон points at something far off — 'over there': Вон тот дом, Вон там. The suffix -ка clips onto imperatives to make a command friendly and casual: Дай-ка, Посмотри́-ка!, Иди́-ка сюда́, Ну-ка. Crucially, вот PRESENTS ('here it is') while здесь merely states a location ('here, in this place').
- Please, Thank You, SorryA1 — The core courtesy formulas. Пожа́луйста is overloaded — 'please' (request), 'you're welcome' (reply to thanks), and 'here you go' (handing something over); context decides. Спаси́бо (thanks; Большо́е спаси́бо; Спаси́бо за + accusative). Replies to thanks: Пожа́луйста, Не за что ('don't mention it'), На здоро́вье (food). Apologies: Извини́те / Извини́ (minor), Прости́те / Прости́ (heavier, 'forgive me'), Прошу́ проще́ния (formal). The insight English speakers miss: пожа́луйста's triple duty; Russians split Извини́те (small) from Прости́те (serious) more than English 'sorry'; and Не за что (lit. 'there's nothing to thank for') is the natural humble reply learners wrongly replace with пожа́луйста.