In Russian, there are two main ways to say "hello" depending on the formality of the situation:

• For informal or casual settings (like with friends), you say "Привет" (Privet) , which is similar to "hi" in English.
• For formal situations (such as meeting someone you don't know well or professional settings), you say "Здравствуйте" (Zdravstvuyte). This literally means "be healthy" and is a respectful greeting.

These are the most common and useful greetings to know. For example, you can use "Привет" with friends and "Здравствуйте" when addressing strangers or in business contexts.

Other time-specific greetings include:

• Доброе утро (Dobroye utro) — Good morning
• Добрый день (Dobryy den’) — Good afternoon
• Добрый вечер (Dobryy vecher) — Good evening

But if you want a simple answer for "hello," "Привет" (for informal) and "Здравствуйте" (for formal) cover most situations.