Casual vs formal ways to order drinks in Russian
Savory Journeys: A Complete Guide to Ordering Food & Drinks in Russian Restaurants: Casual vs formal ways to order drinks in Russian
To order drinks in Russian in a formal setting, common polite phrases include:
- “Дайте, пожалуйста, [drink].” (Dajte, pozhaluysta, [drink]) — “Please give me [drink].”
- “Я буду [drink].” (Ya budu [drink]) — “I will have [drink].”
- “Можно, пожалуйста, [drink]?” (Mozhno, pozhaluysta, [drink]?) — “May I have [drink], please?”
- “Вы будете [drink]?” (Vy budete [drink]?) — “Will you have [drink]?” (waiter’s question)
For casual or less formal ordering, Russians often use simpler phrases such as:
- “Мне [drink], пожалуйста.” (Mne [drink], pozhaluysta) — “To me [drink], please.”
- Simply “[drink], пожалуйста.” ([Drink], pozhaluysta) — “[Drink], please.”
- “Дайте [drink].” (Dajte [drink]) — “Give me [drink]” (less polite but common in casual settings)
- “Я буду [drink].” (Ya budu [drink]) — still common and not inherently formal or informal depending on context.
Typical drinks to order include:
- Кофе (coffee)
- Чай (tea)
- Сок (juice)
- Пиво (beer)
- Вино (wine)
- Водка (vodka)
- Минералка (mineral water) with or without gas: “с газом” or “без газа”
It is polite in Russia to add “пожалуйста” (please) when ordering. Using the verb “дайте” (give) with пожалуйста is polite enough for most restaurant or bar settings.
Summary table:
| Formal Ordering Phrase | Casual Ordering Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Дайте, пожалуйста, [drink] | Мне [drink], пожалуйста | Please give me [drink] |
| Я буду [drink] | [drink], пожалуйста | I will have [drink] |
| Можно, пожалуйста, [drink]? | Дайте [drink] | May I have [drink]? / Give me [drink] |
| Вы будете [drink]? (waiter’s question) | — | Will you have [drink]? |
Adding please (“пожалуйста”) is always recommended in both formal and casual contexts for politeness.