ско́лько лет, ско́лько зим
skólʹko let, skólʹko zim
In Russian, the English phrase 'long time no see' can be expressed as ско́лько лет, ско́лько зим (skólʹko let, skólʹko zim). If unsure, use ско́лько лет, ско́лько зим. Wiktionary also lists давно́ не ви́делись (davnó ne vídelisʹ).
Meaning: idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time (intj)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| ско́лько лет, ско́лько зим | skólʹko let, skólʹko zim |
| давно́ не ви́делись | davnó ne vídelisʹ |
While давно́ не ви́делись is a direct way to say 'we haven't seen each other for a long time', the idiomatic ско́лько лет, ско́лько зим provides a more colorful expression, often used with a tone of pleasant surprise or mock astonishment when encountering someone after a long absence.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ско́лько лет, ско́лько зим literally translates to 'how many years, how many winters'.
Which one should you use?
давно́ не ви́делись is a more direct, standard way to say 'we haven't seen each other for a long time'. In contrast, ско́лько лет, ско́лько зим is more idiomatic and colorful.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form давно́ не ви́делись uses the plural/formal verb ending, making it suitable for addressing a group or one person formally.
How do you pronounce it?
skólʹko let, skólʹko zim
Did you know?
- The word не in the phrase давно́ не ви́делись shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'not', linking the two languages through the Proto-Indo-European root *né.
- Russian speakers may use ско́лько лет, ско́лько зим with a sarcastic or ironic tone if they actually saw the person quite recently.
- The construction ско́лько лет is often used as a standalone exclamation, dropping the ско́лько зим part entirely while keeping the same meaning.
Examples in context
- Здравствуйте, Иван Иванович! Давно не виделись!Hello, Mr. Ivanov! Long time no see!
- Уважаемый господин Смирнов, прошло много времени с тех пор, как мы виделись.Dear Mr. Smirnov, long time no see.
- Привет, Аня! Давненько не виделись!Hi, Anya! Long time no see!
- Алексей, давай встретимся, давно не виделись!Alexey, let's meet up, long time no see!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “long time no see” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries лет, не, CC BY-SA 4.0.
