Russia Language: What Do They Speak in Russia?
The official language of Russia is Russian. In Russian, the country is called Россия. Russian is used in government, education, media and everyday life across the country.
🗣️ Language at a Glance
About the Russian Language
Russian descends from the Old East Slavic of Kievan Rus, enriched by centuries of Church Slavonic literary vocabulary. Pushkin's writing in the early 19th century set the modern literary standard, and the language of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and Chekhov went on to become the lingua franca of the Soviet Union; it still serves as a common second language across the Caucasus and Central Asia. Russian is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Russian is an East Slavic language, closest to Ukrainian and Belarusian, and more distantly related to Polish, Czech, Serbian and Bulgarian. Slavic languages share enough structure that learning one gives a substantial discount on the next.
The Cyrillic alphabet: How Russian is Written
Russian is written in the 33-letter Cyrillic alphabet, developed in the 9th and 10th centuries from Greek by followers of the missionaries Cyril and Methodius. Some letters look and sound familiar (А, К, М, О, Т), while others are false friends: В is v, Р is r, Н is n and С is s. Most learners can read Cyrillic comfortably within a week or two.
Is Russian a Tonal Language?
No, Russian is not a tonal language. Its tricky feature is mobile stress: the stressed syllable moves unpredictably between word forms and changes vowel sounds, and occasionally meaning (zamok is a castle, zamok with the other stress is a lock).
🗨️ Useful Russian Phrases
A few everyday phrases in Russian, written in a simple romanized pronunciation so you can read them aloud. Tones and exact sounds vary by region, so treat these as a starting point.
How Hard is Russian to Learn?
The US Foreign Service Institute rates Russian at around 1,100 class hours for English speakers. The Cyrillic alphabet is genuinely the easy part; the effort goes into six grammatical cases, verbs that come in aspect pairs, and palatalised (soft) consonants that English ears take time to distinguish.
Language Tips for Visitors to Russia
The official language of Russia is Russian, which may be unfamiliar to many international travellers. While English speakers can often be found in larger cities and tourist-heavy areas, it is advisable to learn a few basic phrases before your trip. Locals greatly appreciate any effort to use the local language, even if imperfect. Simple greetings, thank-yous and asking for directions in Russian will go a long way. The country is officially known as Россия in Russian, and the international dialling code is +7.
🌍 Other Countries Where Russian is Spoken
Russian is not exclusive to Russia; it is also spoken in these countries:
Frequently Asked Questions about Language in Russia
What language do they speak in Russia?
The official language of Russia is Russian.
Is English spoken in Russia?
English is not an official language in Russia. The main language is Russian. English may be spoken in tourist areas.
What is Russia called in its own language?
Russia is called "Россия" in Russian.
What writing system does Russian use?
Russian is written in the Cyrillic alphabet. Russian is written in the 33-letter Cyrillic alphabet, developed in the 9th and 10th centuries from Greek by followers of the missionaries Cyril and Methodius. Some letters look and sound familiar (А, К, М, О, Т), while others are false friends: В is v, Р is r, Н is n and С is s. Most learners can read Cyrillic comfortably within a week or two.
Is Russian a tonal language?
No, Russian is not a tonal language. Its tricky feature is mobile stress: the stressed syllable moves unpredictably between word forms and changes vowel sounds, and occasionally meaning (zamok is a castle, zamok with the other stress is a lock).
How do you say hello in Russian?
"Hello" in Russian is "zdravstvuyte / privet".
Is Russian hard to learn?
The US Foreign Service Institute rates Russian at around 1,100 class hours for English speakers. The Cyrillic alphabet is genuinely the easy part; the effort goes into six grammatical cases, verbs that come in aspect pairs, and palatalised (soft) consonants that English ears take time to distinguish.
How many official languages does Russia have?
Russia has one official language: Russian.
Do I need to speak Russian to visit Russia?
It is not required but learning basic phrases in Russian is strongly recommended and appreciated.
What is the calling code for Russia?
The international dialling code for Russia is +7.
What is the population of Russia?
Russia has a population of approximately 144.1M, all of whom use Russian as the official language.