Language in Saint Petersburg

Language in Saint Petersburg

The official language of Russia is Russian. This article is full of helpful advice and basic phrases you can use to make your trip to Saint Petersburg easier.

Travelling to Saint Petersburg when you don't speak Russian can be a real challenge. While you'll see English-language signs at the airport and will probably be able to order at touristy spots, it's definitely best to arm yourself with some tools to communicate when you get there!

As well as planning your routes in advance using our transport guides and map, you can use the following list of useful phrases to get by in St Petersburg. Don't worry, we've written them phonetically, so no need to learn a new alphabet!

Useful Russian phrases

Greetings

Hello
Privyet
Bye
Poka
Good morning
Dobroye utro
Good afternoon
Dobryy den'
Good night
Dobryy vecher
Welcome
Dobro pozhalovat'
Please
Pozhaluysta
Thank you
Spasibo
You're welcome
Pozhaluysta
I'm sorry
Prosti
Maybe
Mozhet byt'

Common words

Man
Muzhchina
Woman
Zhenshchina
Yes
Da
No
Net

Numbers

One
Odin
Two
Dva
Three
Tri
Four
Chetyre
Five
Pyat'
Six
Shest'
Seven
Sem'
Eight
Vosem'
Nine
Devyat'
Ten
Desyat'

Drinks

Water
Voda
Beer
Pivo
Wine
Vino
Milk
Moloko
Juice
Sok
Coffee
Kofye
Tea
Chai

Food

Bread
Khleb
Soup
Sup
Salad
Salat
Cheese
Syr
Egg
Yaytso
Potatoes
Kartofel'
Rice
Ris
Pork
Svinina
Beef
Goviadina
Chicken
Kuritsa
Turkey
Indeyka
Lamb
Baranina