Quick answer
Thank you in Russian (Rissian) is Спасибо — pronounced spa-SEE-ba, stressed on the middle syllable. "Thank you very much" is Большое спасибо (bal'-SHO-ye spa-SEE-ba), and the usual reply, "you're welcome", is Пожалуйста (pa-ZHA-luy-sta).
Searches like "how do you say thank you in Rissian" are really about the Russian language – "Rissian" is simply a common way of mistyping it. Below you'll find every useful way to say thanks in Russian, from the everyday Спасибо to formal Благодарю, how to answer when someone thanks you, and the mistakes learners most often make.
Pronunciation key: capitals mark the stressed syllable, "kh" is the sound in Scottish "loch", and an apostrophe (') marks a soft consonant.
Спасибо: The Everyday Thank You
Спасибо works with anyone – a friend, a bus driver, a minister – so you never need to worry about formal вы versus informal ты with this word on its own. Its origin is a contraction of the old phrase спаси Бог, "(may) God save (you)", although today nobody hears any religious meaning in it.
How to pronounce Спасибо
Transliteration: spa-SEE-ba (often written spasibo)
Syllables: спа-си-бо
- Stress the middle syllable: spa-SEE-ba.
- С is an s sound – the Cyrillic С is not a k or a c.
- The final о is unstressed, so it relaxes to a short "a": spa-SEE-ba rather than spa-SEE-bo.
- The first syllable is quick and light; don't stretch it into "spah".
All the Ways to Say Thank You in Russian
| Russian | Say it | Literal meaning | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Спасибо | spa-SEE-ba | from спаси Бог, "God save (you)" | Everyone, everywhere – the universal thank you |
| Большое спасибо | bal'-SHO-ye spa-SEE-ba | "Big thanks" | "Thank you very much"; also in the order Спасибо большое |
| Огромное спасибо | a-GROM-na-ye spa-SEE-ba | "Huge thanks" | Emphatic gratitude, e.g. for real help |
| Спасибо вам / Спасибо тебе | spa-SEE-ba VAM / tee-BYE | "Thanks to you" | Adds warmth: вам for вы (formal/plural), тебе for ты |
| Благодарю | bla-ga-da-RYU | "I thank (you)" | More formal or elegant; business, service, speeches |
| Благодарю вас | bla-ga-da-RYU vas | "I thank you" | Formal, with вы |
| Я вам очень благодарен / благодарна | ya vam O-cheen' bla-ga-DA-reen / bla-ga-DAR-na | "I am very grateful to you" | Sincere, formal gratitude; благодарен if you are a man, благодарна if you are a woman |
| Спасибо за помощь | spa-SEE-ba za PO-mashch' | "Thanks for the help" | Any situation; за + what you are thanking for |
| Спасибо за всё | spa-SEE-ba za FSYO | "Thanks for everything" | At the end of a visit or a job |
| Заранее спасибо | za-RA-nee-ye spa-SEE-ba | "Thanks in advance" | Emails and requests |
| Нет, спасибо | nyet, spa-SEE-ba | "No, thanks" | Politely declining food, an offer or a bag at the till |
| Спасибки / Спасибочки | spa-SEEP-kee / spa-SEE-bach-kee | cute diminutives | Very informal, playful; friends and texting only |
| Спс / Пасиб | (written) / pa-SEEP | abbreviations | Chat slang; never in formal writing |
Examples
To a stranger who gave directions: Большое спасибо! – Thanks a lot!
Ending an email: Заранее спасибо. – Thanks in advance.
To a friend who helped you move: Спасибо тебе огромное! (spa-SEE-ba tee-BYE a-GROM-na-ye) – Thank you so much!
How to Reply When Someone Says Спасибо
| Russian | Say it | Literal meaning | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Пожалуйста | pa-ZHA-luy-sta (fast: pa-ZHAL-sta) | "Please / you're welcome" | The standard reply, formal or informal |
| Не за что | NYE-za-shta | "Not for anything" | "Don't mention it"; friendly, very common |
| На здоровье | na zda-RO-vye | "To (your) health" | Reply to thanks for food, drink or a small favour |
| Всегда пожалуйста | fseeg-DA pa-ZHA-luy-sta | "Always welcome" | Warm, "any time" |
| Обращайтесь / Обращайся | a-bra-SHCHAI-tyes' / a-bra-SHCHAI-sya | "Turn to me (again)" | "Feel free to ask again"; вы / ты forms |
| Не стоит благодарности | nee STO-eet bla-ga-DAR-nas-tee | "Not worth thanks" | Formal, modest "no need to thank me" |
How to pronounce Пожалуйста
Transliteration: pa-ZHA-luy-sta (often written pozhaluysta); in everyday speech usually shortened to pa-ZHAL-sta.
Syllables: по-жа-луй-ста
- The stress is on the second syllable: pa-ZHA.
- The first о is unstressed, so it sounds like a short "a".
- Ж is the "s" in "measure", said with the tongue pulled slightly back.
