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Perhaps, (blah blah blah) – no, on second thoughts, scratch that.

In English, this particular use of the verb "scratch" comes in handy in conversation when you suddenly realise mid-sentence that a little re-direction in your thinking might be in order.

How do Russian speakers commonly express this idea colloquially?

4 Answers 4

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Возможно, (бла-бла-бла)... хотя нет, забудь (об этом).

Or, if you have your second thoughts ready, then continue:

Возможно, (бла-бла-бла)... хотя нет, скорее... (бла-бла-бла).

E.g.

Наверное, я приду... хотя нет, скорее не приду.

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    instead of "хотя" - "a" can be used "а, (вообще-то) нет", if it's about appointment - "а, нет, отбой" Jun 29, 2018 at 19:05
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Забей is also acceptable in casual speech, like in:

Хотя знаешь что, забей.

The other acceptable translation would be something like:

Хотя знаешь, я тут подумал, проехали.

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    worth to be mindful that забей is inappropriate in a polite company, because it's an abbreviation of забей хуй Jun 30, 2018 at 7:05
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    @БаянКупи-ка I'd rather disagree - it's extremely colloquial however it lost that connection in many contexts. But it's a valid comment, at least one should know it.
    – shabunc
    Jun 30, 2018 at 21:53
  • just to underscore - in a polite company, it would have lost the connection if the phrase забить хуй had fallen into oblivion, instead it's well alive and kicking, so the link is quite apparent Jul 1, 2018 at 6:40
  • I think that «забей» actually comes from «забудь» Jul 10, 2018 at 21:34
  • забудь хуй? interesting, i'm sure there're ignorant people who have no clue where забей comes from, but they're not the audience by whom one should set one's standards Jul 15, 2018 at 18:41
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The verbs most usable for the translation of "scratch that" (1st person plural future tense, but also might be used in 2nd person singular/plural present imperative):

"забудем; оставим; пропустим (это)"

The "on second thoughts" might be translatable as:

"(хорошо) подумав" -- "[now] having thought (carefully) [of that]"; its close analogue: "если подумать" -- "if you think [of that]"

The "no," part might be translated as "хотя нет", like in Sergey Slepov's answer, or it might be translated together with "on second thoughts" to the tune of:

"no, on second thoughts," -- "или нет,".

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To highlight an oldish and somewhat bookish alternative: впрочем. It basically means "although", so

Таким образом, трампампамция коагулирует ингибитор ульмотрона, хм, впрочем, нет. Вычеркните все после слов "таким образом".

The words или нет, хотя, оставим convey the same meaning.

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