| Russian Idioms or why pigs don't fly in Russia |
Idioms, or figures of speech are culturally based.
I was first alerted to this when a Russian friend read a fanfic in which
Chekov said "When pigs fly." He laughed so hard he cried. Apparently, the
closest a Russian could come to that American idiom is to say "when pork
chops grow wings"...and I am told he'd immediately be institutionalized.
So here, for our non-Russian friends, are some of the ways that Russians
say things to each other....
I was first alerted to this when a Russian friend read a fanfic in which
Chekov said "When pigs fly." He laughed so hard he cried. Apparently, the
closest a Russian could come to that American idiom is to say "when pork
chops grow wings"...and I am told he'd immediately be institutionalized.
So here, for our non-Russian friends, are some of the ways that Russians
say things to each other....
EVERYDAY IDIOMS MEANING
Comrade NEVER, NEVER USE THIS IDIOM
Uncultured nekulturny The worst insult you can call a Russian
Great Patriotic War World War II
The wine was drunk They’re engaged
General Winter The Russian winter (which has defeated her enemies)
White Flies Snow flurries
You can’t even ask him for snow in winter He’s cheap
He lacks only bird’s milk He has it all
To meet To date
Teasing the loo Vomiting
To have a little cure To cure a hangover by drinking pickle juice
I am listening to you How Russians answer the telephone
You didn’t land where you expected You have the wrong number
Put behind the collar To drink
In the situation Pregnant
Women of easy behavior Prostitutes
Cloak and dagger knights Secret service
Guard of order Policeman
Sharks of the plume Journalists
Unclean handed Corrupt
To settle accounts with life To commit suicide
Very remote places Prison
Not so very remote places Bathroom
The stronger sex Men
The best part of humanity Women
The strong of the world Wealthy or powerful people
We are still warring We’re not done yet
I’m done warring I give up
His mouth has stretched up to his ears He’s very happy
Laugh from the bottom of your soul Thoroughly enjoy yourself
He blew up from laughter He was hysterical with laughter
I don’t need your valuable directives Don’t tell me what to do
When I am eating, I am deaf and dumb I can't do two things at once
Despicable metal Money
Bitter! Gorko! Request for bride and groom to kiss
A command A toast
Go and chase the wind in the field Take a hike
My cat watches you while you eat Be careful, you don't know who's watching
You’re a real muzhik You’re ignorant/uncultured
The green serpent Drinking to excess
You’re a New Russian You’re ignorant, greedy, lack taste and common sense
The rain is like a wall It’s a downpour
He’s wearing the latest fashions He’s a thief
It’s raining as if from a bucket It’s raining cats and dogs
It’s like thunder admist a clear sky Warning of trouble not yet seen
To grow like mushrooms after rain To multiply quickly
It’s a mushroom rain A fruitful endeavor
My tubes are burning I have a hangover
He’s never been caught drunk, but he does drink water in the mornings
He has a lot of hangovers
I got drunk with honey, but recovered by way of tears I had a hangover
I have a hangover from someone else’s party
Paying for someone else’s mistake
You don’t go to Tula with your own wife You don’t take sand to the beach
You are shining like a samovar You’re beautiful/ you’re glowing
Leave like an American Hide an early departure, sneak out
Please to the table Come and eat
How is your normal doing? How are you?
Your hands are too short You’ve got no hope in hell
Don’t put your finger in their mouth Don’t mess with them
There are seven Fridays in their week
They don't know if they’re a man or woman
We’ve touched each other’s souls We’re very close friends
Like milk from a goat Like getting blood from a stone
Here’s where the dog is buried This is the root of the problem
It’s like a cow licked them away They’ve dissolved into thin air
Like herrings in a barrel Completely packed
Full cup Living in the lap of luxury
You’ll break your tongue This is impossible to pronounce
Underwater rocks Unexpected problems
Our personalities didn’t come together We’re just too different
Put your money away, it’s my shout I’ll pick up the tab
Laughing through tears Being happy despite being miserable
Another time of troubles Like complaining about “the current Viking threat”
Demyan’s Fish Soup Being forced to eat against your will
We’ll have to see what we can do I disagree with you
A million rubles on a small plate with a blue border
Having your cake and eating it too
He can’t even get fish from a pond He’s useless
It’s like fish hitting ice It’s a hopeless endeavor
Puppy, Birdie (said to an adult man) Useless, retarded, emasculated runt
He was blown away by the wind
Let’s not fight for cleanliness, let’s just mop the floor
They have been waiting for an answer like the nightingale waits for summer
You look like a cucumber
Call me a hot pot if you want, but don’t put me in the oven
The bit in their brain that controls a Russian’s legs is connected to their tongues
They can’t walk and talk seriously at the same time
MILITARY IDIOMS
It’s a poor soldier who never dreams of being a general
Everyone should have ambitions
Dig from the fence until lunchtime Do it until it's time to quit
Grandfather Person in second year of military service
Put in the lip Put in the guardhouse or brig
Ingest food Eat
