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Office and email

Russian business writing is more formal than English. These are the formulas that carry it.

Quick answer

Open with Уважа́емый Ива́н Петро́вич, close with С уваже́нием. Name and patronymic, not first name alone.

The email

письмо́pismóletter, email
те́маtémasubject line
во вложе́нииvo vlozhéniiattached
уважа́емыйuvazháyemyydear (formal)
с уваже́ниемs uvazhéniyemyours sincerely
отве́титьotvétitto reply
пересла́тьpereslátto forward

The office

о́фисófisoffice
совеща́ниеsoveshchániyemeeting
нача́льникnachálnikboss
колле́гаkollégacolleague
срокsrokdeadline
отчётotchyótreport
догово́рdogovórcontract

Getting things done

согласова́тьsoglasovátto agree, to sign off
уточни́тьutochnítto clarify
напо́мнитьnapómnitto remind
сро́чноsróchnourgent
в рабо́теv rabótein progress
гото́воgotóvodone

A short email

Уважа́емый Ива́н Петро́вич,Dear Ivan Petrovich,
Направля́ю отчёт во вложе́нии.I am sending the report, attached.
Прошу́ подтверди́ть получе́ние.Please confirm receipt.
С уваже́нием, Ма́ртинYours sincerely, Martin

Прошу́, not хочу́

Business Russian uses прошу́ (I request) where English uses “could you”: Прошу́ уточни́ть, прошу́ согласова́ть. It sounds formal rather than bossy, and leaving it out makes a request read as an order.

The formality gap

English business writing has got steadily more casual; Russian has not. До́брый день is an acceptable opener with people you write to often, but Приве́т belongs to colleagues you know well. And the first name alone, without the patronymic, is normal only among younger colleagues in IT and similar fields.

Typical mistakes

Приве́т, Ива́н! — to a new client

Уважа́емый Ива́н Петро́вич,

A first contact is formal.

в вложе́нии

во вложе́нии

в becomes во before в and some clusters.

Check yourself

How do you close a formal Russian email?

The standard formal sign-off.

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