Traveling is expensive, so it's crucial to have a good understanding of Russian phrases for money and banking. While in a Russian -speaking country, the best way to ensure that you get the most for your money is to be familiar with these common financial terms.
Exchanging money
Each country has a different monetary system. The official Russian currency is the rubl' (roobl') (ruble). Economically, it is almost always best to exchange your American dollars for the local currency. In fact, exchanging money is the most common banking need for travelers.
Much like a dollar equals 100 cents, one rubl' equals 100 kopyejki (kah-P'EHY-kee) (kopecks).
Big Russian cities are saturated with punkty obmyena (POONK-tih ahb-M'EH-nuh) (currency-exchange offices), which can also be called obmyen valyuty (ahb-M'EHN vuh-LYU-tih). You can usually find a punkt obmyena in any hotel. The best kurs obmyena valyuty (koors ahb-M'EH-nuh vuh-L'OO-tih) (exchange rate), however, is offered at the banki (BAHN-kee) (banks).
Some handy phrases to use when you exchange currency include
Ya khochu obmyenyat' dyen'gi. (ya khah-CHOO uhb-mee-N'AHT' D'EHN'-gee) (I want to exchange money.)
Ya khochu obmyenyat' dollary na rubli. (ya khah-CHOO uhb-mee-N'AHT' DOH-luh-rih nuh roob-LEE) (I want to exchange dollars for rubles.)
Kakoj kurs obmyena? (kuh-KOHY koors ahb-M'EH-nuh?) (What is the exchange rate?)
Nado platit' komissiyu? (NAH-duh pluh-TEET' kah-MEE-see-yu?) (Do I have to pay a fee?)
To talk about different numbers of rubles, you need to use different cases, such as dva rublya (dvah roob-L'AH) (2 rubles) in the genitive singular, pyat' rublyej (p'aht' roob-L'EHY) (5 rubles) in the genitive plural, and dvadtsat' odin rubl' (DVAHT-tsuht' ah-DEEN roobl') (21 rubles) in the nominative singular.
Using the ATM
The fastest way to access your account is the bankomat (buhn-kah-MAHT) (ATM). Bankomaty (buhn-kah-MAH-tih) (ATMs) are usually found in banks. Use the following phrases as a guide to the phrases you'll see on the bankomat screen:
vstav'tye kartu (FSTAHF'-t'eh KAHR-too) (insert the card)
vvyeditye PIN-kod (vee-DEE-t'eh peen-KOHT) (enter your PIN)
vvyeditye summu (vvee-DEE-t'eh SOO-moo) (enter the amount)
snyat' nalichnyye (sn'aht' nuh-LEECH-nih-yeh) (withdraw cash)
kvitantsiya (kvee-TAHN-tsih-yuh) (receipt)
zabyeritye kartu (zuh-bee-REE-tee KAHR-too) (remove the card)
Paying with credit cards
Although kryeditnyye kartochki (kree-DEET-nih-eh KAHR-tuhch-kee) (credit cards) and bankovskiye kartochki (BAHN-kuhf-skee-eh KAHR-tuhch-kee) (debit cards) have long been established in cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg, in other cities your attempts to pay with a credit card may not be as welcome. If you plan to pay with a credit card, it's worth asking a few questions first.
U vas mozhno zaplatit' kryeditnoj kartochkoj? (oo vahs MOHZH-nuh zuh-pluh-TEET' kree-DEET-nuhy KAHR-tuhch-kuhy?) (Do you accept credit cards?)
Ya mogu zaplatit' kryeditnoj kartochkoj? (ya mah-GOO zuh-pluh-TEET' kree-DEET-nuhy KAHR-tuhch-kuhy?) (Can I pay with a credit card?)
Vy vzymayetye komissionnyj sbor za oplatu kryeditnoj kartochkoj? (vih vzih-MAH-eh-t'eh kuh-mee-see-OH-nihy zbohr zuh ahp-LAH-too kree-DEET-nuhy KAHR-tuhch-kuhy?) (Do you charge a fee for paying with a credit card?)