The literal English explains the image; the meaning tells you what the speaker intends. Read the Russian sentence and its natural translation together, then notice who is speaking to whom. The constructions below are reusable: change the person, tense, or case where the note allows it.
Keeping quiet, losing heart, and describing how someone feels.
Literal: to keep one's tongue behind one's teeth
Meaning: To keep quiet; to keep something secret.
Лучше держать язык за зубами и никому не рассказывать о сюрпризе.
It's better to keep quiet and not tell anyone about the surprise.
Usage & grammar: Often advice or a warning. Держи язык за зубами! is a blunt command, not a polite request.
Literal: to hang one's nose
Meaning: To lose heart; to feel discouraged.
Не вешай нос! В следующий раз всё получится.
Don't lose heart! It'll work out next time.
Usage & grammar: Не вешай нос is familiar encouragement. Use it with someone you can address informally.
Literal: someone has golden hands
Meaning: To be very skilled at making or repairing things.
У моего дедушки золотые руки: он сам починил старые часы.
My grandfather is really handy: he repaired the old clock himself.
Usage & grammar: У кого золотые руки: у + genitive names the person (у дедушки, у неё). Usually about practical or manual skill.
Literal: cats are scratching at someone's soul
Meaning: To feel troubled, uneasy, or deeply unhappy.
После разговора с начальником у меня на душе кошки скребут.
I've been feeling really uneasy since talking to my boss.
Usage & grammar: Use у + genitive for the person: у меня, у него. Describes inner distress, not a physical sensation.
Unlikely promises, useful outcomes, and attention that wanders.
Literal: when a crayfish whistles on a mountain
Meaning: Never; when pigs fly.
Он вернёт мне долг, когда рак на горе свистнет.
He'll pay me back when pigs fly.
Usage & grammar: Expresses disbelief that something will happen. It is not a real prediction about timing.
Literal: to kill two hares
Meaning: To achieve two goals with one action; to kill two birds with one stone.
Поехав на конференцию, я убил двух зайцев: выступил с докладом и встретился со старым другом.
By going to the conference, I killed two birds with one stone: I gave a presentation and caught up with an old friend.
Usage & grammar: Often expanded to убить двух зайцев одним выстрелом (with one shot). Name both benefits so the meaning is clear.
Literal: to count crows
Meaning: To daydream or be distracted instead of paying attention.
Не считай ворон на уроке, слушай объяснение.
Stop daydreaming in class and listen to the explanation.
Usage & grammar: Often a reproach. Не считай ворон can sound scolding when directed at another person.
Literal: a bear stepped on someone's ear
Meaning: To have no ear for music; to be unable to sing in tune.
Мне медведь на ухо наступил, поэтому я не пою в хоре.
I can't carry a tune, so I don't sing in a choir.
Usage & grammar: Кому медведь на ухо наступил: the person is dative (мне, ему). Self-deprecating about yourself; potentially hurtful about someone else.
A sarcastic deadline and vivid descriptions of cold and rain.
Literal: after a little rain on Thursday
Meaning: Probably never; at some implausibly distant time.
Он обещает починить машину, но, похоже, сделает это после дождичка в четверг.
He promises to fix the car, but it looks like he'll get around to it when pigs fly.
Usage & grammar: Mocks an unlikely or endlessly delayed promise. It does not mean an ordinary Thursday or simply 'sometime in the future.'
Literal: dog cold
Meaning: Bitter, freezing cold.
Одевайся теплее: на улице собачий холод!
Dress warmly: it's absolutely freezing outside!
Usage & grammar: Often used in на улице собачий холод. A strong everyday complaint, not a technical weather description.
Literal: rain pours as if from a bucket
Meaning: It's pouring; it's raining very heavily.
Дождь льёт как из ведра, поэтому мы останемся дома.
It's pouring, so we'll stay home.
Usage & grammar: Keep the verb льёт in the reusable sentence. Past tense: дождь лил как из ведра.
Strength, trouble, frustration, and a comfortable life.
Literal: ate little porridge
Meaning: Not strong enough; sometimes not experienced enough for a task.
Ты ещё мало каши ел, чтобы поднять эту штангу!
You're not strong enough yet to lift that barbell!
Usage & grammar: A taunt, not neutral fitness advice. Agree with the person: ел (masculine), ела (feminine), ели (plural).
Literal: to brew porridge
Meaning: To stir up trouble; to create a messy situation.
Своими обвинениями он заварил такую кашу, что теперь весь отдел ссорится.
His accusations stirred up such a mess that now the whole department is arguing.
Usage & grammar: Заварить describes creating the trouble; заваривать is its imperfective partner. The resulting mess can be 'sorted out': расхлёбывать кашу.
Literal: to be full up to the throat with something
Meaning: To be fed up with something.