Time for ingesting food Lunchtime
Shrapnel Military gruel
Eliminate the living force of the adversary Kill people
Left shoulder forward Turn right
Right shoulder forward Turn left
Widen your step Hurry up
Stop trying to look smart, you're an officer
The tanks are in order Everything is fine
Airplanes come first, girls next First things first
The soldier sleeps, but his army service goes on
What’s the point of working if you get paid anyway
Comrade NEVER, NEVER USE THIS IDIOM
Uncultured nekulturny The worst insult you can call a Russian
Great Patriotic War World War II
The wine was drunk They’re engaged
General Winter The Russian winter (which has defeated her enemies)
White Flies Snow flurries
You can’t even ask him for snow in winter He’s cheap
He lacks only bird’s milk He has it all
To meet To date
Teasing the loo Vomiting
To have a little cure To cure a hangover by drinking pickle juice
I am listening to you How Russians answer the telephone
You didn’t land where you expected You have the wrong number
Put behind the collar To drink
In the situation Pregnant
Women of easy behavior Prostitutes
Cloak and dagger knights Secret service
Guard of order Policeman
Sharks of the plume Journalists
Unclean handed Corrupt
To settle accounts with life To commit suicide
Very remote places Prison
Not so very remote places Bathroom
The stronger sex Men
The best part of humanity Women
The strong of the world Wealthy or powerful people
We are still warring We’re not done yet
I’m done warring I give up
His mouth has stretched up to his ears He’s very happy
Laugh from the bottom of your soul Thoroughly enjoy yourself
He blew up from laughter He was hysterical with laughter
I don’t need your valuable directives Don’t tell me what to do
When I am eating, I am deaf and dumb I can't do two things at once
Despicable metal Money
Bitter! Gorko! Request for bride and groom to kiss
A command A toast
Go and chase the wind in the field Take a hike
My cat watches you while you eat Be careful, you don't know who's watching
You’re a real muzhik You’re ignorant/uncultured
The green serpent Drinking to excess
You’re a New Russian You’re ignorant, greedy, lack taste and common sense
The rain is like a wall It’s a downpour
He’s wearing the latest fashions He’s a thief
It’s raining as if from a bucket It’s raining cats and dogs
It’s like thunder admist a clear sky Warning of trouble not yet seen
To grow like mushrooms after rain To multiply quickly
It’s a mushroom rain A fruitful endeavor
My tubes are burning I have a hangover
He’s never been caught drunk, but he does drink water in the mornings
He has a lot of hangovers
I got drunk with honey, but recovered by way of tears I had a hangover
I have a hangover from someone else’s party
Paying for someone else’s mistake
You don’t go to Tula with your own wife You don’t take sand to the beach
You are shining like a samovar You’re beautiful/ you’re glowing
Leave like an American Hide an early departure, sneak out
Please to the table Come and eat
How is your normal doing? How are you?
Your hands are too short You’ve got no hope in hell
Don’t put your finger in their mouth Don’t mess with them
There are seven Fridays in their week
They don't know if they’re a man or woman
We’ve touched each other’s souls We’re very close friends
Like milk from a goat Like getting blood from a stone
Here’s where the dog is buried This is the root of the problem
It’s like a cow licked them away They’ve dissolved into thin air
Like herrings in a barrel Completely packed
Full cup Living in the lap of luxury
You’ll break your tongue This is impossible to pronounce
Underwater rocks Unexpected problems
Our personalities didn’t come together We’re just too different
Put your money away, it’s my shout I’ll pick up the tab
Laughing through tears Being happy despite being miserable
Another time of troubles Like complaining about “the current Viking threat”
Demyan’s Fish Soup Being forced to eat against your will
We’ll have to see what we can do I disagree with you
A million rubles on a small plate with a blue border
Having your cake and eating it too
He can’t even get fish from a pond He’s useless
It’s like fish hitting ice It’s a hopeless endeavor
Puppy, Birdie (said to an adult man) Useless, retarded, emasculated runt
He was blown away by the wind
Let’s not fight for cleanliness, let’s just mop the floor
They have been waiting for an answer like the nightingale waits for summer
You look like a cucumber
Call me a hot pot if you want, but don’t put me in the oven
The bit in their brain that controls a Russian’s legs is connected to their tongues
They can’t walk and talk seriously at the same time
MILITARY IDIOMS
It’s a poor soldier who never dreams of being a general
Everyone should have ambitions
Dig from the fence until lunchtime Do it until it's time to quit
Grandfather Person in second year of military service
Put in the lip Put in the guardhouse or brig
Ingest food Eat
Time for ingesting food Lunchtime
Shrapnel Military gruel
Eliminate the living force of the adversary Kill people
Left shoulder forward Turn right
Right shoulder forward Turn left
Widen your step Hurry up
Stop trying to look smart, you're an officer
The tanks are in order Everything is fine
Airplanes come first, girls next First things first
The soldier sleeps, but his army service goes on
What’s the point of working if you get paid anyway
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