Formal Greetings:
* Здравствуйте (Zdravstvuyte): This is the most formal greeting and translates to "Hello." Use this when addressing someone you don't know well, someone older, or someone in a position of authority.
* Добрый день (Dobryy den'): This means "Good day" and is appropriate for a more polite, but not overly formal, greeting. It's a good choice during the day, from around 10 am to 6 pm.
* Добрый вечер (Dobryy vecher): "Good evening," used after 6 pm.
Informal Greetings:
* Привет (Privet): This is the most common informal greeting, roughly equivalent to "Hi" or "Hey." Use it with friends, family, and people you know well.
* Здоро́во (Zdorovo): This is another informal greeting meaning "Hi" or "Hey." It's slightly more casual than "Привет" but still friendly.
* Приветствую (Privetstvuyu): This translates to "Greetings" and is a slightly more formal way to greet someone you're familiar with.
Beyond Greetings:
* Как дела? (Kak dela?): This is the most common way to ask "How are you?" in Russian. The common response is "Хорошо, спасибо (Horosho, spasibo)" meaning "Good, thank you."
* До свидания (Do svidaniya): The standard goodbye, meaning "Goodbye."
* Пока (Poka): A more informal goodbye, meaning "Bye."
Important Considerations:
* Handshake: A handshake is the customary greeting for both men and women in most situations.
* Context: The formality of your greeting should be adjusted based on the situation and your relationship with the person.
* Russian Culture: Russians tend to be more formal than some other cultures, especially with strangers or people they don't know well.
Example:
* If you're meeting a new business contact, you could say "Здравствуйте. Меня зовут [Your Name]." (Hello, my name is [Your Name].)
* If you're meeting a friend, you could say "Привет! Как дела?" (Hi! How are you?)
Remember: The best way to learn the appropriate greetings is to observe and learn from native speakers.