Learn 15 Basic Russian Questions. Answers & Translations

Want to know how to ask Russian questions?

Well, it’s not hard.

It’s just like English. You need to know Russian question words. And then, you need to end it with an inflection in your voice (when your voice goes up.)

So, first, here are some Russian question words for you. Take a look. Feel free to print this page (or chart out) for your personal review. Don’t worry about memorizing them all at once. Just review them.

Now that you know some Russian question words, you’re ready to for Russian questions and answers.

1. What is your name? Как Вас зовут?

• Как Вас зовут?
• Kak vas zavut?

By the way, as you’re learning these Russian questions, answers and translations…

Wouldn’t you want to hear the pronunciation? Yes? Then check the free audio lesson from RussianPod101 below. Just press the play button.

• Lesson #1 – What’s your name in Russian?”
• Length: 5:45
• Lesson by RussianPod101.com (click here to visit them & get more of these lessons)

The answer to this Russian question is pretty simple. Just add your name in there.

• My name is (your name)
• Меня зовут (your name)
• Menya zavut (your name)

For example…

• My name is Svetlana
• Меня зовут Светлана
• Menya zavut Svetlana

2. How are you? Как у Вас дела?

• Как у Вас дела?
• Kak u vas dela?

Learning to say how are you in Russian is one of the first things you do should do. Super common question.

Now, you can turn this polite and question into a more outgoing “What’s up?” version by simply omitting the official pronoun “Вас.”

So, if you want to be casual, say:

• Как дела?
• Kak dela?

This is one of the most popular Russian questions.

Some possible Russians answers to this Russian question are:

• I’m fine / good
• У меня все хорошо
• U menya vso horosho
• “Xорошо” means good.

• I’m fine
• У меня все нормально
• U menya vso normal’no
• “нормально” means “normal

• Not bad
• Неплохо
• Neploho

• Excellent/Very good!
• Отлично
• Atlichna
• This word literally means “excellent.”

• It could be better
• Могло бы быть и лучше
• Moglo bi bit’ I lutshe
• “лучше” leans “better.”

3. What’s new? Что нового?

This is a casual Russian question that you can ask your friends.

• Что нового?
• Shto novovo?

If you remember your Russian question words, “shto” is “what.” Then “нового” is “new” but in a conjugated form.

Some common answers are:

• Nothing
• Ничего
• Nichevo

• Everything is as before/Same old
• Все по-старому
• Vsyo po-staromu

4. How old are you? Сколько Вам лет?

• Сколько Вам лет?
• Skol’ka vam let?

If you ever wanted to ask for someone’s age in Russian, this is it.

But, to answer, you will need to know Russian numbers.

• I am (number)
• Мне (number)
• Mne (number)

• I’m thirty-five
• Мне тридцать пять
• Mnye tritzat’ pyat’

5. Where are you from? Откуда вы?

• Откуда вы?
• Atkuda vi?

The answer to this Russian question is pretty simple. It may be a country, city, village or any other place.

So, you can say…

• I’m from (location)
• Я из (location)
• Ya iz (location)

• I’m from Moscow
• Я из Москвы
• Ya iz moskvi

If you’re wondering, the word “из” means “from.”

6. What time is it?  Который час?

• Который час?
• Katoriy chas?

The answer to this is as follows:

• It’s (time) now
• Сейчас (time)
• Sechas (time)

• Сейчас пол пятого
• Sechas pol vtarova
• It’s half past one now

To learn how to tell the time in Russian, check out: Learn in 5 Minutes: Telling Time in Russian.

7. What are you doing? Что Вы делаете?

• Что Вы делаете?
• Shto vi delaete?

Some possible answers include:

• Nothing
• Ничего
• Nichevo

• I’m working
• Я работаю
• Ya rabotayu

• I am learning the Russian language
• Я учу русский язык
• Ya uchu russkiy yazik

8. Where do you live? Где Вы живете?

• Где Вы живете?
• Gde vi zhivete?

You can answer with country, city or neighborgood.

• I live in (location)
• Я живу в / во (location)
• Ya zhivoo v / vo (location)

• I live in the city center
• Я живу в центре города
• Ya zhivoo v tsentre gorada

• I live in France
• Я живу во Франции
• Ya zhivoo vo frantsii

9. When is your birthday? Когда у Вас день рождения?

There are two common ways to ask “When is your birthday?” in Russian.

