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Which Russian phrase is the formal way to ask 'How are you?'

Как поживаете? (kak pozhivayete) is the formal 'How are you?'

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  1. Как поживаешь? (kak pozhivayesh)
  2. Как поживаете? (kak pozhivayete) ✔
  3. Как дела? (kak dela)

Why: The ending -ете goes with вы (formal or plural) and -ешь goes with ты (informal). Как дела is the familiar, everyday version for friends.

Huh, didn't know that: Как дела? literally means 'how are the affairs?' and is labeled familiar on Wiktionary.

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Kak pozhivayete: the longer you stretch it, the more polite you sound.
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References

Answer: Как поживаете? (kak pozhivayete). The ending -ете goes with вы (formal or plural) and -ешь goes with ты (informal). Как дела is the familiar, everyday version for friends.

  1. Wiktionary: как дела en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BA_%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B0
    как поживаете? (formal); как поживаешь? (informal)
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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