How to Say I Miss You in Russian

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 References

There are several ways to say "I miss you" in Russian. The most direct translation from English is relatively easy for English speakers to say, even if they haven't studied Russian. If you do know some Russian, or if you're feeling ambitious, there are a variety of other phrases you can use.

Steps

1
Say “Я по тебе скучаю” for "I miss you." The verb скучать (skoo-cháht') means "to miss" in this context. Here is the full sentence "I miss you:"
- Я по тебе скучаю.
- Ya puh te-byé skoo-chái-yoo^{[1]
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- Exact pronunciation in IPA: [ja pətʲɪˈbʲe skʊˈʨajʊ]
- English phoneme approximation: [jɑː pətɪ'bɛ skʊ'tʃɑːjʊ]
- You can change the word order to “Я скучаю по тебе” with no change in meaning.
2
Keep it short and sweet. The easiest way to say "I miss you" is one word: “Скучаю.” This is the same word used in the sentence above, pronounced "Skoo-chái-yoo."

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3
Use an alternative. Соскучиться is another common word for "miss." This form conveys the same meaning “I miss you”, but may by more suitable if you want to suggest something (e.g., let's see each other). It can be used by itself as well.
As a female speaker:
Я по тебе соскучилась.
Ya puh te-byé so-skóo-chi-las'
Exact pronunciation: [ja pətʲɪˈbʲe səsˈkuʨɪləsʲ]
English phoneme approximation: [jɑː pətɪ'bɛ səs'kuːtʃɪlɑːs]

As a male speaker
Я по тебе соскучился.
Ya puh te-byé so-skóo-chil-s(y)uh
Exact pronunciation: [ja pətʲɪˈbʲe səsˈkuʨɪlsʲə]
English phoneme approximation: [jɑː pətɪ'bɛ səs'kuːtʃɪlsɑː]
- Even though the verb is in the past tense, "I miss you" is a good translation into English.^{[2]
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4
Emphasize the feeling. To step your love letters up a notch, use these variations:
- Я по тебе так сильно скучаю (Ya puh te-byé tak síl'-nuh skoo-chái-yoo): "I miss you so much."^{[3]
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- Мне тебя не хватает (Mnyé te-byá ni khva-tái-yet): a common but sweet phrase for "I miss you" (literally "I can't get enough of you")
- Ты всегда в моих мыслях (Tui vsyeg-dá vmo-íkh múi-sl(y)akh): "You are always in my thoughts."
5
Address multiple people or a formal acquaintance. "I miss you" is usually used in romantic or family contexts, when you should always use the informal phrases above. If you are talking to an acquaintance or someone you still address with the formal вы, use one of these constructions instead. This is also how you address multiple people, even if you know them well.
- Я скучаю по вам. ("po vam" instead of "puh te-byé").
- Я по вам соскучилась / соскучился.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I say it to my wife?

Community Answer

To be extra affectionate, say Я так скучаю по тебе, моя любовь: I miss you so much, my love. Pronounce it "Ya tak skoo-chái-yoo puh te-byé, mái-ya lyoo-bóv'."
Question

How do I say "I miss you guys"?

Community Answer

Use the plural Я скучаю по вам (Ya skoo-chái-yoo po vam). You could add a ребята (reh-byá-ta) at the end as an affectionate term for friends or young people (or literally "kids").

Warnings

The same verb скучать also means "to be bored"! Я скучаю (Ya skoo-chái-yoo) as a standalone sentence might be taken to mean "I am bored" if it is not clear from context. Мне скучно (Mnye skóo-chnuh) is the more common phrase for "I am bored," however, so the meaning is usually clear.

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