A collection of idiomatic expressions in Russian with English equivalents.
| Idioms | English versions |
|---|---|
| Кто рано встает, тому Бог подает | The early bird catches the worm |
| В гостях хорошо, а дома лучше | East or West - home is best |
| Цель оправдывает средства | The end justifies the means |
| На вкус и цвет товарищей нет | Every man to his taste |
| Все хорошо в свое время | Everything is good in its season |
| Исключение подтверждает правило | The exception proves the rule |
| Противоположности сходятся | Extremes meet |
| Запретный плод сладок | Forbidden fruit is sweetest |
| Яблоко от яблони недалеко падает | The apple doesn't fall far from the tree = like father, like son |
| Нет дыма без огня | There is no smoke without fire |
| Клин клином вышибается | One fire drives out another |
| От судьбы не уйти | No flying from fate |
| Расставить точки над і | Dot your i's and cross your t's |
| Не все то золото, что блестит | All that glitters is not gold |
| Внешность обманчива | Appearances are deceitful |
| Как посеешь, так и пожнешь | As you sow, so shall you reap |
| Каждый сам строитель своего счастья | Every man is the architect of his own fortune |
| Лучшая защита - нападение | Best defence is offence |
| Лучше синица в руках, чем журавль в небе | A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush |
| Дареному коню в зубы не смотрят | Don't look a gift horse in the mouth |
| Работать как лошадь | To work like a horse = to work hard |
Russian idioms compiled by Yevgeny Simzikov, with recordings by Alexandr Rakitin
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If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
It's all Greek to me | It's raining cats and dogs | As easy as falling off a log | A sandwich short of a picnic | It's small world | When pigs fly | Out of sight, out of mind | Crystal-clear | Penny Pinching | Practice makes perfect | The grass is always greener | As Snug as a Bug in a Rug | When the Cat's Away | Throw in the towel | To lose one's marbles
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