Мы с соседями давно дружим и иногда болтаем у подъезда, а с друзьями из другого района созваниваемся вечером.

Мы с соседями literally means we with the neighbors, and in natural English this is often my neighbors and I.

Russian often uses this pattern:

• мы с друзьями = my friends and I
• мы с братом = my brother and I

Because the subject is plural in meaning, the verb is also plural:

• Мы с соседями давно дружим
  = My neighbors and I have been friends for a long time

If you said я с соседями, that would more strongly mean I am with the neighbors, not the neighbors and I as a shared subject.

They are in the instrumental case because of the preposition с meaning with.

So:

• с соседями = with the neighbors
• с друзьями = with friends

Basic dictionary forms are:

• соседи → соседями
• друзья → друзьями

This is a very common pattern in Russian:

• с мамой = with mom
• с братом = with a brother
• с друзьями = with friends

Yes, essentially it means the same thing: the neighbors and I.

But мы с соседями sounds much more natural in everyday Russian than я и соседи in this kind of sentence.

Compare:

• Мы с соседями давно дружим = natural
• Я и соседи давно дружим = understandable, but less natural

Russian often prefers the мы с... structure when the speaker is included in the group.

Yes. Дружить means to be friends or to be on friendly terms.

So:

• Мы давно дружим = We have been friends for a long time

This is an ongoing state/relationship, so Russian uses the imperfective verb дружить.

A useful contrast:

• дружить = to be friends
• подружиться = to become friends / make friends

So:

• Мы давно дружим = we’ve been friends for a long time
• Мы быстро подружились = we became friends quickly

Russian often uses the present tense for something that started in the past and is still true now.

So:

• Мы давно дружим
  literally: We are friends for a long time
  natural English: We’ve been friends for a long time

This is very normal in Russian. The word давно helps show that it began earlier and continues now.

Similar examples:

• Я давно здесь живу = I’ve lived here for a long time
• Мы давно знакомы = We’ve known each other for a long time

Болтаем comes from болтать, which means to chat, to talk casually, or to shoot the breeze.

It is informal and conversational. It suggests relaxed, light conversation, not serious discussion.

So:

• иногда болтаем у подъезда = we sometimes chat by the entrance

It is less formal than verbs like:

• разговаривать = to talk, converse
• беседовать = to converse, have a discussion

У подъезда means by the entrance or near the building entrance.

The preposition у usually means by, near, or sometimes at someone’s place, and it requires the genitive case.

So:

• подъезд → подъезда

Examples:

• у дома = by the house
• у школы = by the school
• у подъезда = by the entrance

In many Russian-speaking contexts, подъезд usually means the entranceway of an apartment building, so this phrase has a very everyday, local feel.

Here а marks a contrast or shift of topic: and as for... / while... / whereas...

The sentence has two parts:

• with the neighbors: they are friends and chat in person
• with friends from another district: they call in the evening

So а helps show that the second part is a different situation, not just one more identical action.

Very roughly:

• и = and
• а = and/but/while/as for, depending on context

Here it feels like:

• ..., а с друзьями из другого района созваниваемся вечером
  = ..., while with friends from another district we call each other in the evening

No, it is not the subject.

The subject is still understood as мы from the first clause. Russian often omits a repeated subject if it is obvious.

So the second clause is really:

• (Мы) с друзьями из другого района созваниваемся вечером

Here:

• мы = implied subject
• с друзьями = with friends
• созваниваемся = we call each other / we keep in touch by phone

The phrase с друзьями из другого района is moved forward for emphasis or smooth flow. Russian word order is flexible.

Созваниваемся comes from созваниваться, which means to call each other, to talk by phone from time to time, or to keep in touch by phone.

It is more specific than звонить.

Compare:

• звоним = we call / we are calling
• созваниваемся = we call one another, we get in touch by phone

The -ся ending often gives a reciprocal sense here: the action goes both ways.

So:

• Мы с друзьями созваниваемся
  = My friends and I call each other / stay in touch by phone

This fits especially well with repeated, habitual contact.

Because the sentence describes a habitual, repeated action:

• созваниваемся вечером = we call each other in the evening / in the evenings

The imperfective aspect is used for repeated actions, general habits, or ongoing situations.

The perfective partner is созвониться, which usually refers to one completed call arrangement/call.

Compare:

• Мы часто созваниваемся = We often call each other
• Давай созвонимся вечером = Let’s talk on the phone this evening

The preposition из means from/out of, and it requires the genitive case.

So:

• из района = from the district
• из другого района = from another district

Both words are in the genitive:

• другой → другого
• район → района

This phrase describes друзьями:

• с друзьями из другого района = with friends from another district/neighborhood

Russian often uses the instrumental case for parts of the day when meaning in the...

So:

• утром = in the morning
• днём = in the daytime
• вечером = in the evening
• ночью = at night

That is why the sentence has:

• созваниваемся вечером = we call each other in the evening

This is a fixed and very common adverbial use.
В вечер would generally not be used here.

Yes. Both are habitual.

• иногда болтаем = we sometimes chat
• созваниваемся вечером = we call each other in the evening / in the evenings

The whole sentence describes regular social behavior, not one single event. That is why the verbs are in the present tense and imperfective.

Because а connects two clauses, and Russian normally puts a comma before coordinating conjunctions like а when they join separate clauses.

Here the two clauses are:

1. Мы с соседями давно дружим и иногда болтаем у подъезда
2. а с друзьями из другого района созваниваемся вечером

So the comma is standard punctuation.

Yes. Район is flexible and can mean:

• district
• area
• neighborhood

The best English choice depends on context. In this sentence, another neighborhood or another district both work well.

So:

• друзья из другого района = friends from another neighborhood/district

It is mostly neutral-conversational.

Words like:

• болтаем
• созваниваемся

make it sound natural and everyday, not formal.

It sounds like normal spoken or informal written Russian: friendly, ordinary, and realistic.