Explore the rich tapestry of Russian culture through its proverbs and quotes. This collection offers timeless wisdom on health, family, love, honesty, and happiness. Each saying provides a glimpse into the values and beliefs that shape Russian life, offering practical insights and reflective thoughts. From the importance of health to the joys and trials of love, these proverbs serve as valuable reminders of the universal truths that connect us all.
Russian Proverbs About Bravery and Risk-Taking
- Кто не рискует, тот не пьет шампанского
- Translation: He who doesn’t take risks doesn’t drink champagne.
- Pronunciation: Kto ne riskuyet, tot ne pyot shampanskogo.
- Meaning: Fortune favors the brave.
- Волков бояться — в лес не ходить
- Translation: If you’re scared of wolves, don’t go into the woods.
- Pronunciation: Volkov boyat’sya — v les ne khodit’.
- Meaning: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- Глаза боятся, а руки делают
- Translation: The eyes are afraid, but the hands are still doing it.
- Pronunciation: Glaza boyatsya, a ruki delayut.
- Meaning: Feel the fear and do it anyway.
- Чему быть, того не миновать
- Translation: You can’t avoid that which is meant to happen.
- Pronunciation: Chemu byt’, togo ne minovat’.
- Meaning: Whatever will be, will be.
- Живы будем — не помрём
- Translation: We will be alive, we won’t die.
- Pronunciation: Zhivy budem — ne pomryom.
- Meaning: Everything will be alright; let’s hope for the best.
Russian Proverbs Offering Warnings or Lessons
- Дают — бери, а бьют — беги
- Translation: If you’re given something, take it; if you’re being beaten, run.
- Pronunciation: Dayut — beri, a byut — begi.
- Meaning: Grab opportunities unless they’re dangerous.
- Дарёному коню в зубы не смотрят
- Translation: Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
- Pronunciation: Daryonomu konyu v zuby ne smotryat.
- Meaning: Be grateful for what you receive.
- В чужой монастырь со своим уставом не ходят
- Translation: Don’t go to someone else’s monastery with your own rulebook.
- Pronunciation: V chuzhoy monastyr’ so svoim ustavom ne khodyat.
- Meaning: When in Rome, do as Romans do.
- Много будешь знать — скоро состаришься
- Translation: If you know too much, you’ll get old quickly.
- Pronunciation: Mnogo budesh znat’ — skoro sostarish’sya.
- Meaning: Curiosity killed the cat.
- Поспешишь — людей насмешишь
- Translation: If you do something in a hurry, you’ll make people laugh.
- Pronunciation: Pospeshish’ — lyudey nasmeshish’.
- Meaning: Haste makes waste.
Wise Commentary on Everyday Life
- Аппетит приходит во время еды
- Translation: Appetite comes with eating.
- Pronunciation: Appetit prikhodit vo vremya yedy.
- Meaning: Interest grows with experience.
- Без труда не вытащишь и рыбку из пруда
- Translation: Without hard work, you wouldn’t even get a fish out of a pond.
- Pronunciation: Bez truda ne vytashchish’ i rybku iz pruda.
- Meaning: No pain, no gain.
- В гостях хорошо, а дома лучше
- Translation: It’s nice to visit, but it’s better to be home.
- Pronunciation: V gostyakh khorosho, a doma luchshe.
- Meaning: There’s no place like home.
- В каждой шутке есть доля правды
- Translation: Every joke has an element of truth.
- Pronunciation: V kazhdoy shutke yest’ dolya pravdy.
- Meaning: Many a truth is spoken in jest.
- В тесноте, да не в обиде
- Translation: It may be crowded, but everyone is happy.
- Pronunciation: V tesnote, da ne v obide.
- Meaning: The more, the merrier.
Russian Proverbs Meant to Console and Comfort
- И на старуху бывает проруха
- Translation: Even a grandma can make mistakes.
- Pronunciation: I na starukhu byvayet prorukha.
