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In this song lyric:

Мой парень снова влип в дурные дела

The word "влип" appears (I checked two lyrics sites), but I can't find it in any online dictionaries. What does it mean? And would the sentence still be grammatically correct without it? (ie. "Мой парень снова в дурные дела")

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  • 2
    No, the sentence without this word is ungrammatical.
    – Anixx
    Sep 17, 2015 at 10:07
  • "Мой парень - снова в дурные дела" this will be grammatical :>
    –  Пилум
    Nov 24, 2021 at 6:06
  • classes.ru/all-russian/russian-dictionary-Ozhegov-term-3456.htm - словарь Ожегова I don't know which dictionaries you are watching. Literally it mean get into a viscous, thick, - sticky (в-лип-нуть, лип-кий, like a leaf of tree липа (linden)) - liquid or substance like the syrup, glue or swamp
    –  Пилум
    Nov 24, 2021 at 6:11

3 Answers 3

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Влип is the past tense of the verb влипнуть, which literally means to get into something sticky. Here, this word is used with a colloquial meaning very close to English to get (oneself) into a mess.

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  • So влипнуть is an irregular verb?
    – Jack M
    Sep 16, 2015 at 20:55
  • @JackM In what sense irregular?
    – UVV
    Sep 17, 2015 at 5:53
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    @JackM Maybe you mean "perfective" verb? Russian verbs have a few types of conjugation, and thus cannot be simply divided into regular/irregular as in English.
    – Matt
    Sep 17, 2015 at 7:43
  • Well, past tense verbs normally end in л, but this one doesn't.
    – Jack M
    Sep 17, 2015 at 8:29
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    @JackM This is not considered to be "some irregularity" but rather "yet another pattern". Quite a few verbs ending in consonant+'нуть' are like this: no suffix -л in masc. sing. past tense.
    – Matt
    Sep 17, 2015 at 8:50
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This widely used informal expression means to get (oneself) into an unpleasant situation with inevitable consequences. There's also a famous saying, "Bлип, очкарик!" (You're stuck, foureyes!), from a very popular Soviet movie where those words are said to the main character who wears glasses and literally gets stuck in a tar pit.

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2

It usually means "got stuck in something", as in Ты влип в неприятности You've got problems, which merely states a fact, i.e. it doesn't sound threatening or wish hardship on the listener.

However bear in mind that it's a standalone phrase not usually followed by anything: Ты влип. You've got problems.

Hope this helps. =)

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