<\/p>\n
In the process of acquiring any foreign language the importance of set expressions cannot be underestimated. Scarce or nonexistent knowledge of these language units is what frequently makes us feel as if our mastery of the language is still in its infancy stages. However, people who have invested their time in learning and implementing such expressions appear to have an easier time understanding that foreign language, even if their grammar is severely handicapped. When I first came to the US in 2003, even though my vocabulary and grammar knowledge was excellent (for a foreigner), I felt like people here were speaking a different language altogether. It took me a couple of years to fill the gap with commonly used set expressions and slang before I could easily understand most conversations. Russian is no exception in this regard.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, there is an overwhelmingly large amount of set expressions with the word \u201chand\u201d and \u201carm\u201d in Russian. Since most of these expressions are pretty handy :-), why not arm \ud83d\ude42 yourself with some of them.<\/p>\n
\u0412\u0441\u0435 \u0432 \u0442\u0432\u043e<\/b><\/span>\u0438<\/b><\/span><\/span>\u0445 \u0440\u0443\u043a<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/span><\/span>\u0445<\/b><\/span> (<\/b>it’s all in your hands)<\/b><\/span> \u2013 this one couldn’t be easier, the expression is translated word for word and carries the same meaning. <\/span><\/p>\n Example: <\/span>\u041d\u0443 \u0447\u0442\u043e, \u041c\u0430\u043a\u0441\u0438\u043c, \u0442\u0435\u043f\u0435\u0440\u044c \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u0432 \u0442\u0432\u043e\u0438\u0445 \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430\u0445<\/span>! \u0422\u0432\u043e\u0438 \u0441\u043f\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0431\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u043e\u0442\u043a\u0440\u044b\u0432\u0430\u044e\u0442 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434 \u0442\u043e\u0431\u043e\u0439 \u043c\u043d\u043e\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e \u0432\u043e\u0437\u043c\u043e\u0436\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0439. (Well, Maxim, now it’s all in your hands! Your abilities open up many opportunities before you.) <\/span><\/p>\n \u0412\u0437\u044f\u0442\u044c \u0441\u0435\u0431<\/span>\u044f<\/span><\/span> \u0432 \u0440<\/span>\u0443<\/span><\/span>\u043a\u0438<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>(to control yourself)<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Example: <\/span>\u041d\u0430\u0442\u0430\u0448\u0430, \u0445\u0432\u0430\u0442\u0438\u0442 \u0440\u0435\u0432\u0435\u0442\u044c! \u0412\u043e\u0437\u044c\u043c\u0438 \u0441\u0435\u0431\u044f \u0432 \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0438<\/span>! (Natasha, stop wailing! Get a hold of yourself!\/Control yourself!)<\/span><\/p>\n \u0420\u0443\u043a<\/b><\/span>\u043e<\/b><\/span><\/span>\u0439 \u043f\u043e\u0434<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/span><\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/b><\/span>(<\/b>very close)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Example: <\/span>– \u041d\u0443 \u0438 \u0433\u0434\u0435 \u044d\u0442\u043e \u043a\u0430\u0444\u0435? (Where is that cafe you are talking about?)<\/span><\/p>\n – \u0414\u0430 \u0437\u0430 \u0443\u0433\u043b\u043e\u043c, \u0442\u0443\u0442 \u0440\u0443\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/span>. (It’s right around the corner, very close.) <\/span><\/p>\n \u0411\u044b\u0442\u044c \u043f\u043e\u0434 \u0440\u0443\u043a<\/span>\u043e<\/span><\/span>\u0439 <\/span>(to be handy, to be close by) <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Example: <\/span>\u0423 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0440\u044c \u0432\u0441\u0435\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u0434 \u0440\u0443\u043a\u043e\u0439<\/span>. (I always keep a dictionary handy.) <\/span><\/p>\n \u041d\u0430 \u0440\u0443\u043a<\/span>\u0430<\/span><\/span>\u0445 \u043d\u043e\u0441<\/span>\u0438<\/span><\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/span>( to worship, to treasure, to admire, to exalt)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Example: <\/span>– \u041a\u0430\u043a \u043c\u0443\u0436\u0443 \u043d\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0441\u044f \u043d\u043e\u0432\u0430\u044f \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0430? (How does your husband like his new job?)