- Meaning: To err is human.
- Не было бы счастья, да несчастье помогло
- Translation: Luck wouldn’t have happened without misfortune’s help.
- Pronunciation: Ne bylo by schast’ya, da neschast’ye pomoglo.
- Meaning: A blessing in disguise.
- Нет худа без добра
- Translation: No misfortune without a blessing in it.
- Pronunciation: Net khuda bez dobra.
- Meaning: Every cloud has a silver lining.
- Первый блин всегда комом
- Translation: The first pancake is always lumpy.
- Pronunciation: Pervyy blin vsegda komom.
- Meaning: First attempts are often flawed.
- С милым рай и в шалаше
- Translation: Even a hut feels like paradise when you’re with your loved one.
- Pronunciation: S milym ray i v shalashe.
- Meaning: Love can make any place feel like home.
Russian Proverbs About Friendship
- Не имей сто рублей, а имей сто друзей
- Translation: It is better to have a hundred friends than a hundred rubles.
- Pronunciation: Ne imey sto rubley, a imey sto druzey.
- Meaning: Friendship is more valuable than money.
- Друг познаётся в беде
- Translation: You find out who your real friends are when you are in need.
- Pronunciation: Drug poznayotsya v bede.
- Meaning: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
- Дружба дружбой, а табачок врозь
- Translation: Friends and tobacco are separate things.
- Pronunciation: Druzhba druzhboy, a tabachok vroz’.
- Meaning: Keep business and personal relationships separate.
- Доверяй, но проверяй
- Translation: Trust, but verify.
- Pronunciation: Doveryay, no proveryay.
- Meaning: Trust, but be cautious.
- Старый друг лучше новых двух
- Translation: An old friend is worth two new ones.
- Pronunciation: Staryy drug luchshe novykh dvukh.
- Meaning: Old friendships are often more valuable than new ones.
Russian Proverbs About Fate and Destiny
- Будь что будет
- Translation: Let it be.
- Pronunciation: Bud’ chto budet.
- Meaning: Whatever will be, will be.
- Судьба не обманет
- Translation: Fate does not deceive.
- Pronunciation: Sud’ba ne obmanet.
- Meaning: What’s meant to happen will happen.
- Судьба накажет
- Translation: Fate will punish.
- Pronunciation: Sud’ba nakazhet.
- Meaning: Wrongdoings will eventually be punished.
- Что написано на роду, того не миновать
- Translation: What’s written on the forehead cannot be avoided.
- Pronunciation: Chto napisano na rodu, togo ne minovat’.
- Meaning: You can’t escape your destiny.
- Время покажет
- Translation: Time will tell.
- Pronunciation: Vremya pokazhet.
- Meaning: Only time will reveal the truth.
Russian Proverbs About Knowledge and Wisdom
- Не учи учёного
- Translation: Don’t teach a learned one.
- Pronunciation: Ne uchi uchyonnogo.
- Meaning: Don’t try to instruct someone more knowledgeable.
- Век живи, век учись
- Translation: Live for a century, learn for a century.
- Pronunciation: Vek zhivi, vek uchis’.
- Meaning: You’re never too old to learn.
- Ума палата
- Translation: His mind is a palace.
- Pronunciation: Uma palata.
- Meaning: He is very intelligent.
- Слово — не воробей, вылетит — не поймаешь
- Translation: A word is not a sparrow; once it flies out, you won’t catch it.
- Pronunciation: Slovo — ne vorobey, vyletit — ne poymayesh’.
- Meaning: Think before you speak.
- Люби науку — будешь человеком
- Translation: Love science, and you will be a human being.
- Pronunciation: Lyubi nauku — budesh chelovekom.
- Meaning: Knowledge is power; embrace learning to better yourself.
Russian Proverbs About Love
- Любовь зла, полюбишь и козла
- Translation: Love is evil; you may even fall in love with a goat.
