Learn: How Are You in Russian & 11 Ways To Answer

how are you in russianHello Junkies!

There are many ways to ask How are you in Russian.

Here, you’re going learn the top common ways to ask and how to answer this question as well. Read out the English pronunciations to get a good idea of how the phrases actually sound in Russian. You can also try RussianPod101’s lesson on “How to Say How Are You.”

How to ask How Are You in Russian – Questions. 7 Ways.

Just like English, there are many ways to ask this question.
The more you know, the better Russian speaker you will be.

Hey, if you REALLY want to learn & speak Russian, I suggest RussianPod101. You get 1,000+ audio/video courses, lessons by Russian teachers and a whole learning system. Sign up at RussianPod101 (click here) and start learning! I recommend ’em as a teacher & learner.

1. Как дела?

  • English Pronunciation: Kak dela
  • Meaning: “How are things” but it’s used as “How are you?”

This is the most common way of asking and also very casual. Essentially, this is how you can say “what’s up” in Russian as both, asking about what’s up, or how are things going on in general.

how are you in russian

2. Как ты?

  • English Pronunciation: Kak ti?
  • Meaning: Directly translated as how are you?

This is a very casual way of directing asking how the person is. The question points directly at the listener by asking “How are you?” Here’s the polite version below.

  • Как вы (this is the polite version you can use with strangers or in professional settings)
  • English Pronunciation: Kak vi?
  • Meaning: Directly translated as how are you?

3. Как жизнь?

  • English Pronunciation: Kak zhizn?
  • Meaning: How’s life?

Want to vary up your Russian expression? Use this instead. Not much to this phrase as you’re literally asking them how their life – or day-to-day life is going.

how are you in russian

4. Как поживаешь?

  • English Pronunciation: Kak pozhivayesh?
  • Meaning: How are you living?

This is just another way of asking “how’s life” in Russian. The only difference is that, as opposed to “How’s life, ” this question directly asks “how are you living.” So, you’re directly asking about their day-to-day life, or their recent life – whether health, love, work, etc. This is pretty casual.

For the formal way, as usual, we turn the verb into plural.

  • Как поживаете?
  • English Pronunciation: Kak pozhivayete
  • Meaning: How are you living? (formal)

5. Как всё?

  • English Pronunciation: Kak vso?
  • Meaning: How’s everything?

You’d ask “How’s everything” or “How’s everything going?” in English, right? Well, this is the Russian variation.

how are you in russian

6. Bсё нормально?

  • English Pronunciation: Vso normalno?
  • Meaning: Is everything normal (is everything OK?)

Another variation of this is….

Всё хорошо?

  • English Pronunciation: Vso horosho?
  • Meaning: Is everything good?

7. Как у тебя там?

  • English Pronunciation: Kak oo tebya tam?
  • Meaning: How’s it over there for you?

This is typically used when the person you’re talking to is far away. So, you’re asking “How are things over there?”

For the formal form , as usual, we turn the verb into plural.

  • Как у вас там?
  • English Pronunciation: Kak u vas tam?
  • How’s it over there for you?

How to answer “How Are You” in Russian.

To be honest, although these questions are slightly different, they can all be answered with the same common phrases. You’re going to learn all the phrases that you can use. Remember: In Russian, it’s okay to answer with 1 word, an adjective, to describe how things are. Just like in English where you can say… A) Hey, how are you? B) Good!

how are you in russianhow are you in russian

  1. Хорошо – Horosho – Good
  2. Отлично – Otlichno – Excellent
  3. Нормально – Normalno – Normal or (OK)
  4. Bсё нормально – Vso normalno – Everything’s OK.
    1. You can use other adjectives mentioned above.
      1. всё хорошо
  5. У меня всьо нормально – Oo menya vso normalno – Everything’s OK with me
    1. Again, you can use other adjectives mentioned above.
      1. У меня всё xорошо
  6. Так себе – Tak sebe – So so.
  7. Ничего интересного – Nichevo interesnovo – Nothing interesting
  8. Ничего нового – Nicechevo novovo – Nothing new
  9. Ничего такого особенного – Nichevo takovo osobennovo – Nothing special
  10. Жизнь хороша – Zhizn horosha – Life’s good
  11. Жизнь потихоньку идет – Zhizn potihonku idyot – Life’s going slowly (but getting there.)

Again, there’s more than one way to ask How are you in Russian and answer the question. Just like English. However, knowing these variations will give your Russian more range of expression and make you more fluent.

Done!

Now you know how to say How are You in Russian and answer this question

Want more lesson? Check the link below for a full learning program called RussianPod101.


Want to ACTUALLY learn Russian? Learn online with Lessons at RussianPod101!
Learn Russian with Free Daily Podcasts

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments