🇷🇺 RussianA1–A2

Essential Russian Shopping Phrases

This page gives you the Russian you need for a normal shopping trip in Russia: asking staff to find an item, checking whether it comes in the size or colour you want, trying it on, paying, and handling a simple exchange or return. The phrases are built for quick, polite store interactions and focus on the short requests you are most likely to hear and use.

Useful in real conversations

Essential Russian phrases

Finding the item

Ask staff where something is and get help locating it.

Здравствуйте, вы не подскажете, где здесь [item]?
Transliteration: Zdravstvuyte, vy ne podskazhete, gde zdes' [item]?
Hello, could you tell me where [item] is here?
У вас есть [item]?
Transliteration: U vas yest' [item]?
Do you have [item]?
Покажите, пожалуйста, [item].
Transliteration: Pokazhite, pozhaluysta, [item].
Please show me [item].
Я просто смотрю.
Transliteration: Ya prosto smotryu.
I'm just looking.

Price, size, and colour

Check the price, ask for a size, and ask about another colour or stock.

Сколько это стоит?
Transliteration: Skol'ko eto stoit?
How much does this cost?
У вас есть размер [size]?
Transliteration: U vas yest' razmer [size]?
Do you have size [size]?
У вас есть это в другом цвете?
Transliteration: U vas yest' eto v drugom tsvete?
Do you have this in another colour?
Это есть в наличии?
Transliteration: Eto yest' v nalichii?
Is this in stock?

Trying things on

Ask to try something on and say whether the fit works.

Можно примерить?
Transliteration: Mozhno primerit'?
Can I try it on?
Где примерочная?
Transliteration: Gde primerochnaya?
Where is the fitting room?
Мне нужен размер побольше.
Transliteration: Mne nuzhen razmer pobol'she.
I need a bigger size.
Это мне не подходит.
Transliteration: Eto mne ne podkhodit.
This doesn't suit me / fit me.
Я возьму это.
Transliteration: Ya voz'mu eto.
I'll take this.

Paying and returns

Pay at the register and handle a simple exchange or return.

Можно картой?
Transliteration: Mozhno kartoy?
Can I pay by card?
Я заплачу наличными.
Transliteration: Ya zaplachu nalichnymi.
I'll pay in cash.
Дайте, пожалуйста, чек.
Transliteration: Dayte, pozhaluysta, chek.
Please give me the receipt.
Я хочу вернуть это.
Transliteration: Ya khochu vernut' eto.
I want to return this.
У меня есть чек.
Transliteration: U menya yest' chek.
I have the receipt.
Можно обменять на другой размер?
Transliteration: Mozhno obmenyat' na drugoy razmer?
Can I exchange it for a different size?

Example conversations

Looking for a sweater and trying it on

You are in a clothing store and want help finding a sweater, checking the size, and trying it on before deciding.

You
Здравствуйте, вы не подскажете, где здесь свитер?
Zdravstvuyte, vy ne podskazhete, gde zdes' sviter?
Hello, could you tell me where the sweater is here?
Other person
Да, конечно. Мужские свитеры там, справа от кассы.
Da, konechno. Muzhskie svitery tam, sprava ot kassy.
Yes, of course. The men's sweaters are over there, to the right of the checkout.
You
Спасибо. У вас есть размер M?
Spasibo. U vas yest' razmer M?
Thanks. Do you have size M?
Other person
Да, есть. Хотите примерить?
Da, yest'. Khotite primerit'?
Yes, we do. Do you want to try it on?
You
Да, можно примерить?
Da, mozhno primerit'?
Yes, can I try it on?
Other person
Конечно, примерочная вон там.
Konechno, primerochnaya von tam.
Of course, the fitting room is over there.
You
Этот размер мне не подходит. Мне нужен размер побольше.
Etot razmer mne ne podkhodit. Mne nuzhen razmer pobol'she.
This size doesn't fit me. I need a bigger size.
Other person
Понял. Сейчас посмотрю другой размер.
Ponyal. Seichas posmotryu drugoy razmer.
Got it. I'll check another size now.

Paying and exchanging a purchase

You are at the register, pay for an item, then ask about exchanging it for a different size with the receipt.

You
Здравствуйте. Можно картой?
Zdravstvuyte. Mozhno kartoy?
Hello. Can I pay by card?
Other person
Да, конечно.
Da, konechno.
Yes, of course.
You
Дайте, пожалуйста, чек.
Dayte, pozhaluysta, chek.
Please give me the receipt.
Other person
Вот, пожалуйста.
Vot, pozhaluysta.
Here you go.
You
Спасибо. Я хочу вернуть это. Можно обменять на другой размер?
Spasibo. Ya khochu vernut' eto. Mozhno obmenyat' na drugoy razmer?
Thanks. I want to return this. Can I exchange it for a different size?
Other person
Да, если у вас есть чек.
Da, esli u vas yest' chek.
Yes, if you have the receipt.
You
Да, у меня есть чек.
Da, u menya yest' chek.
Yes, I have the receipt.
Other person
Хорошо, тогда подойдите на кассу, и мы оформим обмен.
Khorosho, togda podoydite na kassu, i my oformim obmen.
Okay, then come to the register and we'll process the exchange.

A few things to know

polite by default

Use polite вы with shop staff and strangers. The phrases here assume that default, because it is the safest everyday choice in stores. Informal ты is not the default unless the other person clearly switches first.

grammar

Agreement in 'Мне нужен размер побольше'

In 'Мне нужен размер побольше', нужен agrees with the noun размер, which is masculine. Russian changes this form by gender: нужен with masculine nouns, нужна with feminine nouns, and нужно with neuter nouns. The learner only changes the ending form, not the pronoun мне.

usage

'Можно' is the standard permission pattern

'Можно примерить?' uses impersonal можно + infinitive, which is the normal way to ask for permission in a shop. It sounds natural and direct without needing a subject like я.

Try it yourself

Choose the right phrase

Pick what you would say in each situation.

Question 1 of 3

Question 1
Question 2
Question 3

You are in a clothing shop and want permission to try on a jacket before deciding. Which phrase fits best?

Можно примерить?Где примерочная?Сколько это стоит?

Keep building your everyday vocabulary

Russian Introductions: Essential PhrasesLearn the Russian phrases you need for a first meeting: greeting someone, introducing yourself, asking basic personal questions, and ending the conversation naturally.Russian Restaurant and Café PhrasesPractical Russian phrases for a restaurant or café in Russia: getting a table, ordering naturally, handling dietary needs, paying, and leaving politely.How to Ask for Directions in RussianLearn how to ask where a place is, understand simple route instructions, clarify what you heard, and thank the person helping you.Russian Hotel and Accommodation PhrasesEveryday Russian for checking in, asking about hotel services, reporting room problems, and checking out.Russian Public Transport PhrasesRussian phrases for finding the right bus, train, platform, or stop, buying a ticket, checking times and transfers, and dealing with delays or a missed stop.

Put the phrases in context