Leeson 1 - Greetings

Greetings 

Hello = Здравствуйте [zdrastvyite]
Здравствуйте – formal
Use to:
-  people who older than you
- people whom you respect
- when you meet person (not younger than you)  first time

Example:
You may say Hello to your:
-teacher
-doctor
-old man/woman
-your parents friends
-strangers in the street who older than you

NB: Sometimes you will hear people condensing the sounds to ‘Здрасте’, which sounds something like [zdrasti]. This form is very common but is considerably less polite.
I’d recommend greeting old people and people whom you really respect using the longer version of the word – Здравствуйте.

Hi = Привет [privet]
Привет – informal
Use to:
-  People who younger than you
- People who the same age as you
- your friends
-your  parents

Other options available refer to different times of day:
Доброе утро. – [dobroe utra] – Good morning.
Добрый день. – [dobryj den'] – Good afternoon.
Добрый вечер. – [dobryj vechir] – Good Evening.

Greetings – singular:
- Здравствуй (not polite and respectful, use to people same age with you)
- Привет
Greetings – plural:
- Здравствуйте (Use to one person in polite version)
- Привет