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Russian proverbs



Русские пословицы и поговорки Russian proverbs gained popularity in the West thanks to Ronald Reagan, who supposedly was a fan of Russian folklore. Russians have possibly thousands of proverbs. Below is a very short list of Russian proverbs with translation.

А

Б

В

  • В гостях хорошо, а дома лучше.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "There is no place like home. East or West, home is best"

  • В семье не без урода.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Many a good father has but a bad son"

  • В тихом омуте черти водятся.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: Devils breed in still waters.
    • English version: "Still waters run deep" (The devil lurks behind the cross)

  • В Тулу со своим самоваром (не ездят).
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "To go to Tula with your own samovar" (Tula is famous as city were the best Russian samovars are made)
    • English version: "Don’t carry coals to Newcastle"

  • В чужой монастырь со своим уставом не ходят.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: Do not go to another monastery with your own charter.
    • English version: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do"

  • Век живи – век учись.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Live and learn"

  • Вкруте и вяз переломишь
    • Transliteration: ""
    • Translation: "Together it is possible to break even an elm"
    • English version: ""

  • Волков бояться – в лес не ходить.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: If you are afraid of the wolves, do not go to the woods.
    • English version: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It takes courage to start" Afraid of the heat? - Get out of the kitchen.

  • Вот в чем загвоздка
    • Transliteration: ""
    • Translation: "That's the snag!"
    • English version: "That’s where the shoe pinches. That’s the crux (the rub)"

  • Вот где собака зарыта.
    • Transliteration: "Vot gde sobaka zaryta"
    • Translation: "That's where the dog is buried"
    • English version: "That’s where the shoe pinches. That’s the crux (the rub)"

  • Все хорошо, что хорошо кончается.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "All is well that ends well"
    • English version: "All is well that ends well"

  • Всяк кулик свое болото хвалит.
    • Transliteration: "Vsyak kulik svoyo boloto khvalit"
    • Translation: "Every sandpiper praises his own swamps"
    • English version: "Every cook praises his own broth"

  • Всякому овощу свое время.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Every vegetable has its time"
    • English version: "Everything is good in its season"

Г

  • Где тонко – там и рвется.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: The thinnest part snaps.
    • English version: "The chain is no stronger than its weakest link"

  • Голодный, как волк.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "As hungry as a wolf"
    • English version: "Hungry as a hunter"

  • Голь на выдумку хитра.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: Poverty is crafty.
    • English version: "Necessity is the mother of invention"

  • Горбатого могила исправит.
    • Transliteration: "Gorbatogo mogila ispravit"
    • Translation: "Grave will change the hunchback"
    • English version: "The leopard cannot change his spots"

Д

  • Дареному коню в зубы не смотрят.
    • Transliteration: "Darenomu konyu v zuby ne smotryat"
    • Translation: "Don't look at the teeth of a horse that you got as a present"
    • English version: "Look not a gift horse in the mouth"

  • Делить шкуру неубитого медведя.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "To cook a hare before catching him"

  • Доверяй, но проверяй.

  • До свадьбы заживет.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "You will manage"

  • Доброе братство - лучшее богатство
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: ""

  • Долг платежом красен.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "One good turn deserves another"

  • Дружба дружбой, а служба службой.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Friendship is one thing, work another"

  • Друзья познаются в беде.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "You will know your friend in the trouble"
    • English version: "A friend in need is a friend indeed"

  • Дуракам закон не писан.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "There is no law for fools"
    • English version: "There is no law for fools"

Е

  • Если бы да кабы во рту росли грибы.
    • Transliteration: "Esli by da kaby vo rtu rosli griby"
    • Translation: "If mushrooms grew in the mouth"
    • English version: "If ifs and ans were pots and pans", "If wishes were horses, beggars might ride"

  • Если хочется работать - ляг, поспи, и всё пройдёт.
    • Transliteration: "Eslee hocheetsa rabotat', lag, paspee, e fso praydot."
    • Translation: "If you feel the need to work, take a nap, the need will pass."
    • English version:

Ж

  • Жизнь коротка.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Live is short"
    • English version: "Life is but a span"

З

  • За одного битого двух не битых дают.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Experience is worth it"

  • Занятой (трудолюбивый), как пчела.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "As busy as a bee"
    • English version: "As busy as a bee"

И

  • И на старуху бывает проруха
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Even an experienced person can make mistakes", "Everyone makes mistakes"

  • И хочется и колется
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "The cat would eat fish and would not wet her feet"

  • Исподволь и ольху согнешь
    • Transliteration: ""
    • Translation: ""
    • English version: ""

  • Ищи ветра в поле
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "The wind cannot be caught in a net"

К

  • Как аукнется – так и откликнется.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "People get what they deserve"

  • Как дважды два – четыре.
    • Transliteration: "Kak dvazhdy dva chetyre"
    • Translation: "As twice two is four"
    • English version: "As sure as eggs is eggs"

  • Как две капли воды.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "As alike as two peas in a pod"

  • Как нажито, так и прожито.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Easy come, easy go"

  • Капля в море.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "A drop in the sea"
    • English version: "A drop in the bucket"

  • Кашу маслом не испортишь.
    • Transliteration: "Kashu maslom ne isportish"
    • Translation: "You can't spoil porridge with butter"
    • English version: "You can’t spoil a good thing. Plenty is no plague"

  • Клин клином вышибают.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Fight fire with fire. One nail drives out another"

  • Кому на месте не сидится, тот добра не наживет.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "A rolling stone gathers no moss"

  • Кто рано встает, тому бог подает.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "The early bird catches the worm"

  • Куй железо, пока горячо.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Strike while the iron is hot. Make hay while the sun shines"

  • Курам на смех.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "To make the hens laugh"
    • English version: "It is enough to make a cat laugh"

Л

  • Лбом стенку не перешибешь
    • Transliteration: ""
    • Translation: ""
    • English version: ""

  • Лес рубят – щепки летят.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "You can’t make an om elet without breaking eggs"

  • Лиха беда начало.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "A good beginning makes a good ending. The first step is the hardest"

  • Ложка дегтя в бочке меда.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "A fly in the ointment. The rotten apple spoils the barrel."

  • Лучшее враг хорошего.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "The best is oftentimes the enemy of the good."

  • Лучше поздно, чем никогда.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Better late than never"
    • English version: "Better late than never"

  • Лучше синица в руках, чем журавль в небе.
    • Transliteration: "Luchshe sinitsa v rukah chem zhuravl' v nebe"
    • Translation: "Better a titmouse in the hand than a crane in the sky"
    • English version: "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush", "Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow."

  • Любишь кататься, люби и саночки возить.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "He that would eat the fruit must climb the tree", "No pains, no gains", "After dinner comes the reckoning."

М

  • Мир да лад - большой клад
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Pease is great treasure"
    • English version: "Plenty is no plague"

  • Много будешь знать, скоро состаришься.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Too much knowledge makes the head bald"

  • Много шума из ничего.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Much noise from nothing"
    • English version: "Much ado about nothing"

  • Мягко стелет – жестко спать.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Iron fist in a velvet glove"

Н

  • На безрыбье и рак – рыба.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Something is better than nothing"

  • На воре шапка горит.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "A guilty mind betrays it self"

  • На всех не угодишь.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "He who pleased every body died before he was born"

  • На всякого мудреца довольно простоты.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Every man has a fool in his sleeve"

  • На Бога надейся, а сам не плошай
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version:

  • На Бога положишься - не обложишься
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version:

  • Назвался груздем – полезай в кузов.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "If you undertook some thing, do it (see it through)"

  • Нашла коса на камень.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "You have met your match"

  • Не буди лиха, пока лихо спит.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Don’t trouble trouble till trouble trobules you", "Let sleeping dogs lie"

  • Не было у бабы хлопот, так купила порося.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "You are asking for trouble"

  • Не все золото, что блестит.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "All that glitters is not gold"

  • Не клади все яйца в одну корзину.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Don’t put all your eggs in one basket"
    • English version: "Don’t put all your eggs in one basket"

  • Не мытьем, так катаньем.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "By hook or by crook"

  • Не ошибается тот, кто ничего не делает.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Only who newer works never makes mistakes"
    • English version: "He that never climbed, never fell"

