When we reach a higher level in English, we have a desire to discuss serious topics related to philosophy, politics, and society. In deep conversations, many people like to appeal to the opinions of famous personalities. As you know, a reference to authority always helps to convince the interlocutor, helps to correctly build an argument and express one’s thoughts. Therefore, at a certain stage of learning English, you will decide to learn some quotes in English. In principle, it will not be difficult for someone who has a good level of language to translate some familiar aphorisms from Russian. But here it is important to understand that the translation you make may not be accurate, and therefore unusual to the ear of an English speaker, and any slightest mistake often completely distorts the meaning. That is why it is better to memorize some statements immediately in English.
To make it easier for you to learn quotes in English, choose phrases that are close to you. If a statement seems meaningless and is at odds with the learner’s personal beliefs, then it is unlikely to be remembered quickly. Remember famous personalities that inspire you. It is their statements that should be addressed first. Next, you can remember your favorite books, films, characters. It is known that people who read a lot often turn into a “collection of aphorisms.” Hence the conclusion: if you want to look intelligent in the eyes of a foreign interlocutor, read as much literature as possible in the original. Movies and TV series are also suitable. Rewatching our favorite episodes from “Sherlock”, “Game of Thrones”, “Peaky Blinders” in the original, we involuntarily remember the significant statements of the characters. Music videos are especially good in this regard. Phrases from your favorite English-language songs are stored in memory by themselves, without any effort on our part.
When you start looking for quotes with meaning in English with translation into Russian, you will probably find that many of the sayings are not the first time you have heard them. The thing is that the smart thoughts of famous personalities or characters are, for the most part, universal for the whole world, and not just for the USA or Great Britain. This is especially true for universal human values, such as friendship, love, beauty, the meaning of life. It is possible that some statement by Winston Churchill regarding the restoration of the British economy after the Second World War will not be translated into Russian. But the politician’s phrases on the topic of success will become widespread in our country. Many interesting thoughts can be gleaned from ancient Greek thinkers.
And here is a list of famous sayings in English with translation, many of which you are probably familiar with:
Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something. - Wise people speak because they have something to say, fools - because they have to say something. Plato
Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice. - Chop your own firewood, and you will stay warm twice. Henry Ford
I don't care what you think about me. I don’t think about you at all. - I don't care what you think about me, I don't think about you at all. Coco Chanel
Work hard to get what you like, otherwise you"ll be forced to just like what you get. - Work hard to get what you love, otherwise you will have to love what you got. Bernard Shaw
In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. - In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Martin Luther King
When you do something noble and beautiful and nobody noticed, do not be sad. For the sun every morning is a beautiful spectacle and yet most of the audience still sleeps. - If you do something beautiful and sublime, and no one notices it, don’t be upset: the sun puts on a wonderful spectacle every morning, but most of the spectators are still sleeping at that time. John Lennon
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. The weak never forgive. The ability to forgive is a property of the strong. Mahatma Gandhi
Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm. Success is the ability to move from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. Winston Churchill
There is no such thing as an accident. What we call by that name is the effect of some cause which we do not see. There are no coincidences. What we call them is a consequence of some cause that is inaccessible to our gaze. Voltaire
The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that"s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks. - The biggest risk is not taking any risks. In a world that is changing very quickly, only one strategy guarantees failure: no risk. Mark Zuckerberg
Quotes about life in English
Let's imagine that you are about to spend an evening in the company of film critics, but at the same time all your knowledge in this area is limited to memories of the climactic scene from the comedy "Love and Doves." What to do in such a situation so as not to look like a complete layman or a closed person at the meeting, unable to utter a word? At least prepare yourself a little for the evening by watching a couple of films from directors favored by film critics. You will not watch all the millions of films, but will choose only the most striking and necessary for a specific life situation. The same goes for finding quotes to study. There are countless aphorisms in the world, but you will choose the brightest and most useful ones in everyday life.
The list of the best quotes in English is individual for everyone. It will depend on your profession and range of interests. But there are also universal human themes, the most relevant of which, perhaps, is life. In the table we have collected for you several famous sayings on this topic.
