Всем привет!

Ребята, I’m in Kiev, Ukraine at the moment and I thought to make a video about how to get a local SIM card in a mobile phone shop.

When you arrive to Russia, Ukraine, or any other Russian speaking country, you get a local number so you don’t pay a fortune in roaming. The mobile phone tariffs both in Russia and Ukraine are very cheap, so I definitely recommend a local number.

You get into the shop. How do you ask for the SIM card? What sort of questions do you expect from the seller? I hope that in this video you’ll find lots of useful phrases. I’ve added both Russian and English subtitles.

But before you watch the video, subscribe HERE. More videos like this are coming! Enjoy!

Useful Phrases

Добрый день! – Good Afternoon!

Мне нужна SIM-карточка. – I need a SIM card.

You can just say SIM-карта. Карточка is the diminutive form of карта. Just like кошка – cat and кошечка – little cat.

Для интернета? – For Internet use?

Для takes Genitive Case.

Интернет → Интернета (Genitive Case)

Для звонков? – For calls?

звонок – call → звонки – calls → звонков (Genitive Case – Plural)

Я много пользуюсь интернетом. – I use the Internet very much.

пользоваться + Instrumental Case – to use

интернет → интернетом (Instrumental Case)

2 гигабайта в месяц – 2GB per month

Another example:

Я снимаю квартиру за 600 долларов в месяц. – I rent an apartment for 600 dollars a month.

Note: 1 гигабайт – 2 гигабайта- 5 гигабайт etc.

звонки на других операторов – calls to other networks

социальные сети – social networks

Этот пакет мне подходит. – This deal suits me.

Скажите пожалуйста, мне нужен паспорт? – Can you please tell me, do I need a passport?

You see that we used нужен for passport (masculine noun) and нужна for card (feminine noun).

Я вам активирую карточку. – I activate the card for you.

активировать – to activate

Мы даём вам карточку в трёх форматах. – We give you card in three types.

вы → вам (Dative Case)

карточка → карточку (Accusative Case)

Номер будете выбирать? – Will you choose number?

выбирать – to choose (imperfective)

выбрать – to choose (perfective)

Я хочу красивый номер. – I want a beautiful (easy) number.

Всего доброго. – All the best.

До свидания. – See you later (formal).

Finally, note that Гривна is the national currency of Ukraine. In Russia, of course, the national currency is the ruble – рубль.

Один рубль – 1 ruble
100 рублей – 100 rubles

Associations

Have a look at the below similar structures using Dative and Accusative Case for indirect and direct object respectively.

Мне даёте деньги. –  You give me the money.

мне – indirect object – Dative case of Я

деньги – direct object – Accusative case of деньги (doesn’t change)

 

Я вам активирую карточку. – I activate the card for you.

Мы вам даём карточку в трёх форматах. – We give you a card in three types.

вам – indirect object – Dative case of вы

карточку – direct object – Accusative case of карточка

 

I hope you liked it! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a comment on future topics that you’d like me to cover. 🙂