- The уй is nearly swallowed in fast speech – that's why natives say pa-ZHAL-sta, and learners can too.
One word, three jobs
Пожалуйста means "please" (Кофе, пожалуйста – "A coffee, please"), "you're welcome", and "here you are" when handing something over. Learn it together with Спасибо.
Thanking People in Specific Situations
Russian usually says what you are thankful for with за (za, "for") plus a noun. These ready-made phrases cover most situations a visitor or learner meets:
| Situation | Russian | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| An invitation | Спасибо за приглашение | spa-SEE-ba za pree-gla-SHE-nee-ye | Thanks for the invitation |
| Staying with a family | Спасибо за гостеприимство | spa-SEE-ba za gas-tee-pree-EEM-stva | Thanks for the hospitality |
| A present | Спасибо за подарок | spa-SEE-ba za pa-DA-rak | Thanks for the gift |
| After a meal | Спасибо, было очень вкусно | spa-SEE-ba, BY-la O-cheen' FKOOS-na | Thanks, it was delicious |
| Refusing more food | Спасибо, я сыт / я сыта | spa-SEE-ba, ya SYT / ya sy-TA | Thanks, I'm full (man / woman) |
| Declining help | Спасибо, не надо | spa-SEE-ba, nee NA-da | Thanks, there's no need |
| Replying to an email | Спасибо за ваше письмо | spa-SEE-ba za VA-she pees'-MO | Thank you for your email |
| End of a talk | Спасибо за внимание | spa-SEE-ba za vnee-MA-nee-ye | Thank you for your attention |
| Ending a formal email | С уважением | s oo-va-ZHE-nee-yem | Kind regards (lit. "with respect") |
Thanks and apologies go together
Two more words every learner needs next to Спасибо are Извините (eez-vee-NEE-tye) and Простите (pras-TEE-tye), both "excuse me / sorry" with вы. With friends use Извини or Прости. If someone apologises to you, answer Ничего страшного (nee-chee-VO STRASH-na-va), "it's nothing terrible" – "no problem".
A short dialogue
– Спасибо! (spa-SEE-ba!) – Thank you!
– Пожалуйста. Что-нибудь ещё? (pa-ZHA-luy-sta. SHTO-nee-bood' ee-SHCHYO?) – You're welcome. Anything else?
– Нет, спасибо. Счёт, пожалуйста. (nyet, spa-SEE-ba. shchot, pa-ZHA-luy-sta.) – No, thanks. The bill, please.
Formal and Informal Thanks
- Neutral, for everyone: Спасибо, Большое спасибо, Спасибо за помощь.
- Formal (вы): Спасибо вам, Благодарю вас, Я вам очень благодарен / благодарна, Не стоит благодарности.
- Informal (ты): Спасибо тебе, Спасибки, Спасибочки, Не за что, Обращайся.
The key rule is simply to match вам/тебе to the way you address the person. If you are not sure, plain Спасибо avoids the question entirely.
Cultural notes on gratitude
After a meal: guests usually thank the host with Спасибо, было очень вкусно, and the host may answer На здоровье – "to your health".
Gifts: when you visit someone's home, it is customary to bring something small, such as sweets, a cake or flowers. Flowers are given in odd numbers; even numbers are for funerals.
Reserve with strangers: a quiet Спасибо with a nod is completely normal in shops and on public transport. Russians don't expect big smiles in routine exchanges, and the absence of one isn't rudeness.
Common Mistakes
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
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Gratitude usually comes after a greeting and a bit of small talk: see hello in Russian, hi in Russian and how are you in Russian. For more everyday vocabulary – numbers, days, travel and emergency phrases – open our English to Russian phrasebook. If you are thanking a host for dinner, our guide to Russian food will help you name what you ate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say thank you in Rissian?
"Rissian" is a common misspelling of Russian. Thank you in Russian is Спасибо, pronounced spa-SEE-ba with the stress on the middle syllable. It is polite enough for anyone.
How do you say thank you very much in Russian?
Say Большое спасибо (bal'-SHO-ye spa-SEE-ba) or Спасибо большое. For even stronger thanks, say Огромное спасибо (a-GROM-na-ye spa-SEE-ba), "huge thanks".
How do you respond to Спасибо?
The standard reply is Пожалуйста (pa-ZHA-luy-sta), "you're welcome". Informally you can say Не за что (NYE-za-shta), "don't mention it". After thanks for food, hosts often say На здоровье (na zda-RO-vye).
Does На здоровье mean cheers?
No. На здоровье ("to your health") is a reply when someone thanks you, especially for food or drink. As a toast, Russians say За здоровье! (za zda-RO-vye) or simply raise a glass with a short speech.
Is Благодарю more polite than Спасибо?
Благодарю (bla-ga-da-RYU, "I thank you") sounds more formal and elegant, and is common in business and service. Спасибо is not impolite, though; it is correct in every situation.
How do you say no, thank you in Russian?
Say Нет, спасибо (nyet, spa-SEE-ba). It is the normal, polite way to decline an offer.