Russian Lesson 1 by defelite

As with a few other languages, Russian does not have the european alphabet, but operates under cyrillic. For the purposes of this tutorial I will use the european letters, though it will not be the /official/ spelling for Russian words. Partly because it's too flipping hard to find it.

Note:

These pronunciations include the syllable that should be under stress when spoken. It is underlined. What I mean by, “under stress”, is when you speak you put an emphasis on a certain letter or syllable to make the word make sense. Such as the word TELEVISION. We put the emphasis on the first syllable “TE”. If we put the emphasis somewhere else, such as “SI”, and view the word as televiSIon, the word seems slightly distorted. Even though this is not as apparent in the English language, it is crucial in Russian.

Formal: meaning in use with those you don’t know, adults and guests, etc.
Informal: meaning in use with family members, friends, etc.

((The E sound in the pronunciations is usually as pronounced in the word: ENVY and not as in the word : MEAT.
Though if the E sound is pronounced as in the word: ME, then it was recorded as a double E: in this way: ee.

The A sound is pronounced as in the word APPLE in all cases.

The H is added on the ends of groups of syllables, or words to make the vowel before it sound more pronounced, yet the H itself is not said out loud.))

--

Hello.
* Privet (informal : meaning Hey/Hi.)
* Zdravstvuyte (formal : usually used during the day)
Dobre utro (formal : goodmorning)
Dobre vecher (formal : goodevening)

Pronunciation:
*Pree-vet
*Zdrah-st-voo-teh
*Doh-bre oo-troh
*Doh-bre veh-cher


How are you?
*Kak dela? (Informal. A close literal translation : How's things?)

Pronunciation:
* Kak deh-lah?


What is your name?
*Kak tebya zovut? (Informal. A close literal translation : How are you called?  
A more formal way of saying it would be : Kak vas zovut? // vas = you in the numerous form, same as French or Spanish)

Pronunciation:
*Kak teh-bya zoh-voot?


My name is...
*Menya zovut ______ (Close literal translation : I'm called...)

Pronunciation:
*Men-yah zoh-voot ______


Where are you from?
*Ot kuda ti? (Informal. For formal use VI instead of TI (the I is not pronounced as in IVY, but as an EE. It almost sounds like WE, but the V is a harsher sound. )

Pronunciation:
*Ot ku-dah teeh?


Could you help me please?
*Pomogite mnye! (Help me!)
*Pomogite mnye pozhalusta. (Help me please. / Could be used formally)
*Vi ne mogli-be mnye pomoch pozhalusta? (Could you help me please? / Formal.)

Pronunciation:
*Poh-moh-gee-teh mn-yeh! ( the G is pronounced as in the word grape)
*Poh-moh-gee-teh mn-yeh poh-zhal -uy-stah
*Vi neh moh-glee-beh mn-yeh poh-moch poh-zhal-uy-stah?


Please.
*Pozhalusta

Pronunciation:
*Pih-zhal-uy-stah

Thank you.
*Spasibo

Pronunciation:
*Spa-see-boh


You're welcome.
*Na zdoroviye (A close literal translation : To (your) health)

Pronunciation:
*Nah zdo-roh-vee-yeh


Excuse me.
*Prostite (Actually means “Sorry” with the formal ending of the word. If you say Prosti (Proh-stree) this is saying sorry to a friend, so; the informal form.)
*Pardon (if you bump into someone on the street, you may also say Pardon)

Pronunciation:
*Proh-stee-teh
*Par-don


Goodbye.
*Poka (Informal)
*Dosvedaniye (Formal)

Pronunciation:
*Poh-kah
*Dos-ved-ah-nee-yeh