All Questions
135 questions
3
votes
3
answers
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What does the phrase "человек с большой буквы" mean?
I was just called a "человек с большой буквы" by a native Russian speaker in a text message and I was wondering, what the phrase actually means and where it originates from. I know that it ...
- 571
2
votes
2
answers
126
views
не в себе BUT как не в себя?
According to Wiktionary, the standard forms are:
не в себе
как не в себя
There's an inconsistency in the endings. Is it correct that one uses себе and the other uses себя?
Google Books Ngrams shows ...
- 914
1
vote
1
answer
90
views
торговать газетной водой (strange phrase)
This is from РОССІЯ И ЕВРЕИ 1924:
его издательство, бойко торговавшее либеральной газетной водой, дѣлало
ещё большіе обороты съ православіемъ и вѣрноподанностью
What can либеральная газетная вода ...
- 623
7
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is there a Russian exclamation that would fit the scene below?
I'm writing Russian subtitles for an American film. In one scene, a character says to another: "How ya' doin'?" The second character replies, kind of half-jokingly, "Beats the hell ...
- 261
3
votes
2
answers
311
views
What does it mean to tell someone to take an implement в зубы and do a task with it?
I recently came across this line:
[Father to son upon seeing how messy his room is]
—Так, пылесос в зубы, и чтоб через час здесь был порядок как в
казарме!
Then, researching this idiom online ...
- 8,290
7
votes
2
answers
476
views
What is the etymology of phrase "морского извозчика"
In China, the Netherlands has a very popular nickname: 海上马车夫 (literally: carriage drivers on the sea or sea coachman), it's so popular that it's printed in Chinese high school textbooks. It's also ...
- 173
2
votes
4
answers
355
views
What's the Russian equivalent of "This song slaps!"?
What would be Russian slang equivalent of "This song slaps!" in the sense that it's excellent, really cool, fire?
The word "slap" for us native English speakers brings to mind the ...
- 123
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
2 x 2 = 4 or 2 + 2 = 4 as an evident fact?
In Tolstoy's Исповедь one reads :
Истина эта была всегда истина, как 2 × 2 = 4, но я не признавал ее, потому что, признав 2 × 2 = 4, я бы должен был признать то, что я нехорош.
2 x 2 = 4 is ...
- 1,337
1
vote
1
answer
222
views
What is the Russian equivalent of 'perfect is as perfect does'?
I've encountered this saying multiple times in English, but even though I'm a native Russian speaker, I can't find an exact equivalent of this saying in Russian.
Perhaps someone here knows?
- 213
1
vote
3
answers
1k
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Russian equivalents of some English idioms
I don't speak or read Russian myself, but I'm trying to find some genuine and natural-sounding Russian equivalents of a couple of English phrases.
The first is "keep your shirt on," a ...
- 21
4
votes
3
answers
528
views
Russian version of "The apple didn't fall far from the tree"
This idiom means that children usually end up being similar to their parents. Are there any Russian versions of this that are not direct translations?
- 63
1
vote
2
answers
300
views
What does this mean: Если он хоть что-нибудь буркнет, я за себя не ручаюсь
What is the meaning of this sentence? Если он хоть что-нибудь буркнет, я за себя не ручаюсь. I understand the literal meaning, or as Google Translate or DeepL translates it literally: If he muttered ...
- 453
2
votes
3
answers
422
views
Russian version of "When All You Have Is A Hammer, Everything Looks Like A Nail"
What would be the Russian equivalent of "When All You Have Is A Hammer, Everything Looks Like A Nail", or an idiom of a similar sentiment?
Edit: This idiom means that if you only have one ...
- 63
3
votes
3
answers
234
views
Are there natural ways to say "No small feat"?
I'd like to be able to say a phrase like "no small feat", if Russians ever talk that way. In other words, I want to express that something has a level of difficulty which might be ...
- 33
-2
votes
1
answer
248
views
Какие примеры стилистически-морфологических приёмов имитации иностранных и нерусских акцентов, и каких именно, существуют в русском языке? [closed]
Какие примеры стилистически-морфологических приёмов имитации иностранных и нерусских акцентов, и каких именно, существуют в русском языке?
Ну, всякие такие приемы, как пример : "вах, дарагой !&...
- 705
2
votes
3
answers
697
views
What is the meaning of дадим стране угля?
In a Russian forum, one user commented on a situation with Дадим стране угля... and that was enough to make everyone in the room agree or laugh or both. What does that imply?
Update: The whole comment ...
- 8,290
5
votes
2
answers
687
views
How and when do you use "А разговоров-то было!"
