How to Say “Do You Speak Russian?” in Russian

Gaining some knowledge of basic phrases in a foreign language can be incredibly helpful when traveling or interacting with people from different cultures. If you find yourself in a situation where you want to ask someone if they speak Russian, here’s a comprehensive guide on how to do so in both formal and informal ways.

Formal Way to Ask: Вы говорите по-русски? (Vy govorite po-russki?)

In formal situations, such as speaking to a stranger, an elder, or someone in a professional setting, it is important to use the polite form of speech. In Russian, this form is addressed as “вы” (vy) which means “you” in the plural form.

The phrase “Do you speak Russian?” translates to “Вы говорите по-русски?” in Russian. Pronounced as “Vy govorite po-russki?”

Below are some examples of how to use this phrase:

Официант, вы говорите по-русски? – Excuse me, do you speak Russian? (to a waiter)

Простите, вы говорите по-русски? – Excuse me, do you speak Russian? (to a stranger)

Скажите, вы говорите по-русски? – Tell me, do you speak Russian? (to an elder)

Informal Way to Ask: Ты говоришь по-русски? (Ty govorish’ po-russki?)

When speaking to friends, family, or people of the same age group, Russians generally use the informal “ты” (ty) form. It is essential to note that this form is suitable only for close relationships or casual conversations.

To ask “Do you speak Russian?” in an informal way, you would say “Ты говоришь по-русски?” (Ty govorish’ po-russki?). The pronunciation is “Ti go-vo-rihsh pa-roos-kih?”

Here are a few examples demonstrating the usage of the phrase informally:

Петя, ты говоришь по-русски? – Petya, do you speak Russian? (to a friend)

Даша, ты говоришь по-русски? – Dasha, do you speak Russian? (to a classmate)

Ты говоришь по-русски? – Do you speak Russian? (to a family member)

Additional Tips and Examples

Here are some extra tips and examples to enhance your understanding of how to say “Do you speak Russian?” in Russian:

1. Pay attention to your pronunciation:

Accurate pronunciation is crucial when learning any language, including Russian. The Russian phrase for “Do you speak Russian?” (Вы говорите по-русски?/Ты говоришь по-русски?) may sound challenging at first. Practice saying the words and focus on getting the sounds right.

2. Add politeness:

In Russian culture, politeness is highly valued. Adding essential polite words and phrases can help create a positive impression. For example, “Извините” (izz-vee-nee-tee) meaning “Excuse me” can be added at the beginning of the question to make it more polite.

Example: “Извините, говорите ли вы по-русски?” (Izvinite, govorite li vy po-russki?) – Excuse me, do you speak Russian?

3. Adapt the question to different situations:

Depending on the context, you may need to modify the question to suit specific situations. Here are a few examples:

• “Вы хорошо говорите по-русски?” (Vy khorosho govorite po-russki?) – Do you speak Russian well? (asking about fluency)
• “Умеете ли вы говорить по-русски?” (Umee-tye li vy go-vo-reet po-roos-kih?) – Can you speak Russian? (asking about ability)
• “Ты знаешь русский язык?” (Ty znayesh’ rooskiy yazyk?) – Do you know Russian? (more casual way of asking)

4. Remember regional variations:

Russian is spoken in various regions and countries around the world, so there might be slight variations in dialects or accents. However, the phrases “Вы говорите по-русски?” (formal) and “Ты говоришь по-русски?” (informal) are generally understood and used in all Russian-speaking regions without major differences.

5. Practice conversational Russian:

If you are interested in learning more conversational Russian, apart from the basic question “Do you speak Russian?” consider learning simple phrases to keep the conversation going. Phrases like “What is your name?”, “Where are you from?”, or “How are you?” can help establish a connection with native Russian speakers.