Breakdown of Какими судьбами ты здесь?
здесь
here
ты
you (singular)
Какими судьбами
fancy meeting you here! (greeting)
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Questions & Answers about Какими судьбами ты здесь?
Why is судьбами in the instrumental plural case here?
The phrase какими судьбами literally translates to "by what fates." The instrumental case is used here to indicate the means or route by which something happens, similar to saying "by what path did you end up here?" The plural form emphasizes the unpredictability of circumstances.
Is there a missing verb in this sentence?
Yes, conversational Russian often drops verbs when the context makes them obvious. Literally, the sentence is "By what fates [are] you here?" but the implication is "By what fates [did you end up] here?" You do not need a verb like оказался (ended up) for the phrase to work perfectly.
Is Какими судьбами only used for pleasant surprises, or can it be negative?
It is almost always used for a pleasant or neutral surprise, exactly like "Fancy meeting you here!" or "What brings you here?" in English. You wouldn't use it if you were angry or suspicious to see someone, as it carries a warm, conversational tone.
Could I say Как ты здесь? instead to mean the same thing?
Not quite. Как ты здесь? usually means "How are you doing here?" or "How is your life here?" To ask how someone physically arrived somewhere, you would ask Как ты сюда попал?. Какими судьбами is a specific set idiom for expressing surprise at an unexpected encounter.