Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| здра́вствуйте | zdrávstvujte | formal |
| приве́т | privét | informal |
| здоро́во | zdoróvo | colloquial |
| до́брый день | dóbryj denʹ | |
| здра́вствуй | zdrávstvuj | informal |
| салю́т | saljút |
You can use до́брый день as a polite, neutral greeting during daylight hours, similar to 'good afternoon'. For a common, friendly way to say 'hi' or 'hey', use приве́т. There is also салю́т and здоро́во, which is a very casual greeting.
What does it mean word for word?
The formal greeting здра́вствуйте is derived from the imperative form of a verb meaning 'be healthy'.
Which one should you use?
здра́вствуйте is used for formal situations or when addressing a group, whereas здра́вствуй is used for a single person you know well. приве́т is the equivalent of 'hi' or 'hey' in English, while здоро́во is a much more casual, masculine-coded version often used between male friends.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
здра́вствуйте is the formal way to say hello. приве́т is the most common way to say 'hi' among friends and peers and is considered informal. здоро́во is a colloquial greeting, and до́брый день provides a polite and neutral tone.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form здра́вствуй is the informal singular version of the greeting, used when addressing one person with whom you are on familiar terms.
How do you pronounce it?
zdrávstvujte
Did you know?
- While салю́т is used as a casual 'hello' similar to 'hi', its primary meaning in Russian is 'salute' or 'fireworks'.
- The Russian word for 'day' день is a distant relative of the Sanskrit word dina, showing a prehistoric link between Russian and ancient Indian languages.
- Depending on the social hierarchy, using приве́т with a superior instead of здра́вствуйте can be seen as a significant social faux pas or an intentional sign of disrespect.
Examples in context
- Вы прекрасно выглядите. Здравствуйте!You look great. Hello!
- Привет! Как дела?Hi! How are you?
- Вы можете просто сказать: здра́вствуйте.Vy mozhete prosto skazat': zdravstvuyte.You can just say: hello.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries день, CC BY-SA 4.0.
