Conversational Russian
Conversational Russian words and phrases explained in different episodes of Very Much Russian podcast. This is the Russian language that you might hear in the streets, cafes, among your friends or coworkers.
Be careful using these expressions because in formal situations they might make you sound stupid or unedicated. At the same time none of them is rude (for that there is a separate category “Russian swear words“), so they are quite safe to use in informal situations.
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терять совесть phrase
to lose one’s conscience (to behave immoral or indecent)
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те же яйца, только в профиль phrase
the same balls, only in profile (equivalent of “the same dish, just under a different souce”)
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каким макаром? phrase
(lit. – by which makar?) how?
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ежу понятно phrase
it’s obvious, it’s clear
(lit. – it’s clear to a hedgehog) -
с какого перепуга? phrase
why? why on Earth? why suddenly?
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short of “хорош”, meaning “enough”
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пердимонокль noun
– something that causes a strong surprise
– a situation from which there is no way out but that can be considered funny in some extent -
отшить verb
to get rid of
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да иди ты! phrase
Expresses surprise (~ you are kidding me!, ~ really?) or discontent (~ get lost!, ~ shut up!).
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башка noun
head, noddle, pate, chump
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заучка noun
nerd, grind, wonk, one who always studies (comes from the verb “учить”)
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кадрить / закадрить verb
to seek acquaintance with smb. with the expectation of an intimate relationship
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плеер сдох phrase
the player’s battery charge got 0%
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обломаться verb
to have one’s plans ruined, not to get anything desired
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обламывать verb
to be a bummer, to spoil the plans / fun
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облом noun
flop, washout, bummer
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зашибенно adverb
very good, cool, excellent.
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зашибись verb
very good, cool, excellent; expression of disappointment or unexpected trouble.
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отдуваться verb
to be answerable (for), to take the rap (for)
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геморройный adjective
difficult, unpleasant, problematic
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геморрой / гемор noun
pain in the rear, problems, unpleasant concerns, trouble, hassle. Lit. – piles, haemorrhoids
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задолбать verb
to pester, to bother, to annoy, to tire, to weary
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клёво adverb
cool
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получить по шее phrase
to get it in the neck
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свалить verb
to make off, to take (oneself) off
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задубеть verb
to feel cold, to be frozen
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дубово adverb
it’s cold
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cold
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сдуреть verb
to get cranky, to lose one’s wits
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обалдеть verb
to grow dumb with astonishment, to be dumb-founded, to drop one’s jaw
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ничего себе phrase
(= неплохо) not too bad
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патлы noun
hair (mostly not well-groomed)
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завались verb
a lot of, very many/much
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отвали! verb
back off! leave me alone!
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интернет ползает phrase
internet works very slowly
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ноут noun
laptop, notebook (computer)
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тормознутый adjective
a person who thinks or acts very slowly, a thing that works very slowly
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тормозить verb
to think or act very slowly (lit: to put the brake on, to hinder)
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тормоз noun
a person who thinks or acts very slowly, a thing that works very slowly (lit: brake)
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влипнуть в историю phrase
to get into a pretty mess
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бестолочь noun
muddle-head, numbscull
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ломаться verb
to make difficulties, to be obstinate
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ни фига phrase
nothing
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фиг вам! / фиг тебе! phrase
no dice/sale/soap!
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стырить verb
to steal
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торчать (в очереди) phrase
to be stuck (in a queue)
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залёт noun
getting pregnant
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залететь verb
to get pregnant
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офигенный adjective
unbelievable, astounding, mind-blowing
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офигенно adverb
awesome