How to (politely) address a random Russian on the street! (VIDEO)
What Russians say instead of "Hey, mister...!" The most Russian American, Tim Kirby, explains.
1. The most common thing is to say ‘Извините’ or ‘извините пожалуйста’ or ‘простите’
This is translated as 'Excuse me', or 'Sorry to bother you'
2. Another option is 'Подскажите' – could you tell me?
Подскажите:
- как пройти к метро? (How can I walk to the metro?)
- сколько времени? (Could you tell me what time it is?)
3. To get a random woman's attention, you can say 'Девушка' (literally young lady). This applies to many waitresses at a restaurant.
4. For men, it's similar. You can say 'Молодой человек' (young man). Again, not always actually young.
Or just: 'Мужчина' (man). Men usually don’t get offended.
Click here to watch more Russian lessons with our most Russian American, Tim Kirby!