Overview of Russian Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette

Here you are at our self-self-help guide to Russia. This is often helpful for anybody researching Russian culture, customs, manners, etiquette, values and searching to know individuals better. You might be vulnerable to Russia on business, for almost any visit or even hosting Russian colleagues or clients on your home country. Consider this is just a really fundamental level introduction and isn’t designed to stereotype all Russian people you might meet!

Location: Northern Asia, bordering Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,485 km, Norwegian 196 km, Belgium (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576 km

Climate: is different from steppes within the south through moist continental in lots of European
Russia subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate within the polar north winters change from awesome along Black Ocean coast to frigid in Siberia summers change from warm within the steppes to awesome along Arctic coast

Population: 142,470,272 (2014 est.)

Ethnic Make-up: Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir .9%, Belarusian .8%, Moldavian .7%, other 8.1% (1989)

Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Of Russia’s believed 150m population, it’s believed that over 81% speak the problem language of Russian their first and just language. Most loudspeakers in the minority language can also be bilingual loudspeakers of Russian.

You will find over 100 minority languages spoken in Russia today, the most famous being Tartar, spoken by greater than 3% within the country’s population.

Other minority languages include Ukrainian, Chuvash, Bashir, Mordvin and Chechen. Although number of of people populations constitute even 1% within the Russian population, these languages are prominent in key regional areas.

Russian Society Culture

• The Russian family is dependent upon its people.
• Most families reside in small apartments, frequently with two or three generations discussing little space.
• So many people are small, frequently with simply one child since most women must also work outdoors of the home in addition to bearing sole responsibility for household and childrearing chores.

• Russians be proud of their country.
• Loyal songs and poems celebrate the benefits of the homeland.
• They think their existence is difficult and be proud of obtaining the chance to attain problems that others couldn’t.
• They take great pride in their cultural heritage and expect everyone other world to admire it.

• For generations before the 1930’s, Russian existence centred across the farming village commune, in which the land occured to help keep and decision-making was the province in the setup within the heads of homes.
• This fascination with everyone else along with the collective spirit remains today. It’s observed in everyday existence, for instance most Russians will subscribe to a table of others as opposed to eat alone within the restaurant.
• Everybody’s clients are also everybody else’s, so others stop and tell someone who they really are damaging the guidelines.

Etiquette and Customs in Russia

• The conventional greeting could be a firm, almost bone-crushing handshake and direct eye-to-eye-to-eye-to-eye contact and offering the very best greeting for the time.
• When men shake hands with women, the handshake is less firm.
• When female buddies meet, they hug round orally three occasions, beginning while using the left then alternating.
• When close male buddies meet, they might pat one another across the back and hug.

Russian names contain:

• Name, people given name.
• Middle name, this is a patronymic or maybe a type of the father’s name created with the aid of ‘- vich’ or ‘-ovich’ for almost any male and ‘-avna’ or ‘- ovna’ for almost any female. The boy of Ivan
• could have a patronymic of Ivanovich since the daughter’s patronymic may be Ivanovna.
• Surname, your family or surname.
• In formal situations, people utilise all three names. Buddies and shut acquaintances may reference one another by their name and patronymic. Close buddies and family people call one another by their name only.

• Presents using happens between family and shut buddies on birthdays, Year, and Orthodox Christmas.
• If you’re requested having a Russian home for almost any meal, bring somewhat gift.
• Male visitors likely to create flowers.
• Inclination to slack yellow flowers.
• Inclination to slack an infant gift until carrying out a baby arrives. It’s misfortune to accomplish this sooner.
• Russians frequently protest when they’re offered a present. Reply that it’s little something and offer the present again as well as generally be recognized.

If you’re requested having a Russian’s house:

• Arrive rapidly or a maximum of fifteen minutes after requested.
• Remove your outdoors footwear. You might be given slippers to make use of.
• Put on clothes you may put on to function. Dressing well shows respect for your hosts.
• Anticipate to get recognition and respect.
• Offer to assist the hostess while using the preparation or clearing transporting out meals is supplied. This really is frequently switched lower from pleasantness. Asking ‘are you sure?’ enables the hostess to simply accept your offer.

