Posted on January 18th, 2011
Hi, it’s Victoria and russian4real.com! Now that the holidays are over, I’m glad to welcome you to Russian slang and idioms lesson 26!
Больной вопрос [bal’-NOY vap-ROS]
Больной вопрос can be literally translated as “painful question”, or in other words is a question or concern you can’t stop thinking about and would really like for it to get resolved.
Example:
Я не люблю говорить об этом. Это больной вопрос.
[YA NI lyub-LYU ga-va-RIT’ ab E-tam. E-ta bal’-NOY vap-ROS]
I don’t like talking about it. It’s a painful question.
Держать на коротком поводке [dir-ZHAT’ na ka-ROT-kam pa-vat-KYE] = to give very little freedom
Example:
Они держат своит детей на коротком поводке.
[a-NI DYER-zhat SVA-ih di-TYEY na ka-ROT-kam pa-vat-KYE]
They give very little freedom to their kids.
Льёт, как из ведра [LYOT KAK IZ vid-RA]
If look this one up in a Russian English dictionary, you may find that it is translated as raining cats and dogs… I know that idiom raining cats and dogs is barely used nowadays, and some don’t even know what it means, so just in case if you had never heard of the expression “raining cats and dogs” I’ll tell you that it means to be pouring with rain… so Льёт, как из ведра means pouring with rain.
Example:
Ах, дождь опять льёт как из ведра.
[ah DOSHT’ a-PYAT’ LYOT KAK IZ vid-RA]
Ah, it’s pouring with rain again.
You’ve done a great job so far! Here is the test:
1. Please translate “painful question” into Russian
2. What is a Russian idiom for giving someone very little freedom?
3. Please translate “Льёт, как из ведра” into English.
See you soon!
Victoria.
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