19 Awesome Ways To Say: How Are You in Russian

Hello Junkies!

How are you? Are you good? Good! Asking how someone is a very common question. It’s used every day around the world. And, there are TONS of way to ask it.

Here’s why you should know the different ways to ask this question.

• You have a greater range of expression – sign of fluency.
• You sound more fluid and more natural.
• One version may be more applicable than another

So in this lesson you will learn the 19 Ways to ask How Are You in Russian. So, if you already know how to say hello in Russian, learning how to ask “how are you” is the next step. Ready? Let’s go.

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1. How are you? Как дела?

• Как дела?
• Kak dela?

This is the #1, most popular way to ask How are you in Russian. If you need to remember anything from this lesson, it’s this. Now, it’s not formal. You shouldn’t say Как дела to your boss, but if you see a friend – use it. When you pronounce Kak dela try to make {e} very soft. In Russian, the {e} is a soft vowel and sounds more like {ie}.

The next phrase you’ll learn is a variation of this.

2. How are you? (gentle) Как делишки?

• Как делишки?
• Kak delishki?

Young people, especially girls, like to adjust the phrase Как дела by saying Как делишки – Kak dʲelishki. Why? it sounds sweeter, gentler and more endearing.

3. How are you doing? (formal) Как Вы поживаете?

• Как Вы поживаете?
• Kak Vi pozhivayete?

This is a formal, official way of asking people “How are you doing.” If it’s a conversation between two presidents, or you meet your boss or professor and you want to be polite – use it.

You CAN use this in everyday life with your friends, but it’s strange. Why? It’s too polite, to the extent of … why are you being “formal” with a close friend? Odd choice of words, bro. So, use #5.

4. How are you doing? (casual) Как ты поживаешь?

So, it’s better to change {Вы} to {ты} and ask:

• Как ты поживаешь?
• Kak ti pozhivayesh?

Now, it’s ok to use with people that you know well. But, we can go even shorter with this phrase.

5. How are you? (super casual) Как ты?

• Как ты?
• Kak ti?

Literally, this means “How you?” This might be the shortest way to say How are you in Russian!

6. How are things? Как Ваши дела?

• Как Ваши дела?
• Kak Vashi dela?

“Как Ваши дела” is a way to ask “How are things?” As you can tell, дела means things. But, we can also translate it like “How is your business?” Use it on anybody; a boss or your close friend. It’s not that formal like the phrase, “Как Вы поживаете“, but it’s still polite.

7. How are things? (casual) Как Твои дела

If you see a friend, say Kak Tvoi dela, because “Vashi” is too formal.

• Как Твои дела
• Kak Tvoi dela

8. How are you doing?/How is your mood? Как настроение?

• Как настроение?
• Kak nastroyenie?

Another common way to ask How are you in Russian. We can translate this phrase to “How is your mood” because “настроение” means “mood.”  You can say it to everyone and everywhere. This phrase is also used in formal occasions – on TV, radio, speeches.

You can also say {как твое настроение} or {как Ваше настроение}. Make sure you roll the {r} if you want to say it properly.

9. What’s new? Что нового?

• Что нового?
• Chto novogo?

Ask this if you haven’t seen some person for a bit of time. This phrase is formal so young people (friends) don’t use it much. But, on TV (news or sport events) it’s popular.

10. How’s it going? Вы как?

• Вы как?
• Vi kak?

Very short and easy to remember. You can use it with your friends. Use it when talking to one person or a group of people.

11. How’s your life going? Как живется?

• Как живется?
• Kak zhivietsa?

Just like the English version, this has the same meaning and usage. Elderly typically say it a lot but it’s not a problem if you use it also. It sounds nice and polite.

12. How’s life? Как жизнь?

• Как жизнь?
• Kak zhizn?

Just like “Как живется?” but this phrase is more common. It’s not a formal so if you meet your really close friend – use it… even if you see this person every day!

Alright, the next set of phrases are slang.

13. What’s up? (slang) Как сам?

• Как сам?
• Kak sam?

14. Howdy! (slang) ты как?

• ты как?
• Ti kak?

15. You alright? (slang) че там?

• че там?
• Cho tam?

16. Alright mate? (slang) как там?

• как там?
• Kak tam?

All of the above are slang ways of asking How are you in Russian. Young people, especially boys and men, use these. If you see a close friend – you can say some of them. They’re modern and fun, and as bonus for you, you sound more native.

The next few phrases come from the English language and English slang.

17. How are you? (taken from English) Хау а ю?

• Хау а ю?
• How a yu?

18. What’s up? (taken from English) вотсап?

• вотсап?
• votsap?

19. Wharrup? (taken from English) ворап?

• ворап?
• vorap?

Everyone around the world is familiar with these phrases. Russians too. Now, honestly, Russians don’t use these much in everyday life. But, Youtube-vloggers and Russians that talk with English speakers like them.

Conclusion

And that’s it.

Do you know of any other ways to ask how are you in Russian? Please leave a comment below. I read all comments and I will add your suggestions to this list! Let’s make it a big one.

Feel free to print this article for your own review!

– the Main Junkie

P.S. I highly recommend this for Russian learners. If you REALLY want to learn to Russian with 1,000s of fun, easy audio/video lessons by real teachers – Sign up for free at RussianPod101 (click here) and start learning!