  • Не плюй в колодец – пригодится воды напиться.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Actions can boomerang", "Never cast dirt into that fountain of which you have sometime drunk"

  • Не пойман – не вор.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Innocent till proven guilty"

  • Не рой другому яму, сам в нее попадешь.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Curses like chickens come home to roost"

  • Не так страшен черт, как его малюют.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "The devil is not so black as he is painted"

  • Незваный гость лучше званого
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version:

  • Незваный гость хуже татарина
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version:

  • Нем, как рыба.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Silent as a fish"
    • English version: "Silent as a grave"

  • Нет дыма без огня.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "There is no smoke with out fire"
    • English version: "There is no smoke with out fire"

  • Нет худа без добра.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Every cloud has a silver lining"

  • Ни к селу, ни к городу.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Not for village, not for town"
    • English version: "Neither here nor there"

  • Ни рыба, ни мясо.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Neither fish nor flesh"
    • English version: "Neither fish nor flesh"

  • Ни складу ни ладу.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Neither rhyme nor rea son"

  • Новая метла метет по-новому.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "A new broom sweeps clean"

О

  • О вкусах не спорят.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Tastes differ"

  • Овчинка выделки не стоит.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "The game isn’t worth the candle"

  • Одн в поле не воин.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "One man, no man"

  • Орешек не по зубам.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "A hard nut to crack"

  • От добра добра не ищут.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Leave well enough alone. Enough is as good as a feast"

  • От любопытства кошка сдохла.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Curiosity killed the cat"
    • English version: "Curiosity killed the cat"

  • От сумы и от тюрмы не зарекайся.

  • Отсутствие новостей – хорошая новость.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "No news is good news"
    • English version: "No news is good news"

П

  • Пан или пропал.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Neck or nothing"

  • Первый блин комом.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Things don’t work the first time"

  • Плохая молва на крыльях летит.
    • Transliteration: "Plohaya molva na kryl'yah letit"
    • Translation: "A bad rumour flies on wings"
    • English version: "Bad news has wings"

  • Погонишься за двумя зайцами, ни одного не поймаешь.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "If you run after two hares, you will catch neither", "Grasp all, lose all"

  • Последний, но не менее важный.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Last, but not least"

  • После драки кулаками не машут.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "What’s done is done"

  • Поспешишь, людей насмешишь.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Hasty climbers have sudden falls", "The more haste, the less speed"

  • Привычка – вторая натура.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "Custom is a second nature"
    • English version: "Custom is a second nature"

  • При царе Горохе.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation: "In the times of czar Goroch" (czar from fairy tales)
    • English version: "Since Adam was a boy"

  • Пришла беда, отворяй ворота.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Misfortunes never come alone"

  • Пуганая ворона куста боится.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "Once bitten, twice shy"

Р

  • Раз на раз не приходится.
    • Transliteration:
    • Translation:
    • English version: "You can’t expect perfection every time"

  • Рука руку моет.
    • Transliteration: "Ruka ruku moyet"
    • Translation: "One hand washes the other"
    • English version: "You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours"

  • Рыбак рыбака видит издалека.
    • Transliteration: "Rybak rybaka vidit izdaleka"
    • Translation: "A fisherman sees a fisherman from afar"
    • English version: "Birds of a feather flock together"

С

  • Своей тени не обгонишь
    • Transliteration: ""
    • Translation: ""
    • English version: ""

  • С волками жить, по-волчий выть.
    • Transliteration: "S volkami zhit', pa-volchiy vyt'"
    • Translation: "You live with wolves, you howl like a wolf"
    • English version:

Т

  • Тише едешь, дальше будешь
    • Transliteration: "Tishe yedesh', dal'she budesh'"
    • Translation: "The slower you go, the farther you'll get"
    • English version:

У

  • Умный в гору не пойдет, умный гору обойдет.
    • Transliteration: "Umneey v goru ne poydet, umneey goru aboydet."
    • Translation: "A clever man will not go up a hill, a clever man will go around it."

Ч

Ц

Ч

Ш

Щ

Э

Ю

Я

See also: List of proverbs.



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