Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| приве́т | privét |
| здоро́во | zdoróvo |
| здра́сте | zdráste |
The terms used for 'hi' are all informal greetings used with friends, peers or in casual settings.
Which one should you use?
приве́т is the standard and most common way to say 'hi' to friends and peers. здоро́во is a very informal, masculine-coded greeting similar to 'hey man' or 'sup'. здра́сте is a colloquial, shortened version of the formal здравствуйте used in casual but respectful settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
приве́т is the standard informal greeting. здра́сте is informal but retains a level of colloquial respect. здоро́во is considered slang. For formal situations, you should use Здравствуйте (which literally means 'be healthy'), Доброе утро (good morning), Добрый день (good day) or Добрый вечер (good evening).
Is it said differently in some regions?
Здарова is an informal regional variation of Здравствуй.
How do you pronounce it?
privét
Did you know?
- While здоро́во is used as 'hi', the exact same word with a different stress on the vowel means 'huge' or 'great'. A speaker must be careful with pronunciation to avoid calling their friend 'gigantic'.
- If you use the formal Здравствуйте with a close friend, they might think you are being sarcastic or that you are angry with them.
- The informal greeting приве́т shares a root with the word for 'arrival'. It historically implies that the person arriving is bringing good news or a 'greeting' from others.
Examples in context
- Здоро́во!Hi.This sentence shows how to use the slang greeting здоро́во.Tatoeba #3854188 by marafon, translation #538123 by CM
- Приве́т, как дела?Privet, kak dela?Hi, how are you?
- О, приве́т! Давно не виделись.O, privet! Davno ne videlis'.Oh, hi! Long time no see.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maria and Sergey run into each other at a cafe.
- Мария MariaПриве́т, Серге́й!Privet, Sergey!Hi, Sergey!
- Сергей SergeyПриве́т, Ма́рия. Как ты?Privet, Mariya. Kak ty?Hi, Maria. How are you?
- Мария MariaВсё хорошо, спасибо.Vsyo khorosho, spasibo.Everything is good, thanks.
- Сергей SergeyРад это слы́шать.Rad eto slyshat'.Glad to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
