Ch 1 · Lesson 3Russian · Chapter 1 · Lesson 3 · Grammar primer
Как дела? Спасибо, пожалуйста, до свидания
How are you and how to answer, thank you, please and sorry, and the two goodbyes: for anyone, for friends.
The short version
! . (Spasibo! Pozhaluysta.)
Why?Hide
One word does three jobs: please when you ask, you're welcome when someone thanks you, and here you are when you hand something over. Native speakers say it fast, closer to pa-ZHAL-sta. For a warmer you're welcome, say , literally for nothing.
Как дела? and how to answer
? (kak dela) means how are you, literally how are things. It is friendly, and Russians mean it: ask it of people you know, and expect an honest answer.
| Answer | English |
|---|---|
! | great |
, . | fine, thanks |
. | OK, not bad |
. | so-so |
Then send it back. With a friend it is ?, and you? With someone you call , the question itself changes too:
?- How are you? (polite)?- How are you? (polite, shorter)
is the most Russian answer on the list. It is a shrug: things are fine, nothing to report. An enthusiastic every day can sound slightly suspicious.
Goodbye: до свидания and пока
!(do svidaniya) - Goodbye! Polite, for anyone.!(poka) - Bye! For friends.!(do zavtra) - See you tomorrow!
means until the meeting, the same idea as French au revoir. It is the goodbye for the shop, the office, the doctor and your neighbour. is the partner of : if you would say hi, you can say bye.
, Бори́с!- Bye, Boris! (a friend), !- Thank you, goodbye! (leaving a shop)
Спасибо, пожалуйста, извините
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
. | thank you |
. | thank you very much |
. | please; you're welcome |
. | don't mention it |
. | excuse me; sorry |
. | sorry; excuse me, warmer |
(pozhaluysta) does three jobs. Native speakers say it fast, closer to pa-ZHAL-sta.
| Job | Russian | English |
|---|---|---|
| asking | , . | Tea, please. |
| thanked | ! . | Thank you! You're welcome. |
| handing over | , . | Here you are. |
(izvinite) is excuse me before a question and sorry after a small accident. is a little warmer and more personal:
, ?- Excuse me, where is the metro?, !- Oh, sorry! (you trod on someone's foot)
Going further: The whole system on one screen and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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Lesson 3 of 43 in this chapter