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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/ru-hello-formal

How do you say 'Hello' politely to a stranger in Russian?

Здравствуйте (zdravstvuyte) is the polite, formal hello.

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  1. Здравствуйте (zdravstvuyte) ✔
  2. Спокойной ночи (spokoynoy nochi)
  3. До свидания (do svidaniya)

Why: Здравствуйте works for strangers, older people and groups. The first в is silent, so it sounds like 'ZDRAST-vuy-tye'. Спокойной ночи means good night and до свидания means goodbye.

Huh, didn't know that: Здравствуйте comes from the verb здравствовать, 'to be well' or 'to thrive', so it is a wish for good health.

The dad joke
Zdravstvuyte is the only hello that makes you stretch your tongue first.
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References

Answer: Здравствуйте (zdravstvuyte). Здравствуйте works for strangers, older people and groups. The first в is silent, so it sounds like 'ZDRAST-vuy-tye'. Спокойной ночи means good night and до свидания means goodbye.

  1. Wiktionary: здравствуйте en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D0%B7%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D1%83%D0%B9%D1%82%D0%B5
    (formal or plural form) hello
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. Wiktionary: здравствовать en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D0%B7%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C
    to be well, to prosper, to thrive
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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