Thread: expression

What is the most common way of saying "how are you doing?" and whats up in russian.By the way, how is everyone doing?

Originally Posted by nikki2028

What is the most common way of saying "how are you doing?" and whats up in russian.By the way, how is everyone doing?

Most common, huh? I guess it would be "Как жизнь?" But then again, some may prefer "Как дела?"

I prefer just to say "privet" if I don't want to hear how a person I'm talking to is realy doing.

"Как поживаешь?" (or polite form "Как поживаете") is also common.

"What's up?" - "Что стряслось?", "Что случилось?", "В чём дело?"

(Ну, ) Как оно? (shaking hands)

That depends on the context - if you are being introduced to your girlfriend's parents then I don't advise you to say "Ну, как оно?" or "Как житуха, чувак?"
The correct form would be "Как поживаете?" or "Как Ваши дела? (if you're aquainted with them already)"
But if you meet your friend then "Как дела?" or "Как жизнь?" or "Как она (жизнь)?" will nicely do.
What's up? = Что такое? Что случилось? В чем дело? Что не так?

Originally Posted by Garfunkel

What's up? = Что такое? Что случилось? В чем дело? Что не так?

Note that you can use these expressions in the sense "what has happened?" only and you cannot use them instead of "hello".

The meaning of the expression "what's up?" depends on in what place it was used. In some states in the America it means Как дела ?, Что случилось\ стряслось etc. But in some cases between another speaking group in the other state this expression use instead "HI". Many times I heard the following dialogue:
- Hey, what's up man ?
- What's up. (shaking hands)

A lot of the younger Russians in Brooklyn just say "normalno?" the standard answer to which is "normalno", with the appropriate inflections, of course.

And I used to hear some Caucasian (from North Caucasus I mean) guys say:
- Как дела? (with heavy accent)
- Как дела. (with even more heavier accent, shaking hands)

But in normal Russian language this is not acceptable, of course.