I've seen the expression а разговоров-то было in memes and just encountered it in a Russian forum. I can't find it in dictionaries. In what context is it used and what does it imply?
- 8,290
2
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Russian equivalent of "Elephant in the room"
What is the Russian equivalent of the English idiom elephant in the room which means (according to Wikipedia)
important or enormous topic, question, or controversial issue that is obvious or that ...
- 526
2
votes
1
answer
238
views
When was the expression "фунт презрения" introduced?
I am wondering when the expression фунт презрения was introduced. On Google Books, the oldest occurrence of фунт презрения seems to be in Slezkin's Козел в огороде (1923):
Но только в силу моего ...
2
votes
1
answer
232
views
Idiom: своя в доску, но не доска
I'm struggling to understand the meaning of this. Is it something like "it's what's inside that counts"?
- 317
4
votes
3
answers
794
views
How would I say in Russian: "This made my day"?
I'm not asking for a translation because the literal meaning is obvious. Rather, I'm looking for the closest expression that conveys the same meaning and emotions. So:
How would I say "This made ...
- 4,252
31
votes
4
answers
15k
views
If a Russian girl calls herself a thawing pike (тающая щука), what could it mean?
I recently had a video call with a Russian girl, and in the middle of the conversation she called herself тающая щука. That made no sense in the context, so I used a mirror to try to understand what ...
- 11.3k
3
votes
2
answers
1k
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Лысая башка, дай пирожка - what does it mean?
Лысая башка, дай пирожка - what does this saying mean? I know what it means literally, but in which situations would it usually be used, and where/how did it originate?
- 175
7
votes
5
answers
1k
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What's a good translation for "unscratchable itch" in Russian?
An "unscratchable itch" is an issue that's very important to someone, but which they can't do anything about. What would be a more or less close Russian equivalent of this phrase (apart from ...
- 526
22
votes
4
answers
6k
views
Is there a Russian equivalent of "red flag"?
In English, the term red flag is used as a metaphor to mean a sign suggestive of a possible danger or problem:
(1) Boyfriend not showing you his home is a huge red flag. (Link)
(2) I've just spent ...
- 11.3k
3
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Why is this Russian expression an idiomatic example of mutually exclusive things?
The Russian idiom "и рыбку съесть, и на хуй сесть", whose literal meaning is "to eat fish and sit down onto a dick too," is an idiomatic way to say that your interlocutor is ...
- 11.3k
4
votes
3
answers
406
views
Can "ты ещё нас всех переживёшь" have a positive connotation?
A little granddaughter tells her grandma:
ты ещё нас всех переживёшь (you will survive all of us)
Grandma gets offended because she interprets it as a death wish.
Is this reasonable?!
Маленькая ...
- 141
26
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How can I understand this puzzling dialogue with "ну я имею в виду вообще"?
My Russian teacher recently had us, his students, listen some audio recordings of what he called "authentic everyday communications of Russians." We had to understand the dialogues and ...
- 11.3k
6
votes
4
answers
478
views
Figurative meaning of в полосочку
I have read in various sources : «жизнь в полосочку» or «через полосочку в клеточку»
Is this roughly equivalent to saying “life is up and down?” I’m having trouble finding an explanation of this ...
- 267
3
votes
6
answers
1k
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Why do Russians say that all men are billy goats (все мужики козлы)?
I was given a Russian song as a listening exercise, and, as far as I could discern, its chorus is:
И мы не устаем, и с ночи до утра
Мы можем говорить, говорить о мужиках.
Бокал до дна в трудные ...
- 11.3k
5
votes
3
answers
2k
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How can I say in Russian "to see each other" and "to be exclusive to each other," in the context of dating?
I cannot find the Russian phrases for these two stages of dating and am humbly asking for your help. I know that Russians say Маша встречается с Ваней (which literally means Masha regularly meets ...
- 11.3k
4
votes
6
answers
506
views
Is it a mistake to say, "Oвчинки выделка не стоит"(sic!)?
In a recent essay of mine, I accidentally mixed up the grammatical cases in an idiom. Namely, I wrote:
овчинки выделка не стоит
The most common variant of this idiom is:
овчинка выделки не стоит
...
- 11.3k
4
votes
3
answers
505
views
What does "я сейчас в неадеквате" mean?
I just sent a message to a language exchange partner and instantly received the following response:
давай завтра, я сейчас в неадеквате
What does this expression mean? Has he tied one on?
- 11.3k
4
votes
3
answers
389
views
"Бьёт, значит любит?" - is it ironic?
