Greetings and introductions

Russians choose a greeting by the person they are speaking to. With a friend, a family member or a child you say Приве́т! With a stranger, an older person or a group you say Здра́вствуйте! The first в of this word is silent, so the transcription is zdrástvuyte. The time-of-day greetings are polite for everybody: До́брое у́тро! (morning), До́брый день! (afternoon) and До́брый ве́чер! (evening). To say goodbye use До свида́ния! in a polite situation and Пока́! with a friend. Here the choice between ты and вы matters: ты is for one friend, вы is for a stranger or for many people.