Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "past" in Russian

This Russian word is one of the top 1000 words in Russian. The complete list of most common Russian words is available here.

мимо

Meaning: past, by, miss, missed

Pronunciation: [MEE-mah]

Part of speech: preposition

Rank: #566 (see frequency list)

Why have you passed me by?
Photo by Lighthelper CC-BY-2.0

Example sentences:

Почему́ ты прошëл ми́мо меня́?
Why have you passed me by?
Подходи́те! Не проходи́те ми́мо!
Please, come up! Don't pass by!
Мы случáйно проéхали ми́мо вáшего дóма.
We accidentally missed your house.
literal We accidentally passed your house by driving.
Ну что, попáл? Нет, ми́мо.
So, have I hit the target? No, missed.
literal So, have I hit? No, missed.
Как же так! Ты проходи́л ми́мо нáшего дóма, а в гócти не зашëл.
How can it be! You were passing our house by, but you didn't come round.
К счácтью, грозá прошлá ми́мо.
Fortunately, the storm didn't break out.
literal Fortunately, the storm passed by.
Как смешнó! Он сел ми́мо сту́ла!
How funny it is! He missed the chair.
literal How funny! He sat past the chair.
Дирéктор прошëл ми́мо э́той тéмы.
The director didn't mention this issue.
literal The director passed this issue by.
Мои́ совéты пролетéли ми́мо ушéй.
My advice hasn't been followed.
literal My advice flew by the ears.

Idioms and set expressions:

бить ми́мо = miss (a target)
literal hit by
попадáть ми́мо = miss (a target)
literal hit by
ми́мо = missed!
literal by!
ми́мо цéли = beside the mark
literal by the target

Related words:

мимохóдом = in passing
мимолëтный = transient
мимолëтом = flying by

Proverbs and sayings:

Люби́ нас, а ходи́ ми́мо
You can love us, but don't interfere in our personal life.
literal Love us, but go by.
Всë идëт хорошó, только ми́мо.
Life is short, carpe diem.
literal Everything is good, but it is going by.
Шëл ми́мо, зашëл, где ми́ло.
I was going by and I came round to a nice place.

Vocabulary lesson: By Russificate blog exclusively for MasterRussian

Phrase recordings: Copyright(c) 2011 MasterRussian.com. All rights reserved.
Word recordings: Copyright(c) 2006 Streit Goulnara, Streit Eric, Vion Nicolas. Copyright(c) 2007 S. Sakhno, N. Vion. Distributed under CC-BY.

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