Я сыта по горло этими бесконечными спорами!
I'm sick and tired of these endless arguments!
Usage & grammar: Сыт/сыта по горло чем: use instrumental for what frustrates you (спорами, работой). Сыт is masculine, сыта feminine, сыты plural.
Literal: to roll around like cheese in butter
Meaning: To live very comfortably, with plenty of money and few worries.
После повышения он катается как сыр в масле: денег хватает и на отпуск, и на новую машину.
Since his promotion, he's been living the good life: he can afford both a holiday and a new car.
Usage & grammar: Learn the full construction with кататься. Can convey admiration, envy, or irony depending on the speaker.
Careless work, energetic effort, and more than enough money.
Literal: to work with one's sleeves hanging down
Meaning: To work carelessly or half-heartedly.
Он работал спустя рукава, и в отчёте осталось много ошибок.
He did a slapdash job, and the report was left full of errors.
Usage & grammar: A criticism of someone's work. Спустя рукава is a fixed phrase; it does not mean 'after the sleeves.'
Literal: to work with one's sleeves rolled up
Meaning: To work energetically and with determination.
Чтобы закончить проект вовремя, мы работали засучив рукава.
We rolled up our sleeves and worked hard to finish the project on time.
Usage & grammar: The opposite of спустя рукава. In this fixed idiomatic use, засучив рукава is normally not separated by a comma.
Literal: someone has money that chickens don't peck
Meaning: To have money to spare; to be very wealthy.
У него денег куры не клюют: он может купить дом без кредита.
He's got money to burn: he can buy a house without a mortgage.
Usage & grammar: У + genitive names the person (у него, у них). Денег stays genitive plural in this fixed expression; not a neutral financial description.
These short responses are useful to recognise. Their tone can be as important as their dictionary meaning.
Conversational responses, not all figurative idioms. Intonation often carries the attitude.
Useful in casual conversation; these labels do not imply a particular age group or region.
Recognise these before using them. Avoid them in formal situations or with people whose preferences you do not know.
Set wishes and exclamations with religious wording—not a prediction about the speaker's beliefs.
Think through each situation, then open the explanation. These checks cover this guide; the drills below practise related fixed expressions.
No. The phrase sarcastically suggests it is unlikely ever to happen. It is not a literal deadline.
Убить двух зайцев: you achieve two goals with one action—catching up with your grandmother and practising Russian.
No. It sounds teasing or condescending: 'You're not strong enough yet.' With a stranger, use straightforward, polite advice instead.
Работать засучив рукава praises energetic work. Спустя рукава criticises carelessness—the two expressions are opposites.
No. Без базара is rough slang for 'no problem / no argument.' Конечно is a much safer choice in a formal exchange.
No. Tone and context matter. It can express surprise, disbelief, or a reproach; it can also reassure someone when rejecting an apology or a worry.
These existing drills focus on verb choices and case patterns, not a test of the same 18 idioms above. Choose the focus that matches what you want to practise.
Advanced · 10 questions
Choose verbs in collocations such as прийти к соглашению, дать слово, and принять решение.
Advanced · 10 questions
Practise case patterns and meanings in по поводу, за советом, под замком, and при необходимости.
Intermediate · 12 questions
Practise case forms in 12 fixed expressions, including держать себя в руках, падать духом, and дело в шляпе.
Browse the Russian Expressions hub for sentence examples and usage explanations. For reactions, read ну и / да ну / да ладно. To clarify person constructions such as у меня, see к vs у.
An idiom is an established expression whose intended meaning cannot always be worked out from its individual words. Не вешай нос literally means “Don't hang your nose,” but encourages someone not to lose heart. Learn the whole expression with a situation in which it fits.
No. Idioms are figurative expressions; slang is vocabulary associated with informal speech or particular social groups. An expression can be both, but many idioms are not slang. Conversational reactions and traditional wishes are also not automatically idioms.
Use a literal translation to remember the image, not as the final meaning. Когда рак на горе свистнет literally describes a crayfish whistling on a mountain, but usually means “never” or “when pigs fly.” Translate the speaker's intention and tone.
It depends on the expression and situation. Informal, sarcastic or rough expressions may sound inappropriate in professional correspondence or with someone you do not know. Learn the register of each expression; when uncertain, choose plain neutral wording.
Some do, while other parts remain fixed. Сыт по горло becomes сыта по горло for a female speaker, and the thing someone is fed up with is instrumental: Я сыта по горло этими проблемами. Learn which words can change along with the expression.
Choose a small set, read each example with its translation, and connect the expression to a specific situation. Practise recognizing the meaning and tone before using it yourself. Review the complete phrase and its grammar rather than memorizing isolated words or an English equivalent alone.
Ready to choose the right verb?
Try the advanced fixed-verbal-phrases drill.