Здравствуйте, как вас зовут?
Zdravstvuyte, kak vas zovut?
To say "hello what is your name" in Russian, use Здравствуйте, как вас зовут? (Zdravstvuyte, kak vas zovut?)
This phrase is a polite way to greet someone and ask for their name in a formal or respectful setting.
What does it mean word for word?
The greeting Здравствуйте is the formal imperative form of the verb meaning "to be healthy." The question part, как вас зовут?, literally translates to "how do they call you?"
Which one should you use?
While Здравствуйте, как вас зовут? is used for formal situations, you should use Как тебя зовут? when speaking to a child, a peer or a close friend.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase как вас зовут?, the word вас is the accusative case of the formal/plural pronoun вы, which is used to construct this polite question. The greeting Здравствуйте is the formal imperative form of the verb "to be healthy."
How do you pronounce it?
Zdravstvuyte, kak vas zovut?
Did you know?
- In a Russian professional setting, it is common to answer this question by providing your first name and your patronymic, which is a name derived from your father's first name.
- While Здравствуйте is a greeting, it is essentially a wish for the other person to remain healthy. In historical times, it was used to ward off illness or bad luck when meeting someone.
- In very formal or old-fashioned Russian, you might see the pronoun вы written with a capital letter as Вы to show extreme respect to the person you are asking.
Examples in context
- Здравствуйте, как вас зовут?Hello, what is your name?
- Привет, как тебя зовут?Hi, what is your name?
- Извините, здравствуйте, как вас зовут?Izvinite, zdravstvuyte, kak vas zovut?Excuse me, hello, what is your name?
Example conversation
Ekaterina meets a new colleague at a formal business conference.
- Екатерина EkaterinaЗдравствуйте, как вас зовут?Zdravstvuyte, kak vas zovut?Hello, what is your name?
- Дмитрий DmitryЗдравствуйте, меня зовут Дмитрий.Zdravstvuyte, menya zovut Dmitriy.Hello, my name is Dmitry.
- Екатерина EkaterinaОчень приятно, Дмитрий.Ochen priyatno, Dmitriy.Nice to meet you, Dmitry.
- Дмитрий DmitryВзаимно, Екатерина.Vzaimno, Ekaterina.Likewise, Ekaterina.
