Questions regarding established socio-cultural norms of using different words and expressions in speech and writing.
1
vote
1answer
87 views
How to write a request letter in Russian?
I came across a Russian forum that required an invitation code (код приглашения) to be eligible for registration, so I have to write a request email in Russian to the forum admin in order to get the ...
8
votes
7answers
2k views
How to address people in the street?
Suppose you want to ask someone for directions or to attract someone's attention. What is the appropriate way to address this person?
Context:
..., подскажите, как выйти на улицу Чехова?
or
...
8
votes
4answers
258 views
Addressing taxi/bus driver by “шеф”/“командир” - where does it come from?
While using buses and marshrutkas as a means to reach point B from point A, I often hear drivers being addressed as "шеф" or "командир", as in:
Командир, возьми за проезд!
or
Шеф, до ...
10
votes
5answers
229 views
Is it considered proper to use вы with older people, even when they address you with ты?
Sometimes I find Russians will use the more familiar form of address, ты, even when I have addressed them with вы. I felt that in the particular circumstances it was unlikely that they meant that we ...
21
votes
8answers
2k views
When is it more appropriate to use здравствуйте rather than привет?
As far as I understand, both of these mean more or less the same thing. Rosetta Stone, that introduced me to the Russian language seems to prefer здравствуйте, but it seems привет is more commonly ...