<\/span><\/p>\n – <\/span>\u041d\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0441\u044f, \u0435\u0449\u0435 \u043a\u0430\u043a! \u0415\u0433\u043e \u0442\u0430\u043c \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u043d\u0430 \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430\u0445 \u043d\u043e\u0441\u044f\u0442<\/span>. (He likes it big time! Everybody worships him there.) <\/span><\/p>\n \u041d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u043a\u043b\u0430\u0434<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/span><\/span>\u044f \u0440\u0443\u043a <\/b><\/span>(<\/b>nonstop, diligently)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Example: <\/span>– \u042f \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0430\u044e, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u0443 \u043d\u0438\u0445 \u043d\u0430 \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u0434\u0435\u043d\u0435\u0433 \u0445\u0432\u0430\u0442\u0430\u0435\u0442! (I do not understand where do they get the money to pay for everything.) <\/span><\/p>\n – \u0414\u0430 \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0442\u0443\u0442 \u043f\u043e\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0430\u0442\u044c, \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0430\u044e\u0442 \u043b\u044e\u0434\u0438 \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u043a\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0430\u044f \u0440\u0443\u043a<\/span>, \u0442\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u0438 \u0432\u0441\u0435\u0433\u043e! (There is nothing to understand, the people simply work nonstop.)<\/span><\/p>\n \u0420<\/span>\u0443<\/span><\/span>\u043a\u0438 \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u043e\u0445<\/span>\u043e<\/span><\/span>\u0434\u044f\u0442<\/span> (to have no time\/chance to do something)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Example: <\/span>\u042f \u0442\u0430\u043a \u0443\u0441\u0442\u0430\u044e \u043d\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0435, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0434\u043e\u043c\u0430 \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u043e \u0447\u0435\u0433\u043e \u0443\u0436\u0435 \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0438 \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u043e\u0445\u043e\u0434\u044f\u0442<\/span>. (I get so tired at work, I cannot do anything when I come home). <\/span><\/p>\n \u0417\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0442<\/span>\u044b<\/span><\/span>\u0435 \u0440<\/span>\u0443<\/span><\/span>\u043a\u0438<\/span> (gifted hands, said about someone who can make many things with their hands)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Example: <\/span>\u0411\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0435 \u0432\u0441\u0435\u0433\u043e \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u0437\u0430\u043f\u043e\u043c\u043d\u0438\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044c \u0437\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0442\u044b\u0435 \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0438<\/span> \u0435\u0433\u043e \u043c\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0438. (More than anything I remember his mother’s gifted hands.<\/span>)<\/p>\n \u0418\u043c<\/b><\/span>\u0435<\/b><\/span><\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0434\u043b<\/b><\/span>\u0438<\/b><\/span><\/span>\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0440<\/b><\/span>\u0443<\/b><\/span><\/span>\u043a\u0438<\/b><\/span> (<\/b>to be well connected, to be in a position of power\/authority)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Example: <\/span>\u0423 \u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e \u0442\u0435\u043f\u0435\u0440\u044c \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0438 \u0434\u043b\u0438\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0435<\/span>, \u0442\u0430\u043a \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0441 \u043d\u0438\u043c \u043b\u0443\u0447\u0448\u0435 \u043d\u0435 \u0448\u0443\u0442\u0438\u0442\u044c. (He is well connected now, so it is best not to take him lightly.) <\/span><\/p>\n \u0420<\/span>\u0443<\/span><\/span>\u043a\u0438 \u0447<\/span>\u0435<\/span><\/span>\u0448\u0443\u0442\u0441\u044f <\/span>(to eagerly want to do something, usually not in a positive way) <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Example: <\/span>-\u0423 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0438 \u0442\u0430\u043a \u0438 \u0447\u0435\u0448\u0443\u0442\u0441\u044f <\/span>\u043f\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0433 \u043f\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0431\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c. (I can’t wait to taste this pie.) <\/span><\/p>\n – \u041d\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0434\u043e, \u043c\u0430\u043c\u0430 \u0431\u0443\u0434\u0435\u0442 \u0440\u0443\u0433\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f. (Don’t touch it, mom will get mad.)<\/span><\/p>\n These are just some of the phrases I was able to recall. There are many others. If you have heard any in the past, please share, preferably with examples \ud83d\ude42 <\/span><\/p>\n \u0412\u0441\u0435\u0433\u043e \u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0448\u0435\u0433\u043e!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the process of acquiring any foreign language the importance of set expressions cannot be underestimated. Scarce or nonexistent knowledge of these language units is what frequently makes us feel as if our mastery of the language is still in its infancy stages. However, people who have invested their time in learning and implementing…<\/p>\n