Which relationship aspects are meant with this idiom, is it some specific irony?
- 897
1
vote
2
answers
459
views
Where does the phrase "кто девушку ужинает тот ее и танцует" come from?
While listening to Pozner I've heard the phrase "кто девушку ужинает тот ее и танцует".
Where does it come from?
2
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Origin of the Russian idiom "like a grass snake on a frying pan"?
When Russians say that you are like a grass snake on a frying pan ("как уж на сковородке"), they often mean that you are grilled by tough incriminating questions and desperately trying to save your ...
- 11.3k
2
votes
0
answers
315
views
Meaning and usage of the Russian proverbs that seemingly discourage proactiveness [closed]
The Russian language abounds in wise proverbs, but I am very much confused by some of them, specifically by those that appear to discourage proactiveness. I am at a loss as to how such a good thing as ...
- 11.3k
11
votes
9
answers
1k
views
What does the idiom "что уж там" mean?
I am very puzzled by the idiom "что уж там" and its sister "чего уж там". Let me show you a few sentences:
(1) Давайте везде курить, что уж там, детям в лицо: депутат Госдумы (...
- 11.3k
25
votes
6
answers
2k
views
What is the meaning of: "- Отнеси кота на веранду. - Да уж лежит там."
In a recent test I had to translate the following:
-- Отнеси кота на веранду.
-- Да уж лежит там.
My translation was:
"Bring the cat to the verandah."
"It is already lying there.&...
- 11.3k
2
votes
7
answers
263
views
"On the side" — «На стороне»?
I have tried to translate into Russian the sentence:
I am studying the Russian language on the side.
I.e., I just occasionally spend time on it.
Google Translate says:
Я изучаю русский язык на ...
- 557
5
votes
6
answers
551
views
What is the Russian equivalent of the proverb 水清ければ魚棲まず (if the water is clear, fish won't live there)?
The proverb's meaning is that just as fish prefer muddy waters and avoid clear streams, people generally do not associate with those who are too ideal in terms of ethics, manners, and habits. In other ...
- 11.3k
2
votes
3
answers
271
views
Possible to use Я хотел бы without direct object?
This quite a short question. I was wondering how to express in Russian the sentence "I wish!" without any direct object. As a silly example, in English you could say
— Have you finished your project?
...
- 543
1
vote
0
answers
75
views
Russian sport idioms in business [closed]
Are there any sport idioms (or war, or maybe some other topic) used frequently in Russian business discussions?
This topic came up in conversation, and we were unable to think of any obvious ones.
...
- 163
0
votes
8
answers
662
views
What is the Russian equivalent of 干物女 (dried fish woman)?
Literally meaning dried fish woman, the popular slang 干物女 is used to call a woman in her twenties or older who, as nicely summarized in Wikipedia, has many of the following traits:
Her text ...
- 11.3k
3
votes
6
answers
638
views
What is the Russian idiomatic term for Western hypocrisy?
There is a view in Asian countries that the Western culture is hypocritical, and there is even a special term for this - "Western hypocrisy." Roughly speaking, the view is that whilst the Westerners ...
- 11.3k
3
votes
3
answers
658
views
Is there an idiomatic way to tell a Russian to talk quietly?
The short version of my question is: How can I idiomatically ask a Russian to talk quietly, regain his composure and calmness, stop being emotionally intrusive and domineering, and think in terms of ...
- 11.3k
3
votes
6
answers
532
views
Correct use of the the idiom 'Гнать/Катить бочку'
I heard both versions, which one is correct? 'Гнать' or 'Катить'?
If I want to say:
"не гони бочку на китайцев, падла. кто бы нам пособил электронику
и одёжку, если не их пацаны на тех жутких ...
user12176
13
votes
7
answers
5k
views
Russian equivalents of 能骗就骗 (if you can cheat, then cheat)
On this SE there have been many interesting questions about Russian equivalents of various idiomatic expressions and proverbs of the French language and other languages, and I decided to make my own ...
- 11.3k
6
votes
3
answers
483
views
What is the logic of the expression "только и всего"?
Some time ago I watched the excellent Russian movie "The Horde" with English subtitles and got intrigued by a few expressions from there, with one of them being "только и всего." The movie is on ...
- 11.3k
9
votes
3
answers
1k
views
What is the precise meaning of "подсел на мак"?
Some months ago I saw a Russian gomokunarabe player saying in an online chat to his compatriot,
А я подсел на мак.
I cannot recall the context. I can only recall that their chat looked highly ...
- 11.3k