Here’s a small cultural trap: Russian doesn’t really have a neutral “hello” that works everywhere, the way English “hello” does. Every greeting carries a register — formal, friendly, playful, or downright slangy — and choosing the right one is one of the first things that makes you sound like you actually speak Russian.
The register labels below are the important part. A greeting used at the wrong level isn’t offensive so much as odd — like greeting your bank manager with “yo”.
The two you absolutely need (A1)
1. Здра́вствуйте (ZDRA-stvuy-tye) — the universal polite greeting. Strangers, shops, work, anyone you’d address formally. Yes, that consonant cluster is real; the first в is silent: zdrastvuytye. When in doubt, use this — it’s never wrong, only sometimes a bit formal.
2. Приве́т (pri-VYET) — “hi” for friends, family, peers, anyone you’re on informal terms with. The workhorse of everyday Russian.
The rule of thumb: if you’d call the person by first name only, приве́т is fine. If you’d use a title or their full name, say здра́вствуйте. (This maps exactly onto the ты/вы distinction — a full article on that is coming soon.)
Time-of-day greetings (A1, neutral — safe everywhere)
3. До́брое у́тро (DO-braye U-tra) — good morning. 4. До́брый день (DO-bry dyen’) — good afternoon; also the standard opener for emails and phone calls to strangers. 5. До́брый ве́чер (DO-bry VYE-cher) — good evening.
These are polite but warm, and they dodge the formal/informal choice entirely — a beginner’s best friend.
Friendly and informal (A2)
6. Здра́вствуй (ZDRA-stvuy) — the informal singular of здра́вствуйте. Grammatically correct, slightly bookish in practice; you’ll meet it in textbooks and literature more than on the street. 7. Приве́тик (pri-VYE-tik) — “hi there” with a diminutive bow on it. Cute, playful; mostly among friends, often from women, often in texts. 8. Здоро́во (zda-RO-va) — “hey!” between (mostly male) friends. Note the stress: zda-RO-va. Informal only. 9. Салю́т (sa-LYUT) — a jaunty “salut!”, borrowed from French. Light, friendly, a bit retro. 10. Рад тебя́ ви́деть / Ра́да тебя́ ви́деть (rat tibya VI-dyet’ / RA-da…) — “good to see you” (say рад if you’re male, ра́да if female). Warm, works right after another greeting.
On the phone (A1–A2)
11. Алло́ (a-LO) — “hello?” — used when answering the phone, and only there. Answering the door with алло́ is a comedy sketch waiting to happen.
Formal, official, or old-school (B1+)
12. Приве́тствую (pri-VYET-stvu-yu) — “greetings”. Semi-formal, slightly theatrical; common in emails and online, where it splits the difference between приве́т and здра́вствуйте. 13. Здра́вия жела́ю (ZDRA-vi-ya zhe-LA-yu) — the military salute-greeting. Civilians use it only as a joke, usually with a mock salute. 14. Моё почте́ние (ma-YO pach-TYE-ni-ye) — “my respects”. Old-fashioned; today used with a wink of irony. 15. Добро́ пожа́ловать (da-BRO pa-ZHA-la-vat’) — “welcome!” — for greeting someone arriving at your home, city or event. Not a general-purpose hello.
Slang — recognize first, use with care (B1+)
16. Даро́ва / Здаро́ва (da-RO-va) — street-flavored “yo”. Very informal; among close friends only. 17. Хай (khai) — “hi”, borrowed from English. Internet and youth speech. 18. Ку (ku) — gamer/internet greeting, born in online chats. Niche but real.
A note on register: using slang too early is the classic learner over-reach. Russians don’t expect foreigners to greet them with даро́ва — and it lands better when your grammar can back up your swagger.
For special occasions (B1)
19. Ско́лько лет, ско́лько зим! (SKOL’-ka lyet, SKOL’-ka zim) — literally “how many summers, how many winters!” — the Russian “long time no see!”. Warm and slightly theatrical. 20. Каки́е лю́ди! (ka-KI-ye LYU-di) — literally “what people!” — a delighted “well, look who it is!”. Playful, affectionate, best delivered with open arms.
Which ones should you actually learn?
If you’re starting out: здра́вствуйте, приве́т, and the three time-of-day greetings cover 95% of real life. Add the rest as you meet them. Hearing the difference between zda-RO-va and ZDRA-stvuy-tye is exactly the kind of thing the listening comprehension quizzes on the platform (A1 to C2, with native audio) train — and the free video lessons let you hear these greetings pronounced properly before you try them on a real Russian.
FAQ
What’s the most common way to say hello in Russian?
Приве́т (informal, with friends) and Здра́вствуйте (polite, with everyone else). If you learn only two greetings, learn these.
How do you pronounce Здравствуйте?
ZDRA-stvuy-tye — the first "в" is silent: zdrastvuytye. Native speakers often compress it further in fast speech.
Is Привет rude?
Not rude — just informal. With a stranger, an official, or an older person you don’t know, it can come across as overly familiar; use Здра́вствуйте instead.
What does Здорово mean?
With stress on the second syllable (zda-RO-va), it’s an informal "hey!". With stress on the first (ZDO-ra-va), it means "great!" — same letters, different word.
How do Russians answer the phone?
Алло́ (a-LO) — but only on the phone. In person, it would sound as strange as answering your door with "hello, who’s calling?".