- Pronunciation: Lyubov’ zla, polyubish’ i kozla.
- Meaning: Love is blind and can lead to unexpected choices.
- С милым рай и в шалаше
- Translation: With your beloved, even a hut is paradise.
- Pronunciation: S milym ray i v shalashe.
- Meaning: Love makes any place feel like heaven.
- Любовь приходит и уходит, а кушать хочется всегда
- Translation: Love comes and goes, but you always want to eat.
- Pronunciation: Lyubov’ prikhodit i ukhodit, a kushat’ khochetsya vsegda.
- Meaning: Practical needs often outweigh fleeting emotions.
- Не родись красивой, а родись счастливой
- Translation: Don’t be born beautiful, be born happy.
- Pronunciation: Ne rodis’ krasivoy, a rodis’ schastlivoy.
- Meaning: Happiness is more important than physical appearance.
- Старый друг лучше новых двух
- Translation: An old friend is better than two new ones.
- Pronunciation: Staryy drug luchshe novykh dvukh.
- Meaning: Long-standing relationships hold more value than new acquaintances.
Russian Proverbs About Patience and Perseverance
- Всё хорошее достаётся тем, кто умеет ждать
- Translation: All good things come to those who wait.
- Pronunciation: Vsyo khoroshee dostayotsya tem, kto umeet zhdat’.
- Meaning: Patience is often rewarded.
- Без труда не вытащишь и рыбку из пруда
- Translation: Without effort, you won’t pull even a fish out of the pond.
- Pronunciation: Bez truda ne vytashchish’ i rybku iz pruda.
- Meaning: Nothing worthwhile comes without hard work.
- Под лежачий камень вода не течёт
- Translation: Water doesn’t flow under a stationary stone.
- Pronunciation: Pod lezhachiy kamen’ voda ne techyot.
- Meaning: You must take action to achieve results.
- Терпение и труд всё перетрут
- Translation: Patience and hard work will grind everything down.
- Pronunciation: Terpeniye i trud vsyo peretrut.
- Meaning: Persistence can overcome any obstacle.
- Вода камень точит
- Translation: Water wears away the stone.
- Pronunciation: Voda kamen’ tochit.
- Meaning: Small, consistent efforts can achieve great results.
Russian Proverbs About Family and Home
- Дом — полная чаша
- Translation: Home is a full cup.
- Pronunciation: Dom — polnaya chasha.
- Meaning: A good home is abundant with love and comfort.
- Яблоко от яблони недалеко падает
- Translation: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
- Pronunciation: Yabloko ot yabloni nedaleko padayet.
- Meaning: Children often resemble their parents.
- В гостях хорошо, а дома лучше
- Translation: Visiting is good, but being at home is better.
- Pronunciation: V gostyakh khorosho, a doma luchshe.
- Meaning: There’s no place like home.
- Свой дом — своя крепость
- Translation: Your home is your fortress.
- Pronunciation: Svoy dom — svoya krepost’.
- Meaning: Home is where you feel safe and secure.
- В своём глазу бревна не видим, а в чужом соринку замечаем
- Translation: We don’t see the log in our own eye, but notice the speck in someone else’s.
- Pronunciation: V svoyom glazu brevna ne vidim, a v chuzhom sorinku zamechayem.
- Meaning: We often overlook our own faults while criticizing others.
Russian Proverbs About Luck and Fortune
- Собака лает, а караван идёт
- Translation: The dog barks, but the caravan moves on.
- Pronunciation: Sobaka layet, a karavan idyot.
- Meaning: Don’t let criticism stop you; keep moving forward.
- Без риску — нет выигрыша
- Translation: No risk, no reward.
- Pronunciation: Bez risku — net vyigrysha.
- Meaning: To achieve something, you have to take risks.
- Кто ищет, тот всегда найдёт
- Translation: He who seeks will always find.
- Pronunciation: Kto ishchet, tot vsegda naydyot.
