Do you know how to wish good luck in Russian? Or how to ask a person to wish you good luck in Russian? It is actually quite easy. There are several most common phrases that you can use to do it.
This post is a part of the video lesson on how to encourage, praise someone and how to wish good luck in Russian. You can find a free Russian video lesson at the bottom of this page (if you haven’t already watched it).
I recommend you to watch a series of these free Russian lessons to learn basic Russian words and phrases, like How to encourage someone in Russian, How to praise someone in Russian, How to be polite in Russian, etc.
Table of Contents
Free Russian Video Lesson “How to encourage someone in Russian”
Russian words and phrases to wish good luck to someone
1) Пожела́й мне уда́чи (pazhilái mne udáchi) – Wish me good luck (informal)
Пожела́йте мне уда́чи (pazhiláite mne udáchi) Wish me good luck (plural / formal)
This is a way to ask someone to wish you good luck in Russian. For example, when you have an important exam, you can ask your friend to wish you good luck.
Ex.: У меня завтра важный экзамен, пожелай мне удачи! (I have an important exam tomorrow, wish me good luck).
2) Уда́чи! (udáchi) – Good luck!
It is the most common and short way to wish someone good luck. You can personalize it by adding a pronoun
Ex.: Уда́чи тебе́! (informal)
Уда́чи вам! (formal / plural)
3) Ни пу́ха ни пера́ (ni púha ni pirá) – Break a leg / Fingers crossed
Direct translation: neither fur nor feather
It is an outdated wish of good luck to someone. Has to be answered with “к чёрту!” (lit. – to the devil)
This Russian expression comes from hunters’ traditions. It was believed that if you wish a hunter to have a good hunt, the devil was going to prevent him from this. So, they were ‘tricking’ a devil by wishing to have no catch. The hunter responded “to the devil” in order to please him. You can still hear this expression, at schools and universities before exams.
However, it was commonly used in Soviet times among people, but nowadays people prefer saying just “Уда́чи!” to wish someone good luck in Russian.
How to Wish Good Luck Before a Job Interview
Before a job interview, use neutral and supportive phrases:
Уда́чи на собесе́довании!
Good luck at the job interview!
Жела́ю тебе́ уда́чи на собесе́довании!
I wish you good luck at the job interview! — informal
Жела́ю вам уда́чи на собесе́довании!
I wish you good luck at the job interview! — formal
Пусть всё пройдёт хорошо́!
I hope everything goes well!
Ты спра́вишься!
You’ll manage! / You can do it! — informal
Вы спра́витесь!
You’ll manage! / You can do it! — formal
How to Wish Good Luck at Work or with a Project
When someone is starting a new project, presentation, meeting, or important task, you can say:
Уда́чи с прое́ктом!
Good luck with the project!
Уда́чи на презента́ции!
Good luck with the presentation!
Пусть всё полу́чится!
I hope everything works out!
Жела́ю успе́ха!
I wish you success!
Жела́ю вам успе́шной презента́ции.
I wish you a successful presentation. — formal
How to Wish Good Luck in Sports or Competitions
If someone is taking part in a competition, performance, race, or sports event, you can say:
Уда́чи на соревнова́ниях!
Good luck at the competition!
Уда́чи в игре́!
Good luck in the game!
Побе́ды тебе́!
I wish you victory! — informal
Побе́ды вам!
I wish you victory! — formal or plural
Боле́ю за тебя́!
I’m rooting for you! — informal
Боле́ю за вас!
I’m rooting for you! — formal or plural
How to Say “I’ll Keep My Fingers Crossed” in Russian
A very natural way to say “I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you” in Russian is:
Держу́ за тебя́ кулачки́!
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you! — informal
Держу́ за вас кулачки́!
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you! — formal or plural
Literally, this phrase means “I’m holding little fists for you.” It sounds warm, friendly, and supportive. It is often used before exams, interviews, medical results, competitions, or any stressful situation.
How to Respond When Someone Wishes You Good Luck
If someone says Уда́чи! or Жела́ю уда́чи!, you can answer:
Спаси́бо! (Thank you!)
Спаси́бо большо́е! (Thank you very much!)
Спаси́бо, наде́юсь, всё полу́чится (Thank you, I hope everything works out).
Спаси́бо, бу́ду стара́ться (Thank you, I’ll do my best).
If someone says Ни пу́ха ни пера́!, the traditional answer is:
К чёрту! (To hell with it!)
This answer sounds strange in English, but in Russian it is the expected traditional reply.
You can find the audio files with pronunciation of these Russian phrases in my free guide ‘Essential Russian Words and Expressions to Understand Spoken Russian’.
This guide also contains audio files so that you can listen to these phrases on the go: while driving, walking, doing sport or brushing your teeth. Make sure that you repeat these phrases yourself and try to imitate my accent.
It’s also very important to know how to pronounce Russian words correctly as not every Russian letter is pronounced the same way as it’s written. There are certain Russian pronunciation rules that are really easy to learn.
If you wish to speak Russian, you should absolutely learn how to use Russian cases. Check the most comprehensive guides to Russian cases:
FAQ: How to Wish Good Luck in Russian
How do you say “good luck” in Russian?
The most common way to say “good luck” in Russian is Уда́чи. It is short, natural, and can be used in many everyday situations.
What does Ни пуха ни пера mean?
Ни пу́ха ни пера́ is a traditional Russian expression used to wish someone good luck. Literally, it means “neither fur nor feather,” but its natural meaning is “good luck” or “break a leg.”
How do you answer Ни пуха ни пера?
The traditional answer to Ни пу́ха ни пера́ is К чёрту. Literally, it means “to the devil,” but in this expression it is simply the expected reply.
How do you say “I’ll keep my fingers crossed” in Russian?
“I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you” in Russian is Держу́ за тебя́ кулачки́ in informal situations and Держу́ за вас кулачки́ in formal or plural situations.
What is the difference between удача and успех?
Уда́ча means “luck,” while успе́х means “success.” Уда́чи is more casual and universal, while Жела́ю успе́ха sounds more formal or serious.
Can I say Удачи in formal situations?
Yes, Уда́чи can be used in many situations, but in formal communication Жела́ю вам уда́чи or Жела́ю вам успе́ха sounds more polite and complete.
