Chapter 12

Ten Favorite Russian Expressions

Every culture has a way of taking familiar words and turning them into something else. Recognizing these expressions in speech and using them with ease can make you sound really Russian!

Oj!

To express surprise, dismay, admiration, gratitude, or even pain — pretty much any strong feeling — Russians say Oj! (ohy). Use oj when in English you would say “oops,” “ouch,” or “wow,” or make a facial expression. You can confidently use oj in any of the following sentences:

Oj, kak krasivo! (ohy kahk kruh-see-vuh; Wow, how beautiful!)

Oj, spasibo! (ohy spuh-see-buh; Thank you so much!)

Oj, kto eto? (ohy ktoh eh-tuh; Who in the world is this?)

Davaj

If you look up davaj (duh-vahy) in the dictionary, it means “give.” Russians, however, use the word in all kinds of situations. It’s a popular way to suggest doing something, as in Davaj pojdyom v kino (duh-vahy pahy-d’ohm v kee-noh; Let’s go to the movies), and to answer “Sure, let’s do it!” (Davaj!) Used by itself, davaj means “Bye, take care.”

Pryedstav’tye Syebye

Although the verb pryedstav’tye can mean “imagine,” “picture,” or even “introduce,” pryedstav’tye syebye (preed-stahf’-te’h see-b’eh) means “Can you believe it?” or “Imagine that!” It’s a good way to begin telling a story, or to open a conversation on a subject you feel strongly about.

Poslushajtye!

The literal translation of Poslushajtye! (pahs-loo-shuhy-te’h) is “Listen!” Although this sounds pushy and aggressive in English, in Russian, poslushajtye is a nice way to attract attention to your arguments. Here are some examples:

Poslushajtye, davajtye pojdyom na progulku! (pahs-loo-shuhy-t’eh, duh-vahy-t’eh pahy-d’ohm nuh prah-gool-koo; You know what? Let’s go for a walk! [literally: Listen, let’s go for a walk!])

Poslushajtye, no eto zhe pryekrasnyj fil’m! (pahs-loo-shuhy-t’eh, noh eh-tuh zheh preek-rahs-nihy feel’m; But it’s a wonderful movie! [literally: Listen, but it’s a wonderful movie!])

A less formal variant of the same expression is Poslushaj! (pahs-loo-shuhy). You can use it with someone you’re on familiar terms with.

Pir Goroj

You may be at a loss to describe the grand abundance of Russian dinner parties and holiday tables. This expression, then, is useful: pir goroj (peer gah-rohy; literally: feast with food piled up like a mountain).

Ya Tryebuyu Prodolzhyeniya Bankyeta

This phrase is a quote from one of the Russians’ most beloved comedies, Ivan Vasil’yevich myenyayet profyessiyu (ee-vahn vah-seel’-ye-veech mee-n’ah- eht prah-f’eh-see-yoo; Ivan Vasil’yevich Changes His Occupation), and is sure to make any Russian smile. Say Ya tryebuyu prodolzhyeniya bankyeta! (ya tr’eh-boo-yu pruh-dahl-zheh-nee-uh buhn-k’eh-tuh; literally: I insist on the continuation of the banquet!) when a party or a trip is going well, when somebody is inviting you to come over again, or when you’re suggesting to do some fun activity yet another time.

Slovo — Syeryebro, A Molchaniye — Zoloto

Russians love proverbs and use them a lot. Slovo — syeryebro, a molchaniye — zoloto (sloh-vuh see-reeb-roh uh mahl-chah-nee-eh zoh-luh-tuh; A word is silver, but silence is gold) can be loosely translated as “Speaking is nice, but silence is supreme.” This phrase is nice to say after you make a mistake speaking Russian or when you, or somebody else, says something that would be better off left unsaid.

Odna Golova Khorosho, A Dvye — Luchshye

Odna golova khorosho, a dvye — luchshye (ahd-nah guh-lah-vah khuh-rah-shoh ah dv’eh looch-sheh; One head is good, but two heads are better) doesn’t refer to science-fiction mutants. Rather, it’s a manifestation of the international belief that two heads are better than one. You can say this phrase when you invite somebody to do something together or when you ask for, or offer, help or advice.

Drug Poznayotsya V Byedye

Drug poznayotsya v byedye (drook puhz-nuh-yot-suh v bee-d’eh; A friend is tested by hardship) is the Russian equivalent of the saying, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”

Russians take friendship seriously. Their definition of a friend is not just a person you know (as in, “This is my new friend . . . what’s your name again?”). Such a person would be called a znakomyj (znuh-koh-mihy; acquaintance). A drug (drook; friend), on the other hand, is someone who cares for you.

Staryj Drug Luchshye Novykh Dvukh

Staryj drug luchshye novykh dvukh (stah-rihy drook looch-sheh noh-vihkh dvookh; An old friend is better than two new ones) is another speculation on the theme of friendship. An old friend (and they aren’t referring to age) is better because he or she has already been tested, possibly by hardships mentioned in the previous phrase. New friends, on the other hand, are dark horses; when a bad moment strikes, they may turn out to be just acquaintances.