- Meaning: Persistent efforts eventually lead to success.
- Фортуна улыбается смелым
- Translation: Fortune smiles upon the brave.
- Pronunciation: Fortuna ulybayetsya smelym.
- Meaning: Boldness often leads to success.
- На ловца и зверь бежит
- Translation: The prey runs toward the hunter.
- Pronunciation: Na lovtsa i zver’ bezhit.
- Meaning: Opportunities come to those who are prepared.
Russian Proverbs About Work and Effort
- Без труда не вынешь и рыбку из пруда
Translation: You won’t pull a fish out of the pond without effort.
Pronunciation: Bez truda ne vynesh’ i rybku iz pruda.
Meaning: Success requires hard work. - Дело мастера боится
Translation: The job fears the master.
Pronunciation: Delo mastera boitsya.
Meaning: A skilled worker can overcome any challenge. - Работа не волк — в лес не убежит
Translation: Work isn’t a wolf; it won’t run away into the woods.
Pronunciation: Rabota ne volk — v les ne ubezhit.
Meaning: Work will always be there, so don’t rush. - Без дела сидеть — только небо коптить
Translation: Sitting idle is just polluting the sky.
Pronunciation: Bez dela sidet’ — tol’ko nebo koptit’.
Meaning: It’s wasteful to do nothing. - Тяжело в учении — легко в бою
Translation: Hard in training, easy in battle.
Pronunciation: Tyazhelo v uchenii — legko v boyu.
Meaning: Hard work and preparation make the actual task easier.
Russian Proverbs About Wealth and Money
- Не в деньгах счастье
Translation: Happiness is not in money.
Pronunciation: Ne v dengakh schast’ye.
Meaning: Money doesn’t bring true happiness. - Деньги счет любят
Translation: Money loves to be counted.
Pronunciation: Den’gi schet lyubyat.
Meaning: It’s important to manage your finances carefully. - Легко пришло — легко ушло
Translation: Easy come, easy go.
Pronunciation: Legko prishlo — legko ushlo.
Meaning: Things gained with little effort are often lost easily. - Не имей сто рублей, а имей сто друзей
Translation: Don’t have a hundred rubles, but have a hundred friends.
Pronunciation: Ne imey sto rubley, a imey sto druzey.
Meaning: Friendships are more valuable than money. - Скупой платит дважды
Translation: The miser pays twice.
Pronunciation: Skupoy platit dvazhdy.
Meaning: Being cheap can lead to more expenses in the long run.
Russian Proverbs About Truth and Lies
- Лучше горькая правда, чем сладкая ложь
Translation: Better a bitter truth than a sweet lie.
Pronunciation: Luchshe gorkaya pravda, chem sladkaya lozh’.
Meaning: It’s better to know the harsh truth than to be comforted by lies. - Правда глаза колет
Translation: The truth pricks the eyes.
Pronunciation: Pravda glaza kolet.
Meaning: The truth can be painful to hear. - Ложь коротка, а правда далека
Translation: Lies are short, but the truth goes far.
Pronunciation: Lozh’ korotka, a pravda daleka.
Meaning: Lies are fleeting, but the truth endures. - Правду не скроешь
Translation: You can’t hide the truth.
Pronunciation: Pravdu ne skroyesh’.
Meaning: The truth will eventually come out. - Кто правду говорит, тому Бог помогает
Translation: God helps those who speak the truth.
Pronunciation: Kto pravdu govorit, tomu Bog pomogayet.
Meaning: Honesty is supported by divine forces.
Conclusion:
Russian proverbs and quotes offer more than just words; they encapsulate deep cultural values and life lessons. By reflecting on these sayings, we gain a deeper understanding of Russian perspectives on various aspects of life, from personal well-being to interpersonal relationships. Whether you seek guidance or simply wish to appreciate the beauty of Russian wisdom, these proverbs serve as a meaningful reminder of the shared human experience.
