Russian Slang and Idioms. Lesson 27.


Posted on January 24th, 2011

Hi! Welcome to our Russian slang and idioms lesson 27!

Ходить вокруг да около [ha-DIT’ vak-ROOG da O-ka-la]
Ходить вокруг да около literally means to walk around something. Idioms xoдить вокруг да около means avoid talking about something.
Example:
Ну что ты ходишь вокруг да около, скажи ему правду!
[NOO SHTO TEE HO-dish vak-ROOG DA O-ka-la ska-ZHI yi-MOO PRAV-doo]
Why are you avoiding this topic? Just tell him the truth!

Голодный, как волк [ga-LOD-neey KAK VOLK]
When we say that someone is голодный как волк, we mean that someone is very hungry. There is a similar idiom in English – hungry like a wolf.
Example:
Давай пакушаем, я голодный как волк.
[da-VAY pa-KOO-sha-yem YA ga-LOD-neey KAK VOLK]
Let’s eat something, I’m hungry like a wolf.

Тянуть время [tya-NOOT’ VRYE-mya]
Тянуть время means to postpone something.
Example:
Не тяни время, начни подготовку к экзаменам сейчас.
[ni tya-NI VRYE-mya, nach-NI pad-ga-TOV-koo k ik-ZA-myi-nam siy-CHAS]
Don’t procrastinate, start getting ready for the tests now.

Great job! And here is the test:
1.    Which Russian idiom mentions a wolf?
2.    What does “ тянуть время ” mean?
3.    How can you say in Russian that someone avoids talking about something?

See you soon!

Victoria.

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