Russian Phrases That Foreigners Do Not Understand

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

"No, probably": Russian phrases that foreigners do not understand

Russian is one of the most difficult languages for foreigners to learn. This is so not only because it includes a large number of declensions, cases, tenses and other complex constructions, but because it is largely tied to sensuality. And even a foreigner who has mastered the Russian language well will face great difficulties when he hears “yes no, probably”. About 8 phrases from which foreigners fall into a stupor, and will be discussed.

8 Russian phrases that defy logic

In the Russian language there is a huge number of expressions that, when translated directly, represent a set of words, however, for native speakers they have a high information content. Many of us do not even think about the direct meaning of phraseological units, using them in everyday speech.

No, probably

Almost no language in the world can construct a sentence that simultaneously expressed agreement, denial and doubt. Double agreement or double denial, agreement and denial - everything is possible here, the main thing is to correctly feel the context. To translate this for foreigners means to confuse them even more, "I'm not sure, but rather not than yes."

Deep purple to me

A phrase that in Russian means that a person does not care about something specific. But why exactly purple is something that even native speakers cannot explain.

"Deep purple" is not a color, but only an expression of a lack of interest in a particular issue

A good hour

This phrase means the same as a whole hour, but only used for emotional amplification. “I waited for you for a whole hour” - means that the hour spent waiting “crashed”, was useless, and the person experiences negative emotions.

I give a tooth

Expression means that the person is sure of what he is saying, and the content of his statement is true. Phraseologism comes from criminal slang and in its direct meaning is a statement that a person is ready to lose a tooth if his words turn out to be a lie.

"I give a tooth" for a foreigner is a very strange phrase, but this is just a way to express confidence in this or that information

Freeze the worm

This expression is a direct translation of the French phraseological unit "tuer le ver". Initial context: drink alcohol on an empty stomach (it was believed that this helps with worms). Nowadays, "starving a worm" is a snack to overcome hunger.

Hang noodles on the ears

There are many theories about the origin of this expression, but they all reflect the same context - to tell a lie, deliberately confusing the interlocutor. In direct translation, phraseological units most often cause a smile among foreigners.

Hands do not reach

Native speakers do not understand what is wrong with this phrase, but foreigners hang in confusion when they hear it. "They reach" is used here in a figurative sense, meaning that they have not yet applied their hands to some business. An expression is used to justify an unfinished business due to employment.

Attach the legs

This expression is used in conjunction with an inanimate object. "To attach or attach legs" means to break or lose, steal. "Attach" is used in a figurative sense, as if animating an inanimate object, shifting responsibility for the loss onto it.

"Attach legs" is a phrase that places the responsibility for the loss or breakage on the thing itself

Russian is in many ways the language of feelings, since in its content it has a lot of expressions and words that describe the emotional state of a person. A significant unit of transmission of the emotional charge of a Russian person is untranslatable phraseological units that make foreigners feel confused when they hear a direct translation.