Posted on February 6th, 2011

Hi, and welcome to Russian Slang and Idioms lesson 29!


Работа – не бей лежачего [ra-BO-ta ni BYEY li-ZHA-chi-va]
Работа не бей лежачего can be translated literally as “a job” and then “don’t beat a person that is laying down”…. which when used as an idiom means a very easy job, or a piece of cake!
Example:
Мне всего лишь нужно отвечать на звонки. Работа – не бей лежачего!
[MNYE vsi-VO LISH’ NOOZH-na at-vi-CHAT’ NA zvan-KI. ra-BO-ta ni BYEY li-ZHA-chi-va]
All I need to do is to answer the phone calls. It’s a very easy job!

Прыгать от радости [PREE-gat’ at RA-das-ti]
Прыгать от радости means to jump for joy.
Example:
Я прыгала от радости, когда нашла новую работу.
[YA PREE-ga-la at RA-das-ti kag-DA nash-LA NO-voo-yoo ra-BO-too]
I was jumping for joy when I found a new job.

Небо и земля [NYE-ba i zim-LYA]
Небо и земля literally can be translated as sky and earth, but when used as an idiom, небо и земля is used when talking about how different two people or two things are.
Example:
Они настолько разные! Просто небо и земля!
[a-NI nas-TOL’-ka RAZ-nee-ye PROS-ta NYE-ba i zim-LYA]
They are so different, like chalk and cheese.

Well done on learning new idioms! And here is the test:
1.    What Russian idiom involves a physical exercise?
2.    What Russian idiom is used when we talk about a very easy job?
3.    What Russian idiom mentions a planet?

See you soon! Bye! :waving:

Victoria.

Related Posts:

• 20 Words & Expressions from the Conversational Russian Video Course
• The Story behind the Conversational Russian Video Course
• Days of the Week in Russian Video Lesson
• Learn Romantic Phrases in Russian
• How Valentine’s Day is Celebrated in Russia

Comments

The courses of Russian as a foreign language with Russian4real take place online via Skype. The teacher works with adults individually since he is convinced that each person must receive maximum time for practice and professional attention while learning a foreign language.