"To get away clean," "like water off a duck’s back," "to sit on your hands" — have you heard these phrases?
Native Russian speakers understand what they mean instantly. But for non-native speakers, they’re confusing and often make no sense. What do geese have to do with anything? And why are crocodiles crying?
Children born abroad often feel the same way. They hear these idioms and just don’t get it. But where did these strange expressions come from?
The Origin of Russian Idioms
All Russian idioms are rooted in daily life. They didn’t appear out of nowhere.
Take the popular saying "To hit rock bottom" ("Doyti do ruchki") — literally, "to get to the handle." It comes from a time when people ate kalach (a kind of bread) using a baked-on handle to avoid touching the food with dirty hands. If someone was starving, they’d eat the handle too. That’s when you knew they were truly desperate.
"Let the goat into the garden" refers to the chaos a hungry goat can cause if it gets into your vegetable patch — it’ll eat everything in sight.
“Crocodile tears” – there was an old belief that crocodiles cried while devouring their victims. The expression now means pretending to be sorry while doing harm.
The goose one is easy: goose feathers repel water, so it just rolls right off — hence, "like water off a goose's back."
Every idiom has its own story. And many have even made their way into classic Soviet cartoons, becoming part of the plot.
Why Idioms Matter
Idioms add color and imagery to speech. They’re a window into Russian culture. These expressions reflect history, worldview, and character.
That’s why it’s so important to know them — and to use them correctly. But to do that, you need to understand what they really mean.
At Palme School, we don’t just teach Russian grammar. We explore the deeper layers of the language. Our students learn about Russian culture and history, which are closely tied to the language itself.
Common Russian Idioms
Idioms are still common in modern Russian, even if they were coined centuries ago.
Here are a few you might hear in conversation:
- “Like a chicken with its claws”— describing messy handwriting or sloppy work.
- “An entire hour”— when someone waits “a whole hour” for something.
- “It’s in the bag”— meaning a job is done or a task is successfully finished.
- “Achilles’ heel”— referring to someone’s weak spot.
How We Teach Idioms?
At Palme School, we don’t just teach kids to speak Russian — we teach them to live in Russian. We prepare true bilinguals. And fluent bilinguals understand idioms and all the nuances of expression.
Our lessons are fun and interactive. We talk, play, sing, and read. Even Russian literary classics become easy to understand. Idioms are taught as a natural part of expressing emotions and thoughts.
Of course, you can speak Russian without idioms. But let’s be honest — it’s not as rich or fun. And understanding them is essential if you want to follow what native speakers are really saying.
How many Russian idioms do you know? Do you know the stories behind them? Share in the comments!
