Russian expressions - Page 6

Russian expressions from our series “Russian Word of the Day“.
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по карма́ну [pa kar-má-nu] Phrase

affordable

Examples

Э́то нам не по карма́ну.

é-ta nam nye pa kar-má-nu

We can not afford it.
Креди́ты оказа́лись не по карма́ну для ря́да отрасле́й.

kree-dée-ty a-ka-zá-lees' nye pa kar-má-nu dlya ryá-da at-ras-lyéî

Loans turned out to be too expensive for a number of industries.

па́дать ду́хом / упа́сть ду́хом [pá-dat' dú-ham / u-pást' dú-ham] Phrase

to despond, to lose courage / heart

Examples

По́сле про́игрыша они́ совсе́м упа́ли ду́хом.

pós-lye pró-eeg-ry-sha a-née sav-syém u-pá-lee dú-ham

After losing, they completely lost heart.
Не па́дай ду́хом, всё образу́ется!

nye pá-daî dú-ham, vsyo ab-ra-zú-ee-tsa

Do not be discouraged, everything will be alright!

так себе́ [tak see-byé] Phrase

so-so

Examples

Так себе́ кино́, не осо́бо.

tak see-byé kee-nó, nye a-só-ba

The movie is so-so, nothing special.
Как прошли́ выходны́е? - Да так себе́.

kak prash-lée vy-had-ný-ye? da tak see-byé

How was your weekend? - So-so.

из рук вон пло́хо [eez ruk von pló-ha] Phrase

quite wretched(ly), bad as bad could be

Examples

Дела́ в компа́нии шли из рук вон пло́хо.

dee-lá f kam-pá-nee-ee shlee eez ruk von pló-ha

Things in the company were going very bad.
Слу́жба безопа́сности срабо́тала из рук вон пло́хо.

slúzh-ba bee-za-pás-nas-tee sra-bó-ta-la eez ruk von pló-ha

The security service performed as bad as bad can be.

и и́же с ни́ми [ee ée-zhe s née-mee] Phrase

and of their ilk, and others like them

Examples

Лишь три госуда́рства не то́лько при́няли биткоины и и́же с ни́ми, но и созда́ли все юриди́ческие усло́вия для их хожде́ния.

leesh tree ga-su-dárst-va nye tól'-ka prée-nya-lee beet-kó-ee-ny ee ée-zhe s née-mee, no ee sóz-da-lee fsye yu-ree-dée-chees-kee-ye us-ló-vee-ya dlya eeh hazh-dyé-nee-ya

Only three states not only accepted the bitcoins and their ilk, but also created all the legal conditions for their circulation.
Благодаря́ Фейсбу́ку, Инстагра́му и и́же с ни́ми, весь мир стал одержи́м самолюбова́нием.

bla-ga-da-ryá feis-bú-ku, een-sta-grá-mu ee ée-zhe s née-mee, vyes' meer stal a-deer-zhéem sa-ma-lyu-ba-vá-nee-yem

Thanks to Facebook, Instagram and others like them, the whole world became obsessed with narcissism.

как попа́ло [kak pa-pá-la] Phrase

anyhow, at random, haphazard, any which way

Examples

Рабо́та сде́лана как попа́ло.

ra-bó-ta sdyé-la-na kak pa-pá-la

The work is done haphazardly.
Светофо́ра здесь нет, поэ́тому доро́гу лю́ди перехо́дят как попа́ло.

svee-ta-fó-ra sdyes' nyet, pa-é-ta-mu da-ró-gu lyú-dee pee-ree-hó-dyat kak pa-pá-la

There is no traffic light here, so people are crossing the road totally randomly.

так держа́ть [tak deer-zhát'] Phrase

Keep it up! Stick at it!

Examples

Молодцы́, ребя́та, так держа́ть!

ma-lad-tsy ree-byá-ta, tak deer-zhát'

Well done, guys, keep it up!
Отли́чно порабо́тали сего́дня, так держа́ть!

at-léech-na pa-ra-bó-ta-lee see-vód-nya, tak deer-zhát'

Excellent work today, keep it up!

ну и ну [nu ee nu] Phrase

expresses surprise, possibly disapproval (~ well well well)

Examples

Ну и ну! Сто́ит вас на оди́н день оста́вить, а у вас уже́ тако́е твори́тся!

nu ee nu! stó-eet vas na a-déen dyen' as-tá-veet', a u vas u-zhé ta-kó-ye tva-rée-tsa!

Well well! I have left you just for one day, and you already have such things going on!
Ну и ну! Никогда́ бы не поду́мала, что он спосо́бен на тако́е!

nu ee nu! nee-kag-dá by nye pa-dú-ma-la, chto on spa-só-been na ta-kó-ye!

Wow! I would never have thought that he was capable of this!

на са́мом де́ле [na sá-mam dyé-lye] Phrase

as a matter of fact, in fact, actually, in reality

Examples

Вы́глядит у́мным, а на са́мом де́ле ничего́ из себя́ не представля́ет.

výg-lee-deet úm-nym, a na sá-mam dyé-lye nee-chee-vó ees see-byá nye pree-stav-lyá-eet

He looks smart, but in reality he is nothing special.
Что на са́мом де́ле происхо́дит в закры́тых кабине́тах?

chto na sá-mam dyé-lee pra-ees-hó-deet v zak-rý-tyh ka-bee-nyé-tah

What really happens behind the closed doors (in the closed offices)?

сам не свой [sam nye svoi] Phrase, feminine - "сама не своя"

not himself, beside himself

Examples

Он сам не свой от сча́стья.

on sam nye svoi at schást'-ya

He is out of himself from happiness.
Она́ весь день сама́ не своя́.

a-ná vyes' dyen' sa-má nye svá-ya

She's not herself all day long.