Russian phrasebook
Phrases in Russian with audio and video
Time to pay
There's an important question that you need to know in any language, including Russian: How much is it? We're going to see questions and answers that we'll be using when paying for anything: clothes, food, souvenirs,... We recommend that you memorize some of these phrases because they'll be extremely useful in many situations. Start watching the videos and afterwards read and listen to the phrases below:
Part 1: Video
Summary of this topic with images and sound:
Watch the most important words and phrases of this topic below.
Useful phrases when you are the client:
Useful phrases when you talk to a client:
Part 2: Audio and explanations
Listen to the audio, read the explanations and get ready to learn real Russian.
How much is it?
There are fewer and fewer things in this world that are for free, that's why it's so important to ask the price. We'll see this from the point of view of both buyer and seller. We start with the phrases you'll use when you want to buy something:
Ско́лько э́то сто́ит?
skól-ka é-ta stó-it?
How much is it?
Ско́лько э́то в… рубля́х / е́вро / до́лларах?
skól-ka é-ta v… ru-blyáh / yé-vra / dó-la-rah?
How much is it in... rubles / euros / dollars?
Напиши́те це́ну, пожа́луйста.
na-pi-shý-tye tsé-nu, pa-zhá-lus-ta
Can you write the price down, please?
You can use the following phrases when a Russian speaker asks you the price of what you are selling:
Э́то сто́ит...
é-ta stó-it…
This costs...
Вот цена́.
vot tse-ná
This is the price.
Э́то беспла́тно / Э́то не беспла́тно.
é-ta byes-plát-na / é-ta nye byes-plát-na
This is free / This isn't free.
Too expensive! How to bargain.
There are countries where bargaining over the price of things is a must. That's why you should always be ready to negotiate, regardless of you being the buyer or the seller. Let's start with phrases when it's you wanting to pay less:
Э́то сли́шком до́рого.
é-ta slísh-kam dó-ra-ga
It's too expensive.
Мо́жете дать ски́дку?
mó-zhe-tye dat skít-ku?
Can you give a discount?
Дава́йте за...(and you say the price)
da-váj-tye za...
Let's make it...
Дава́йте за сто́лько.
da-váj-tye za stól-ka
Let's make it for this much.
Here you have phrases to use when you are the one selling and someone asks for a lower price:
Хорошо́, я даю́ вам ски́дку.
ha-ra-shó, ya da-yú vam skít-ku
Ok, I'll give you a discount.
Нельзя́ деше́вле!
nyel-zyá dye-she-vlye!
I can't make it any cheaper!
Э́то хоро́шая цена́.
é-ta ha-ró-sha-ya tse-ná
This is a good price.
Do you accept credit cards?
Before thinking about paying, you should decide how to pay. In our pockets we have euros, dollars, rubles,... but also credit cards. So let's start with something easy: Can I pay with credit card?
Мо́жно заплати́ть креди́тной ка́ртой?
mózh-na za-pla-tít krye-dít-naj kár-taj?
Can I pay with credit card?
Now we're going to complicate things a little bit. As you can see below we're giving you the pieces to create phrases such as "Do you accept dollars" or "Do you accept credit cards?":
Вы принима́ете...
vy pri-ni-má-ye-tye…?
Do you accept...
...е́вро / до́ллары / рубли́?
...yé-vra / dó-la-ry / ru-blí?
...euros / dollars / rubles?
...креди́тные ка́рты?
...krye-dít-ny-ye kár-ty?
...credit cards?
Now we're going to see possible answers to the previous questions. Here you'll be able to create phrases as in "We don't accept euros" or "We accept credit cards":
Мы принима́ем... / Мы не принима́ем...
my pri-ni-má-yem... / my nye pri-ni-má-yem...
We accept... / We don't accept...
...е́вро / до́ллары / рубли́.
...yé-vra / dó-la-ry / ru-blí
...euros / dollars / rubles.
...креди́тные ка́рты.
...krye-dít-ny-ye kár-ty
...credit cards.
We've also prepared phrases about cash machines:
Где здесь банкома́т?
gdye zdyes ban-ka-mát?
Where's an ATM/cash machine near here?
Вам ну́жен банкома́т? Он здесь недалеко́.
vam nú-zhen ban-ka-mát? on zdyes nye-da-lye-kó
Do you need a cash machine? It's near here.
Здесь нет банкома́та.
zdyes nyet ban-ka-má-ta
There isn't any cash machine here.
Can I have the check, please?
When you want to pay, it's enough to say "how much do I owe you?", but we're going to see other cases. For example, before knowing total to pay you should know how to say something like "I'm taking this / I'm not taking this":
Ско́лько с меня́?
skól-ka s mye-nyá?
How much do I owe you?
Вы э́то берёте?
vy é-ta bye-ryó-tye?
Are you taking this?
Я э́то не беру́.
ya é-ta nye bye-rú
I'm not taking this.
Вы хоти́те чек?
vy ha-tí-tye chyek?
Would you like a receipt?
Мо́жно чек?
mózh-na chyek?
Can I have a receipt, please?
In small shops or restaurants you won't be using the following sentences, but it's something useful to know how to ask where and when you should pay:
Я до́лжен / Я должна́... плати́ть сейча́с?
ya dól-zhen / ya dalzh-ná… pla-tít syej-chás?
Do I have to pay now?
Here we see two options: "Я должен" and "Я должна". Both mean "I have to / I must". Which one should we use?
Где я до́лжен / Где я должна́... плати́ть?
gdye ya dól-zhen / gdye ya dalzh-ná… pla-tít?
Where do I have to pay?
Вы мо́жете заплати́ть здесь / там.
vy mó-zhe-tye za-pla-tít zdyes / tam
You can pay here / there.
The following phrases are useful in a restaurant. In a shop you may say "how much is it?" or "how much do I owe you?". But in a restaurant it would be "the check please". Also, we teach you how to say "I didn't order this", just in case you need it:
Вы хоти́те счёт?
vy ha-tí-tye schyot?
Would you like the check/bill?
Мо́жно счёт?
mózh-na schyot?
Can I have the check/bill, please?
Я э́то не зака́зывал / зака́зывала.
ya é-ta nye za-ká-zy-val / za-ká-zy-va-la
I didn't order this.
