Здравствуйте! Welcome back to your Russian lessons.
In our last session, we learned how to handle moments of confusion by asking for clarification with phrases like Повтори́те, пожа́луйста (Repeat, please) and Что э́то зна́чит? (What does that mean?). These are vital tools for building understanding.
Today, we'll focus on another essential conversational skill: showing interest and keeping the conversation balanced. A good conversation is a two-way street. After you answer a question, it's natural and polite to turn the question back to the other person. By the end of this lesson, you will know how to use simple but powerful follow-up questions like А вы? (And you?) to make your conversations more engaging.
1. The Art of the Follow-Up: Keeping the Conversation Going
When you ask a question back, you show that you're not just answering, but you are genuinely interested in the other person's life and opinions. This is a simple way to build rapport, especially with family like your husband's parents.
The most common way to do this in English is to say, "And you?". In Russian, there are a few ways to do this, and the one you choose depends on the original question. Let's start with the most common and versatile form.
2. Asking Back: А ты? and А вы?
This is your go-to follow-up for most questions about actions, preferences, or personal details.
- А ты? (a TY?): Use this in informal situations (with friends, or your husband).
- А вы? (a VY?): Use this in formal situations or when speaking to more than one person. This is the form you should use with your husband's parents.
Let's see this in action. The following video shows a simple dialogue between two people getting to know each other. They constantly use А ты? to learn about each other's interests.
Russian Dialogue for Beginners / Basic Russian Conversation
In this 'Russian Dialogue for Beginners' from the Russian Level 1 channel, pay close attention to how many times the speakers use 'А ты?' to return a question.
Watch the entire dialogue (00:00 - 03:25). Notice how this simple phrase is used after answering questions about liking tea, books, movies, sports, and travel. This repetition will help you internalize the pattern.
As you saw, this phrase is incredibly useful. You can use it after answering questions like:
- Что ты де́лаешь? (What are you doing?) -> Я отдыха́ю. А ты? (I'm resting. And you?)
- Вы лю́бите пла́вание? (Do you like swimming?) -> Да, о́чень. А вы? (Yes, very much. And you?)
This works for questions where "you" (ты or вы) is the one performing the action or holding the opinion.
3. The Special Case: "How are you?"
There is one very common question that has its own special follow-up: Как дела́? (How are you?).
When someone asks you Как дела́?, you answer and then ask back using one of these phrases:
- Informal: А у тебя́? (a oo tye-BYA?)
- Formal: А у вас? (a oo VAS?)
Why is it different? It's because Как дела́? is a shortened version of Как у тебя́ дела́? (literally, "How are things by you?"). So, the follow-up question, А у тебя́?, refers back to that implied "by you" part.
This short video clip highlights this exact phrase among other useful reactions.
50+ Useful Conversation Phrases to React in a Dialogue Like a Russian | Super Easy Russian 15
The 'Super Easy Russian' video has a quick segment that perfectly demonstrates how to return the question 'Как дела?'.
Watch from 00:49 to 01:06. The presenter explicitly mentions 'а у тебя?' as the way to ask back.
4. Summary and Practice
Let's put everything together in a simple guide. Remember to use the formal "Вы" forms with your in-laws.
| If they ask... | Your answer might be... | Your follow-up question (Formal) |
|---|---|---|
| Как дела́? (How are you?) | Хорошо́, спаси́бо. (Good, thanks.) | А у вас? |
| Как вы себя́ чу́вствуете? (How do you feel?) | Норма́льно. (Okay.) | А вы? |
| Вы лю́бите гото́вить? (Do you like to cook?) | Да, люблю́. (Yes, I love to.) | А вы? |
| Что вы де́лали на выходны́х? (What did you do on the weekend?) | Я отдыха́ла. (I was resting.) | А вы? |
For a handy reference, this article explains the different forms clearly.
Basic Russian greetings - Hello! and How are you? in Russian
The article 'Basic Russian greetings' provides a straightforward list of formal and informal ways to ask and return questions.
Quickly read the sections 'Informal Russian greetings' and 'Formal Russian greetings'. Focus on the phrases listed for returning the question, like 'А ты как?', 'А как у тебя?', 'Как у вас?', and 'А вы как?'. This will reinforce what we've just learned.
Practice Time!
Imagine you are speaking with your mother-in-law. How would you ask "And you?" in these situations?
-
She asks: Как дела́?
You answer: Всё в поря́дке, спаси́бо. (Everything is in order, thank you.)
Your follow-up: __________? -
She asks: Ты ча́сто хо́дишь в тренажёрный зал? (Do you go to the gym often?)
You answer: Да, два ра́за в неде́лю. (Yes, two times a week.)
Your follow-up: __________?
Answers: 1. А у вас? 2. А вы?
Key Takeaways
You've learned a crucial skill for making your Russian conversations more interactive and polite.
- To keep a conversation going, always try to ask a question back.
- For most questions about activities or preferences, use А ты? (informal) or А вы? (formal).
- For the specific question Как дела́?, use А у тебя́? (informal) or А у вас? (formal).
Mastering these simple phrases will make a big difference in how your conversations flow.
In our next lesson, we'll continue building your conversational skills by learning how to react to simple news with expressions like Хорошо́! (Good!), Поня́тно (I see), and Здо́рово! (Great!). This will help you respond to the answers you get from your new follow-up questions