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Русский язык:
Russian Proverbs and Sayings
Worldly Wisdom
Russian
Literally
Meaning
Equivalent
Нет худа без добра
There’s no bad without the good
Keep your chin up! Whatever trouble comes your way, don’t let it spoil your mood. Even the most difficult situation might have an advantage.
“Every cloud has a silver lining.”
Первый блин всегда комом
The first pancake is always lumpy
Don’t get frustrated if you fail when trying something for the first time. It’s uncommon for one to succeed right away.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
Утро вечера мудренее
The morning is wiser than the evening
When you’re struggling to come up with a solution, you should give your mind some rest. It might reward you with bright ideas afterward!
“Sleep on it!”
Слово не воробей: вылетит — не поймаешь.
A word is not a sparrow: once it flies out, you won’t catch it.
You should be careful with what you say. Words can hurt.
“What’s said can’t be unsaid.”
Поспешишь — людей насмешишь.
If you rush things, you’ll just make others laugh.
It’s fine to take your time, one step at a time. Don’t sacrifice quality for the sake of saving time.
“Haste makes waste.”
Studies and Work
Повторение — мать учения.
Repetition is the mother of learning.
When it comes to learning, one would have to be quite talented to remember something on the first try. Don’t shy away from reviewing key vocabulary lists and grammar rules once in a while to brush up on them.
“Practice makes perfect.”
Кто не работает, тот не ест.
He who does not work, neither should he eat.
Diligence and hard work are encouraged—strongly enough to threaten you with starvation.
“One has to sing for his supper.”
Без труда не вытащишь и рыбку из пруда.
Without effort, you can’t even pull a fish out of the pond.
Again, the message here is that you need to put in some effort to get a positive result.
“No pain, no gain.”
Работа не волк, в лес не убежит.
Work isn’t a wolf, it won’t run into the forest.
However, sometimes you can relax and not rush into action right away. Use this saying as an excuse.
“Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow.”
Taking Risks
Не попробуешь — не узнаешь.
If you don’t try, you’ll never find out.
This one is self-explanatory. You need to give it a chance to see if it’s going to work out.
“The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
Поживём – увидим.
We will live and then we will see.
No need to pretend to be Nostradamus and try to predict the future. Sometimes it’s better to patiently wait and see what happens next.
“Time will tell.”
Лучше синица в руках, чем журавль в небе.
A tomtit in your hands is better than a crane in the sky.
It’s preferable to have something small but certain than to risk losing everything by trying to get something better.
“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”
Тише едешь — дальше будешь.
Drive slower, and you will get further.
Slow down. Take a breath. Those who don’t rush will succeed.
“Little by little, one travels far.”
Семь раз отмерь, один отрежь.
Measure seven times before cutting once.
In Russian, we encourage you to think not twice, but seven times, before you take action.
“Look before you leap.”
Friends & Family
Друг познаётся в беде.
You get to really know your friend when trouble comes.
A person who helps you during a difficult time is the person you can trust.
“A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
Не имей сто рублей, а имей сто друзей.
Don’t have a hundred rubles, rather have a hundred friends.
Friendship is more valuable than money.
“A friend at court is better than a penny in a purse.”
В гостях хорошо, а дома лучше.
It’s good to be visiting, but it’s better at home.
If you feel relief coming back home and share the idea of “My house is my castle,” you know very well where this proverb comes from.
“There is no place like home.”
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