Café & Drinks

1. Принесите, пожалуйста, чай

   Pri-ne-si-te, po-zha-luy-sta, chay

   Please bring some tea

   Usage

   Used to order tea at a café or restaurant

   Grammar Note

   In Russia, it's common to add preferences: "с сахаром" (with sugar) or "с лимоном" (with lemon).

2. Бокал красного вина, пожалуйста

   Bo-kal kras-no-go vi-na, po-zha-luy-sta

   A glass of red wine, please

   Usage

   Used to order red wine at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Бокал + genitive" = "a glass of...". "Белого вина" = white wine. Replace "бокал" with "бутылку" (a bottle) for a full bottle.

3. Стакан водки, пожалуйста

   Sta-kan vod-ki, po-zha-luy-sta

   A glass of vodka, please

   Usage

   Used to order vodka, Russia's iconic spirit

   Grammar Note

   Vodka is iconic in Russian culture. "За здоровье (za zdorov'ye)" = to health, a common Russian toast. Drink responsibly.

4. Кофе, пожалуйста

   Ko-fe, po-zha-luy-sta

   Coffee, please

   Usage

   Used to order coffee at a café or restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Кофе" is an indeclinable neuter noun (though some treat it as masculine). Loanwords like "латте" and "капучино" are used as-is.

5. Бутылку воды, пожалуйста

   Bu-tyl-ku vo-dy, po-zha-luy-sta

   A bottle of water, please

   Usage

   Used to order a bottle of water at a restaurant or shop

   Grammar Note

   Specify "газированную" (sparkling) or "негазированную" (still/flat) to indicate your preference for mineral water.

6. Я не пью алкоголь

   Ya ne p'yu al-ko-gol'

   I don't drink alcohol

   Usage

   Used to decline alcohol or inform others that you do not drink

   Grammar Note

   In Russia, alcohol is often offered socially. Adding "Я за рулём" (I'm driving) makes declining more natural.

7. За твоё здоровье!

   Za tvo-yo zdo-rov'-ye!

   To your health! Cheers!

   Usage

   Used when toasting with friends in a casual setting

   Grammar Note

   "Твоё" is informal. Formal: "за ваше здоровье". In Russian culture, it's customary to drain the glass after a toast.

8. Что вы порекомендуете из напитков?

   Chto vy po-re-ko-men-du-ye-te iz na-pit-kov?

   What drinks do you recommend?

   Usage

   Used at a bar or restaurant to ask for drink recommendations

   Grammar Note

   Using "вы" makes this formal. Casual version: "Что посоветуешь?" (What would you suggest?) using "ты".

9. Сколько стоит этот напиток?

   Skol'-ko sto-it e-tot na-pi-tok?

   How much does this drink cost?

   Usage

   Used to ask the price of a drink

   Grammar Note

   "Сколько стоит?" is a versatile price question. Add any item or service name after "стоит" to ask about its price.

10. Горячий или холодный чай?

    Go-rya-chiy ili kho-lod-nyy chay?

    Hot or cold tea?

    Usage

    Used to clarify drink temperature when ordering or serving tea

    Grammar Note

    "Горячий" (hot) and "холодный" (cold) are masculine adjective forms. Also useful: "тёплый" (warm).

11. Острый

    Os-tryy

    Spicy (hot)

    Usage

    Used to check or adjust spiciness; the same word also means "sharp", so use it about food and drink

12. Сладкий

    Slad-kiy

    Sweet

    Usage

    Used to check or adjust how sweet a drink or dish is

13. Сырой

    Sy-roy

    Raw (uncooked)

    Usage

    Used to check whether something is cooked, to avoid food poisoning

14. Без льда

    Bez l'da

    No ice

    Usage

    Point at this instead of speaking to order a drink without ice

15. Вода без газа

    Vo-da bez ga-za

    Still bottled water

    Usage

    Asking just for "water" in Russia can get you sparkling — always add "bez gaza"; sparkling is "s gazom"

16. Кипяток

    Ki-pya-tok

    Boiling water

    Usage

    Ask for boiling water for instant noodles, formula, or taking medicine; also understood on long-distance trains

Browse all TravelPhrases languages