• Table manners are Continental — the fork happens within the left hands along with the knife within the right while eating.
• The very first or most honoured guest is supplied first.
• Don’t begin eating before the host invites you to definitely certainly certainly start.
• Don’t rest your elbows available, although your hands must be visible whatsoever occasions.
• You’ll frequently be better to consider second helpings.
• It’s polite to make use of bread to absorb gravy or sauce.
• Men pour drinks for women sitting lower alongside them.
• Departing a little bit of food within your plate helps to ensure that the hosts have given ample hospitality.
• Don’t get before you are required disappear the table. At formal dinners, the guest of recognition may be the first ones to awaken inside the table.

Russian Business Etiquette and Protocol

• Russians are transactional and do not have to establish extended-standing personal relationships before they will use people.
• It’s still smart to make a network of people which you are aware of of of trust. The Russian word “svyasi” means connections and describes getting buddies in high places, which
• is frequently needed to reduce through documents.
• Persistence is important.
• You need to err aside of formality when you are getting in touch.
• Reliability is important as it is needed to create trust, and trust is required to develop rapport.
• Most Russians don’t trust individuals who’re ‘all business’.
• A sign you’ve effectively created a person relationship remains requested for almost any favour with this particular person.

• Appointments are very important and could be produced as soon after conception as possible.
• It frequently takes roughly 6 days to put together a meeting obtaining a government official.
• See the meeting whenever you within the united states . states and again a couple of days ahead of time.
• The first week of May is loaded with a lot of public holidays it is therefore best prevented.
• You need to arrive punctually for conferences.
• Typical Russian schedules are continually altering and everything takes more than expected, so expect you’ll be stored waiting.
• Conferences may be cancelled on short notice.
• The first meeting is frequently an automobile to uncover when your organization you represent are credible and cost consideration for future business dealings.
• Make use of the time effectively to demonstrate what differentiates your company inside the competition.
• Expect a extended length of socializing and having-to-know-you conversation before clients are discussed.
• Have printed material accessible in British and Russian.
• Russians expect extended and detailed presentations including past the subject and review of existing precedents.
• Conferences are often interrupted. Very common for several side conversations which have nothing connected using the subject within the meeting to obtain transported on with the meeting.
• Inside the finish within the meeting, anticipate to sign a ‘protokol’, this is a summary of the factor which was discussed.

• Conferences and negotiations are slow. Russians dislike being rushed.
• It may be beneficial to incorporate technical experts within your negotiating team.
• Hierarchy is essential to Russians. They respect age, rank and position. Probably most likely probably the most senior person reaches decisions.
• Russian executives choose to speak to people of comparable rank and position.
• Russians see negotiations as win-lose. They don’t trust win-win scenarios.
• Authored materials accessible in British and Russian.
• Russians view compromise as weakness. They’ll continue negotiating prior to deciding to offer concessions.
• Russians may lose their temper, leave the meeting, or threaten to terminate the text in order to coerce you to definitely certainly modify your circumstances.
• Russians frequently use time as being a tactic, particularly if they are aware of that there’s a deadline. Be careful about letting your business colleagues realize that you’re under time pressure or they’ll delay much more.
• There is nothing final before the contract is signed. Nonetheless, Russians will modify an agreement to enhance their purposes.
• Stay away from high-pressure sales tactics since they’re effective against you.

• Business dress is formal and conservative.
• Men should put on business put on.
• Women should put on subdued coloured business put on with skirts for your legs.
• Footwear must be highly polished.

• Card printing are exchanged carrying out a initial introductions without formal ritual.
• Obtain one side in the card altered into Russian using Cyrillic text.
• Include advanced college levels within your card.
• Hands your card so the Russian side is readable for that recipient.
• If someone doesn’t have a very card, note their pertinent information.