• When is your birthday?
• Когда у Вас день рождения?
• Kagda u vas den’ razhdeniya?
• When is your birthday?
• (Word for word translation: on what date is your birthday?)
• Какого числа у Вас день рождения?
• Kakova chisla u vas den’ razhdeniya?

You may answer by simply saying your birthday date (you’ll have to know the Russian months and days) or you can use a longer answer. There are two different ways to answer depending on your gender:

• I was born on (date)
• (guy version)
• Я родился (date)
• Ya radilsa (date)
• (female version)
• Я родилась (date)
• Ya radilas’ (date)

• I (male) was born on the fifth of September
• Я родился пятого сентября
• Ya radilsa pyatava sentyabrya
• I (male) was born on the fifth of September

If you’re interested in more Russian birthday phrases, here you go. All the greetings and how to answer in much more detail. 

• 12 Ways to Say Happy Birthday in Russian

10. Can you speak Russian? Вы говорите по-русски?

• Вы говорите по-русски?
• Vi gavarite po-ruski?

Very popular and useful Russian question to know.

Some possible Russian answers include:

• Yes, I know Russian
• Да, я знаю русский
• Da, ya znayu ruskiy

• No, I don’t know Russian
• Нет, я не знаю русский
• Net, ya ne znayu ruskiy

Or, you can keep it simple and just say “Да” or “Нет.”

11. What is this? Что это?

• Что это?
• Shto eto?

This is one of the most common Russian questions. And pretty easy to learn.

So, how do you answer this? The format of the answer is easy:

• This is (object)
• Это (object)
• Eto (object)

• I don’t know
• Я не знаю
• Ya nye znayu

• Это моя любимая песня
• Eto moya lyubimaya pesnya
• This is my favourite song

12. Who is that? Кто это?

• Кто это?
• Kto eto?

Some possible ways to answers are:

• This is (person)
• Это (person)
• Eto (person)

• Это мой брат
• Eto moy brat
• This is my brother

Or, you can stick someone’s name there.

• This is Bob
• Это Bob
• Eto Bob

13. How much does this cost? Сколько это стоит?

This is a very practical Russian question if you consider visiting Russia and decide to go shopping.

• Сколько это стоит?
• Skol’ka eto stoit?

The answer to this question is pretty simple:

• You may just say the price in numbers:

The answer to this question is pretty simple:

1. You may just say the price in numbers:

• (#) rubles
• (#) рублей
• (#) rubley

• One hundred rubles
• Сто рублей
• Sto rubley

2. You can give the full answer:

• It costs (#) rubles
• Это стоит (cost) рублей
• Eto stoit (cost) rubley

• It costs two hundred rubles
• Это стоит двести рублей
• Eto stoit dvesti rubley

Remember, you’ll need to know Russian numbers for this.

14. What happened? Что случилось?

• Что случилось?
• Shto sluchilos’?

This is for when you just want to know what literally “happened” or results of something.

You may answer in the following way:

• I lost my keys
• Я потерял свои ключи
• Ya pateryal svoyi klyuchi

• Everything is fine
• Все в порядке
• Vso v paryadke

• Nothing special
• Ничего особенного
• Nichevo asobenova

15. Have you ever been to Moscow? Вы когда-нибудь бывали в Москве?

• Вы когда-нибудь бывали в Москве?
• Vi kagda-nibud’ bivali v maskve?

Here are some possible answers to this Russian question.

• Yes, I’ve been
• (guy version)
• Да, я бывал
• Da, ya bival
• (female version)
• Да, я бывала
• Da, ya bivala

• No, I’ve never been.
• (guy version)
• Нет, я никогда не бывал
• Nyet, ya nikagda nye biyval
• (female version)
• Нет, я никогда не бывала
• Nyet, ya nikagda nye bivala

If you’re wondering, “никогда” means “never.”

Conclusion

Now you know some basic Russian questions and answers.

You also learned some Russian question words.

And that’s it!

Have questions? Leave a comment.

– Written by the Main Junkie

P.S. Want to learn and speak Russian? Need resources? I recommend RussianPod101 because they have 3-15 minute audio/video courses. They’re quick enough to keep you entertained but do teach you the language.

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