We have already talked about Russian spring proverbs, winter expressions, and fall vocabulary. And, of course, today’s blog will be about summer sayings.

Today, you can quickly check the weather forecast in seconds. To do this, you just need the Internet.
But for millennia, people have followed the changes in nature and its phenomena.

The Importance Of Time

Готовь сани летом, а телегу – зимой

Translation: Prepare the sled in summer and cart in winter.

The meaning of this proverb is comparable to the English words “While the weather is fine, fix the sails” and “A stitch of time will save nine.” That is, what is done on time saves a lot of work in the future. In other words, if you fix a small problem right away, it will not become more serious afterward.

Дважды в год лето не бывает

Translation: There are no two summers a year.

This expression is very suitable to illustrate that you should not wait for what has already happened. Therefore, value your time – it only goes forward.

The Importance Of Work

Note that many Russian sayings tell us about a period of hard work in the field. The peasants knew exactly how important it was to work hard in the summer. Indeed, the life of entire settlements depended on a successful harvest.

Летний день год кормит

Translation: A summer day feeds a year

Therefore, this explains the need to spend energy harvesting in order to stock up for a whole year.

Лето крестьянину – отец и мать

Translation: Summer for а peasant is like father and mother

Earlier in the villages, harvest was an essential source of food and sometimes the only one.

Не моли лета долгого, моли лета тёплого

Translation: Do not pray for a long summer; pray for a warm summer.

Obviously, even a long but cold summer will not produce a good crop.

The Importance Of Prediction

Also, this is how people predicted what the next seasons would be like. For example, summer weather helped determine how much snow would fall in winter.

Холодная зима – жаркое лето

Translation: If it is cold in winter, it will be hot in summer.

Of course, this does not mean that every hot summer portends cold winter and vice versa. However, this happens quite often. There is probably a 50/50 chance of fulfilling this dictum.

С Ильина дня ночь длинна и вода холодна

Translation: Since Elijah’s day (August 2), the night is long, and the water is cold.

Legend has it that the Christian saint Elijah (Ilya) had the powers of the pagan god of thunder Perun. He controlled rain, storm, and soil fertility. So, people believed that the grass grows before August 2. And then it starts to turn yellow.

Звёздное небо в ночь на Купала – будет хороший урожай

Translation: The starry sky on Kupala Night (June 24) predicts that there will be a good cucumber and mushroom crop.

The night on Ivan Kupala was considered magical and was full of festive rituals. Ancient holiday of the summer solstice among the Eastern Slavs, including agricultural folk rituals designed to ensure harvest, health, well-being.

Of course, I have shared only very few sayings about the summer. Nevertheless, they remain relevant even in today’s Russia.

Share proverbs you know about this beautiful time in the comments. I wish you a warm and sunny summer!