Вы говорите по-английски? - your survival phrase in Russia. Plus the по- pattern that lets you ask about any language.
If you learn one Russian sentence before visiting Russia, make it this one. Вы говорите по-английски? opens the door to communication even when your Russian runs out.
Start with Извините (excuse me) to get attention, then ask. The full approach: Извините, вы говорите по-английски?
The informal version - Ты говоришь по-английски? - is for peers and casual settings, but on the street with strangers, always use the вы-form.
Russian creates "in [language]" adverbs with the prefix по- + the adjective stem + -ски/-цки: по-английски (in English), по-русски (in Russian), по-французски (in French), по-немецки (in German). This is a productive pattern - it works for every language. You're not saying "English" as a noun; you're creating an adverb that means "in the English way." The same по- prefix creates other manner adverbs: по-другому (differently), по-моему (in my opinion).
For when you need to bridge the language gap.
| Russian | Pronunciation | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Вы говорите по-английски? | Vy govorite po-angliyski? | "Do you speak English?" Formal. Default for strangers. |
| Кто-нибудь говорит по-английски? | Kto-nibud' govorit po-angliyski? | "Does anyone speak English?" Addressing a group. |
| Я не говорю по-русски | Ya ne govoryu po-russki | "I don't speak Russian." Sets expectations immediately. |
| Я немного говорю по-русски | Ya nemnogo govoryu po-russki | "I speak a little Russian." Gets you goodwill and slower speech. |
| Говорите, пожалуйста, медленнее | Govorite, pozhaluysta, medlenneye | "Speak more slowly, please." Essential when someone responds in Russian. |
| Я не понимаю | Ya ne ponimayu | "I don't understand." Clear, honest, not rude. |
| Можете повторить? | Mozhete povtorit'? | "Can you repeat that?" Polite request for repetition. |
English is not widely spoken outside Moscow and St. Petersburg. In major cities, younger people (under 35) often speak some English, especially in tourist areas, hotels, and tech companies. Outside cities, English is rare. This isn't hostility - it's just reality. Learning even a few Russian phrases earns enormous goodwill.
Trying Russian first wins respect. Starting with Извините, вы говорите по-английски? instead of just speaking English shows effort. Russians notice and appreciate it. Even a badly pronounced Здравствуйте (Hello, formal) before switching to English changes the entire interaction.
Google Translate is your backup. When language fails, Russians are comfortable with the point-at-phone-screen approach. Having Google Translate with Russian downloaded offline is genuinely useful for menus, signs, and basic communication.
Pronunciation, grammar notes, and cultural context - in your inbox every morning. Free, no spam.
Get daily phrasesBuilt by the team behind Slova - the Russian vocabulary app for learners who want grammar depth. Cases, conjugation, verbal aspect.