Russian Proverbs & Sayings Flashcards
Кто не рискует, тот не пьет шампанского
Translation: He who doesn’t take risks doesn’t drink champagne
Meaning: Fortune favors the brave
Дву́м смертя́м не быва́ть, одно́й не минова́ть
Translation: One can’t have two deaths, but you can’t avoid one
Meaning: A man can die but once; fortune favors the bold
Живы бу́дем — не помрём
Translation: We will be alive, we won’t die
Meaning: Everything will be alright; let’s hope for the best
Будь что будет
Translation: Let it be
Meaning: Whatever shall be, will be
Чему́ быть, того́ не минова́ть
Translation: You can’t avoid that which is meant to happen
Meaning: Whatever shall be, will be.
Глаза боятся, а руки делают (sometimes shortened to Глаза боятся)
Translation: The eyes are afraid but the hands are still doing it
Meaning: Feel the fear and do it anyway
Голь на вы́думку хитра́
Translation: Poverty inspires invention
Meaning: Necessity is the mother of invention
Волко́в боя́ться — в лес не ходи́ть (often shortened to Волко́в боя́ться)
Translation: If you’re scared of wolves, don’t go in the woods
Meaning: Nothing ventured, nothing gained
Даю́т — бери́, а бьют – беги́
Translation: If you’re given something, take it, but if you’re being beaten – run.
Meaning: This is a humorous way of telling someone to grab an opportunity unless it is particularly dangerous.
Дарёному коню́ в зу́бы не смо́трят
Translation: Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
Meaning: Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
В чужо́й монасты́рь со свои́м уста́вом не хо́дят
Translation: Don’t go to someone else’s monastery with your own rulebook
Meaning: When in Rome, do as Romans do
Мно́го бу́дешь знать, ско́ро соста́ришься
Translation: If you know too much, you will get old very quickly
Meaning: Curiosity killed the cat
Любопы́тной Варва́ре на база́ре нос оторва́ли (sometimes shortened to Любопы́тной Варва́ре)
Literally: Curious Varvara had her nose snatched at the market
Meaning: Curiosity killed the cat
Поспеши́шь — люде́й насмеши́шь
Literally: If you do something in a hurry, you will make people laugh at you
Meaning: Haste makes waste
По́сле дра́ки кулака́ми не ма́шут
Translation: No point throwing punches after a fight
Meaning: After death, the doctor; don’t shut the stable door after the horse has bolted
Не учи́ учёного
Translation: Don’t teach a learned one
Meaning: Don’t teach your grandmother how to suck eggs (don’t offer advice to someone who has more experience)
Аппети́т прихо́дит во вре́мя еды́
Translation: Appetite comes with eating
Meaning: Appetite comes with eating
Без труда́ не вы́тащишь и ры́бку из пруда́
Translation: Without hard work, one wouldn’t even get a fish out of a pond
Meaning: No pain, no gain
В гостя́х хорошо́, а до́ма лу́чше
Translation: It’s nice to visit, but it’s better to be home
Meaning: There’s no place like home
В каждой шутке есть доля правды
Translation: Every joke has an element of truth
Meaning: Many a truth is spoken in jest
В тесноте́, да не в оби́де
Translation: It may be crowded but everyone is happy
Meaning: The more, the merrier
В ти́хом о́муте че́рти во́дятся
Translation: The devil lives in the still waters
Meaning: Still waters run deep; beware of a silent dog and still water
Всё гениальное просто
Translation: Everything that is genius is simple
Meaning: True genius lies in simplicity
И на стару́ху бывает прору́ха
Translation: Even a grandma can make mistakes
Meaning: To err is human
Не́ было бы сча́стья, да несча́стье помогло́
Translation: Luck would not have happened without misfortune’s help
Meaning: A blessing in disguise; every cloud has a silver lining
Нет ху́да без добра́
Translation: No misfortune without a blessing in it
Meaning: Every cloud has a silver lining
Пе́рвый блин (всегда) ко́мом
Translation: The first pancake is (always) lumpy
Meaning: Teething problems; you must spoil before you spin
С милым рай и в шалаше
Translation: Even a hut feels like paradise when you’re with your loved one
Meaning: Love in a cottage
С парши́вой овцы́ — хоть ше́рсти клок
Translation: A tuft of hair from a mangy sheep
Meaning: Everything is good for something
Не име́й сто рубле́й, а име́й сто друзе́й
Translation: It is better to have a hundred friends than a hundred rubles
Meaning: A friend in the court is better than money in the purse
Друг познаётся в беде́
Translation: You find out who your real friends are when you are in need
Meaning: A friend in need is a friend indeed
Дру́жба дру́жбой, а табачо́к врозь (or sometimes Дру́жба дру́жбой, а денежки врозь)
Translation: Friends and tobacco are separate things, or friends and money are separate things
Meaning: It’s not personal, it’s business
Доверя́й, но проверя́й
Translation: Trust, but verify
Meaning: Trust, but verify
Ста́рый друг — лу́чше но́вых двух
Translation: An old friend is better than two new ones
Meaning: Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver, the other is gold; old friends and old wine are best
Ни бэ, ни мэ, ни кукаре́ку (or ни бум бум, shortened to Ни бэ, ни мэ
Translation: Not even a cock-a-doodle-doo
Meaning: As thick as two short planks; doesn’t know which end is up
Плохо́му танцо́ру я́йца меша́ют (shortened to Плохо́му танцо́ру)
Translation: A bad dancer blames his testicles
Meaning: A bad workman blames his tools
Седина́ в бо́роду, бес в ребро́ (shortened to Седина́ в бо́роду)
Translation: Silver in the beard, the devil in the ribs
Meaning: No fool like an old fool
Сила есть, ума не надо (shortened to Сила есть)
Translation: When one has power, they don’t have a need for intelligence
Meaning: Might makes right
Собака на сене лежит, сама не ест и другим не дает (often shortened to Как собака на сене or just Собака на сене)
Translation: A dog on the hay will not eat it and won’t let others eat it
Meaning: Dog in the manger
Заста́вь дурака́ Бо́гу моли́ться — он лоб расшибёт (often shortened to Заста́вь дурака́ Бо́гу моли́ться or even just to Заста́вь дурака́)
Translation: Make a fool pray to god and they will smash their own forehead
Meaning: Zeal without knowledge is a runaway horse
