The Focus of This Basic Bootcamp Lesson Is to Learn Some Common Russian Phrases for Introducing Yourself.

Let's take a look at the first formal dialogue:

Оксана: Здравствуйте. Меня зовут Оксана.
Эрик: Здравствуйте, а меня - Эрик.
Оксана: Очень приятно.
Эрик: Взаимно.

Здравствуйте literally means, "be healthy" or "wish you health." This word lost its original meaning a long time ago, so now you can translate it simply as "hello."

Меня зовут is the equivalent of "my name is" in English. Literally, it means, "I'm called" or "they call me." For now, don't worry about the grammar; instead, focus on remembering the phrases.

"A" is a conjunctional word used to join two clauses which are usually opposite in meaning. In English it can be translated as "and" or "but."

For Example:

1. Это чай, а это сок. 
   Eto chai, a eto sok.
   "This is tea, and this is juice."
2. Он дома, а она - нет.
   On doma, a ona - net.
   "He's at home, but she's not."

Очень means "very" and we can use it with either adjectives or adverbs.

For Example:

1. очень хорошо
   ochen' horosho
   "very good"
2. очень красивый
   ochen' krasivyi
   "very beautiful"

We can also use it on its own as an interjection.

For Example:

1. Вам холодно?
   Vam holodno?
   "Are you cold?"
2. Очень!
   Ochen'!
   "Very!

Приятно is an adverb that means "nice" and "pleasurable." Очень приятно  and  Приятно познакомиться are commonly used in introductions and we translate them as "nice to meet you."

Взаимно literally means "likewise" and we use it the same as we do in English.

If you would like to ask someone's name in a formal way, you can say:

Как вас зовут?
Kak vas zovut?
"What is your name?"

This literally means, "How are you called?"

Now, let's take a look at the informal dialogue:

Оксана: Привет, я - Оксана.
Эрик: Привет, Оксана, а я - Эрик.
Оксана: Очень приятно.
Эрик: Мне тоже.

Привет means "hi." It's much more informal than Здравствуйте, and it's better to avoid this word at first meeting, with elders, or in formal situations. However, it's common to greet each other with Привет! in the nightclubs, at parties, or at other informal gatherings even if you see each other for the first time.

Я means "I" or "I am" in Russian.

For Example:

1. Я Эрик
   Ya Erik
   "I'm Erik."
2. Я американец
   Ya amerikanets
   "I'm American."
3. Я голодный
   Ya golodnyi
   "I'm hungry."

Мне тоже can be translated as "me too," where Мне is just a modification of the pronoun Я, meaning "I." We won't go into the grammar at this point, so just remember that this as an informal response to "Nice to meet you."

However, when you want to use тоже ("too") in the meaning of "I do, too" or "I am, too," you should use the pronoun Я:

For Example:

1. Я устал
   Ya ustal
   "I'm tired."
2. Я тоже
   Ya tozhe
   "Me too." ("I am, too.")

The point worth attention here is that if the other person introduces himself/herself first, saying Меня зовут..., you can omit the word зовут in your answer:

For Example:

1. Меня зовут Маша.
   Menya zovut Masha.
   "My name is Masha."
2. А меня - Саша.
   A menya - Sasha.
   "And my (name is) Sasha."