Russian Proverbs and Sayings

This page continues the alphabetical list of Russian proverbs and sayings along with their English versions and literal translations.

А Б В Г Д Е Ё Ж З И Й К Л M Н О П Р С Т У Ф Х Ц Ч Ш Щ Ь Ы Ъ Э Ю Я

Russian proverbs: и-к 6 of 15 | < Prev Next >

- И -
И в самых благородных семьях бывают скандалы.	Accidents will happen in the best regulated families. Literal: There are scandals even in the most noble families.
И волки сыты, и овцы целы.	Have one's cake and eat it too. Literal: The wolves are sated, and the sheep are intact.
И на стару́ху бывает прору́ха.	Everyone makes mistakes.; To err is human. Literal: Even an old lady makes mistakes.
И у стен бывают уши.	The walls have ears. Literal: Even walls may have ears.
И хо́чется и ко́лется.	The cat would eat fish and would not wet her feet. Literal: It is wanted and repellent.
Из двух зол выбира́ют ме́ньшее.	Lesser of two evils Literal: They choose the lesser of two evils.
Из огня́ да в полымя́.	Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Literal: From fire to flame.
Из пе́сни сло́ва не вы́кинешь.	Literal: You cannot throw a word out of a song.
И́ли грудь в креста́х, и́ли голова́ в куста́х.	Neck or nothing. Literal: Either chest in crosses (orders), or a head in bushes.
Имя говорит само за себя.	The name provides the essence.
Иной раз и дурак молвит слово в лад.	A fool must now and then be right by chance.
Искру́ туши́ до пожа́ра, беду́ отводи́ до уда́ра.	Prevention is better than cure. Literal: Extinguish the spark before the fire, deflect the trouble before the strike.
Исподво́ль и ольху́ согнёшь.	Little strokes fell great oaks.; Time conquers all. Literal: You can bend an alder tree, if you do it gradually.
Ищи́ ве́тра в по́ле.	The wind cannot be caught in a net. Literal: Look for wind in a field.

- К -
Казённого козла́ хоть за хвост подержа́ть -- мо́жно шу́бу сшить.	Literal: Just even having once held a state goat's tail one can make a fur coat.
Как ау́кнется -- так и откли́кнется.	Do unto others what you would have them do unto you. Literal: How echo is prompted, so it will bounce back.
Как два́жды два -- четы́ре.	As sure as eggs are eggs. Literal: As twice times two is four.
Как две ка́пли воды́.	As alike as two peas in a pod. Literal: Like two drops of water.
Как на́жито, так и про́жито.	Easy come, easy go. Literal: Spent as earned.
Как ты к людям, так и они к тебе.	As the call, so the echo. Literal: As you treat people so they will treat you.
Како́в поп, тако́в и прихо́д.	Like father, like son. Literal: Like priest, like church.
Ка́пля в мо́ре.	A drop in the ocean. Literal: A drop in the sea.
Ка́пля ка́мень то́чит.	Little strokes fell great oaks. Literal: A water drop cuts through stone.
Ка́шу ма́слом не испо́ртишь.	Plenty is no plague. Literal: One can't spoil porridge with butter.
Клин кли́ном вышиба́ют.	Fight fire with fire; One nail drives out another. Literal: They use a wedge to knock out a wedge.
Когда́ де́ньги говоря́т, тогда́ пра́вда молчи́т.	When money talks, truth shuts up.
Когда любовь шепчет, разум замолкает.	Literal: When love whispers, the reason shuts up.
Когда рак на горе свистнет.	When pigs begin to fly. Literal: When the crawfish whistles on the mountain.
Кого жизнь ласкает, тот и горя не знает.	He dances well to whom fortune pipes.
Когото́к увя́з -- всей пти́чке пропа́сть.	Literal: If the claw is stuck, the whole bird is lost.
Козла́ бо́йся спе́реди, коня́ -- сза́ди, а лихо́го челове́ка -- со всех сторо́н.	Beware of the cat that licks from the front but claws from behind. Literal: Beware of the goat from its front side, of the horse - from its back side, and the evil man - from any side.
Кому́ война́, а кому́ мать родна́.	Literal: For some people war is war, for others -- dear mother.
Кому́ на ме́сте не сиди́тся, тот добра́ не наживёт.	A rolling stone gathers no moss. Literal: Those who are discontent to remain in one place will not earn much.
Коне́й на перепра́ве не меня́ют.	Don't change horses in midstream. Literal: One doesn't change horses at river crossing.
Конец -- делу венец.	The end crowns the work.
Конь о четырёх нога́х, да и тот спотыка́ется.	It is a good horse that never stumbles. Literal: A horse has four legs, but still stumbles.
Копе́йка рубль бережёт.	Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves. Literal: A kopeck saves a ruble.
Краси́во жить не запрети́шь.	Literal: You can't forbid living beautifully.
Краткость -- сестра таланта.	Brevity is the soul of wit.
Кто в мо́ре не быва́л, тот Бо́гу не ма́ливался.	Calm in the midst of storms. Literal: Who wasn't out in the sea, didn't pray to God.
Кто в чин вошёл лисо́й, тот в чи́не бу́дет во́лком.	Literal: He who gains the rank like a fox, will be a wolf in the rank.
Кто ленив сохой, тому весь год плохой.	They must hunger in winter that will not work in summer.
Кто людей веселит, за того весь свет стоит.	People never can resist those who make them laugh.
Кто над чайником стоит, у того он не кипит.	A watched pot never boils.
Кто не работает, тот не ест.	He who does not work, neither should he eat. Literal: Who doesn't work, that one doesn't eat.
Кто не умеет молча́ть, тот не умеет и говорить.	Не cannot speak well that cannot hold his tongue.
Кто пьёт до дна, тот живёт без ума́.	Vodka and good sense never get along. Literal: Who drinks till bottom, lives without mind.
Кто ра́но встаёт, тому́ Бог подаёт.	It is the early bird that catches the worm. Literal: God gives to those who wake up early.
Кто себя очень любит, того другие не любят.	Self-praise is no praise.
Кто смел, тот два съeл.	He who is tricky will get double the prize. Literal: Who is brave eats two.
Кто ста́рое помя́нет, тому́ глаз вон.	Let sleeping dogs lie. Literal: Who reminds old events, insults, will be deprived of his eye.
Куда́ конь с копы́том, туда и рак с клешнёй.	There is no fool like an old fool. Literal: Where goes a horse with its hoof, there goes a crayfish with its pincer.
Куда́ ни кинь, всю́ду клин.	Damned if you do, damned if you don't Literal: Whichever way you turn, the wedge is everywhere.
Куй желе́зо, пока горячо́.	Strike while the iron is hot; Make hay while the sun shines. Literal: Strike while the iron is hot.
Ку́рам на́ смех.	It is enough to make a cat laugh. Literal: It makes chicken laugh.
Ку́рица не пти́ца, ба́ба не челове́к.	Literal: As chicken is not a bird, woman is not a human being.
Ку́рочка по зёрнышку клюёт, да сыта́ быва́ет.	A hen picks a seed at a time, but gets filled up.

6 of 15 | < Prev Next >

Index of Russian proverbs and sayings

Got questions?

Ask them in the Russian Questions and Answers — a place for students, teachers and native Russian speakers to discuss Russian grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and other aspects of the Russian language.