When you start talking to someone in Russian, it’s important to ask them their name.

Knowing someone’s name helps you connect better.

In this lesson, we’ll learn some easy ways to ask for names, as well as some common words for greetings and goodbyes.

Basic Phrase for Asking Names

The simplest way to ask someone their name in Russian is:

• Как вас зовут?
  (Kak vas zovut?)
  This means “What is your name?” You can use this in both formal and casual situations.

If you want to be more casual, you can say:

• Как тебя зовут?
  (Kak tebya zovut?)
  Use this when talking to friends or someone younger than you.

Other Ways to Ask for Names

Here are a few more helpful phrases:

• Как ваша фамилия?
  (Kak vasha familiya?)
  This means “What is your last name?” It’s a more formal way to ask.

• Как тебя зовут, если не секрет?
  (Kak tebya zovut, esli ne sekret?)
  This means “What is your name, if it’s not a secret?” It sounds friendlier.

• Как вас зовут? Расскажите о себе.
  (Kak vas zovut? Rasskazhite o sebe.)
  This means “What is your name? Tell me about yourself.” It helps keep the conversation going.

Practice Scenarios

Here are some situations where you can practice these phrases:

1. Making New Friends: If you’re at a party, you might want to introduce yourself.

   • You can say, Привет! Как тебя зовут? (Hi! What is your name?)

2. Meeting a Colleague: If you meet someone new at work.

   • Start with Здравствуйте! Как вас зовут? (Hello! What is your name?)

3. Language Exchange: If you’re in a language class.

   • You could say, Как тебя зовут? Я изучаю русский. (What is your name? I am learning Russian.)

Common Greetings and Farewells

It’s also good to know some common greetings and goodbyes. Here are some phrases you can use:

• Привет!
  (Privet!)

  • “Hi!” (casual)

• Здравствуйте!
  (Zdravstvuyte!)

  • “Hello!” (formal)

• Как дела?
  (Kak dela?)

  • “How are you?” (casual)

• Хорошо, спасибо!
  (Khorosho, spasibo!)

  • “Good, thank you!”

• До свидания!
  (Do svidaniya!)

  • “Goodbye!” (formal)

• Пока!
  (Poka!)

  • “Bye!” (casual)

Key Takeaways

When asking for someone’s name in Russian, think about how formal or casual the situation is.

The phrases как вас зовут? and как тебя зовут? show this difference clearly.

Use greetings and goodbyes to make your conversations warm and friendly.

With these phrases, you’ll be all set for talking to people in Russian. Happy learning!