What are some common Ukrainian idioms I should know
Основні Питання для Повсякденного Життя у Вивченні Української Мови: What are some common Ukrainian idioms I should know
Here are some common Ukrainian idioms that are useful to know:
- Біла ворона (Bila vorona) — “A white crow”: Describes an unusual or extraordinary person who stands out from others.
- Підсунути свиню (Pidsunuty svynyu) — “To plant a pig on someone”: Means to do a vile or tricky thing to someone.
- Купити кота в мішку (Kupyty kota v mishku) — “To buy a cat in a sack”: To buy or accept something without checking it first, similar to “buying a pig in a poke.”
- Гратися з вогнем (Hratysya z vogniem) — “To play with fire”: Doing something risky or dangerous that could lead to trouble.
- Вичавлений лимон (Vychavlenyi lymon) — “A squeezed lemon”: Describes someone very tired or exhausted.
- Берегти як зіницю ока (Berehty yak zinitsiu oka) — “To guard as the apple of one’s eye”: To cherish or protect something or someone very carefully.
- Як дві краплі води (Yak dvi krapli vody) — “Like two drops of water”: Means two things or people are very similar or identical.
- Кіт наплакав (Kit naplakav) — “The cat cried”: Means there is very little or not enough of something.
- Вішати локшину на вуха (Vishaty lokshynu na vukha) — “To hang noodles on the ears”: Means to deceive or lie, similar to “pulling someone’s leg.”
- Як сніг на голову (Yak snih na holovu) — “Like snow on the head”: Something sudden or unexpected.
- Водá кáмінь тóчить (Voda kamin tochyt) — “Water wears away stone”: Persistence and patience lead to results.
- Краще синиця в руках, ніж журавель у небі (Krashe synytsia v rukakh, nizh zhuravel u nebi) — “Better a tit in your hands than a crane in the sky”: It’s better to have something certain than to risk it for something uncertain.
These idioms give a glimpse of the Ukrainian language’s expressiveness and cultural values regarding honesty, caution, and persistence.