Quotes about life in English with translation
- Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about. Life is too serious a thing to talk about seriously. O. Wilde
- Our life is what our thoughts make it. Our life is what we think about it. M. Aurelius
- Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there"s so much to smile about. Smile, because life is a beautiful thing, and there are many reasons to smile. M. Monroe
- Life is a series of choices. Life is a series of choices. Nostradamus
- The purpose of life is to live correctly, think correctly, and act correctly. The purpose of life is to live right, think right and act right. M. Gandhi
- As long as man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. As long as man mercilessly destroys lower beings, he will never know health and peace. As long as people kill animals, they will kill each other. Pythagoras
- The first thing you learn in life is you"re a fool. The last thing you learn in life is you"re the same fool. The first thing you learn in life is that you are a fool. The last thing you find out is that you are still the same fool. R. Bradbury
Aphorisms about love in English with translation
Perhaps one of the few topics that can compete with questions of existence is love. People can talk about feelings endlessly, and in a wide variety of life situations, be it meeting a friend over a cup of coffee or discussing a just-released episode of a popular TV series. In order to bring the topic of love to a higher intellectual level in conversations, it will be useful to “stock up” on quotes in English. And here are some of them:
- Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; Does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; Does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. - Love is long-suffering, merciful, love does not envy, love does not exalt itself, is not proud, does not act outrageously, does not seek its own, is not irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth. Apostle Paul
- If you love something set it free; if it comes back, it "s yours. If it doesn"t it never was. - If you love something, let it go. If it's yours, it will come back. If not, then it was never yours. Richard Bach.
- For true love is inexhaustible; the more you give, the more you have. And if you go to draw at the true fountainhead, the more water you draw, the more abundant is its flow. - True love is inexhaustible: the more you give, the more you receive. And if you go to the true source for water, the more you draw, the more abundant its flow. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
- Love is a friendship set to music. - Love is friendship set to music. Joseph Campbell.
Famous phrases in English
Expressions in English can be taken not only from books and films, but also from magazines and social networks. It's no secret that sites like Facebook or VKontakte are full of various quotes. But in order for your news feed to be replete with phrases in English about life, love, friendship, you need to make foreign friends online and subscribe to English-language pages. Usually, phrases already familiar in Russian are easily remembered. Here are just some of the well-known English aphorisms with translation:
- Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. - Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. Confucius
- In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. - At the center of difficulty lies opportunity. Albert Einstein
- Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. - The great have often faced fierce opposition from mediocre minds. Albert Einstein
- And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. - If you stare into the abyss for too long, the abyss begins to peer into you. Friedrich Nietzsche
- Only two things we"ll regret on deathbed – that we are a little loved and little traveled. - Only two things we will regret on our deathbed: that we loved little and traveled little. Mark Twain
- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Oscar Wilde
Quotes in English from books, films and TV series
“The first rule of Fight Club: don’t tell anyone about Fight Club...”, “Oatmeal, sir!”, “To be or not to be, that is the question,” - surely each of us has favorite quotes from films and books and TV series. Sometimes one such statement is enough for the interlocutor to immediately recognize you as “their” person. Below we have collected for you some English sayings with translation into Russian. All these quotes are voiced by legendary characters in films, books and TV series.
- My mom always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. My mother always said that life is like a box of chocolates. You never know which one you're going to get (“Forrest Gump”).
- We buy things we don't need, to impress people we don't like. - We buy things we don't need to impress people we don't like (Fight Club).
- And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye. - Here is my secret, it is very simple: only the heart is vigilant. You can’t see the most important things with your eyes (“The Little Prince”, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry).
- You need to take your enemy"s side if you"re going to see things the way they do. - You need to take the side of the enemy if you want to see things the same way he does (Game of Thrones).
- Elementary, my dear Watson! - Elementary, my dear Watson! (Sherlock Holmes)
- To be, or not to be: that is the question. - To be or not to be – that is the question (“Hamlet”, Shakespeare).
One of the quotes about the English language says that the most famous dead languages are ancient Greek, Latin and standard English. If you want to learn the kind of English that is heard in New York offices, London cafes and on the air of American channels, then it is better, of course, to focus on quotes from modern TV shows and best-selling books. Literary English, which is used by the characters in TV series based on the novels of Jane Austen, Dickens or the Bronte sisters, is, of course, beautiful in itself. But it is not suitable for life. But you can literally parse modern TV shows into quotes. Many of the replicas of the heroes of such projects are ready-made speech structures that are useful in a variety of situations.
We all find it difficult to stay positive from time to time, because life is not an easy thing. If you can't see the glass half full, reading inspirational quotes about life can pull you out of the depths of despondency. These 60 quotes in English will help you see the amazing opportunities life has to offer.
About success
Dirima/Depositphotos.com1. "Success is the child of audacity." (Benjamin Disraeli)
"Success is the child of courage." (Benjamin Disraeli)
2. “Success is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perception.” (Thomas Edison)
Success is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.
Thomas Edison, inventor
3. "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." (Winston Churchill)
“Success is the ability to move from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” (Winston Churchill)
4. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” (Wayne Gretzky)
“You will miss 100 times out of 100 shots you never take.” (Wayne Gretzky)
Wayne Gretzky is an outstanding Canadian hockey player, one of the most famous athletes of the 20th century.
5. “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” (Charles Darwin)
“It is not the strongest or the smartest who survive, but the one who best adapts to change.” (Charles Darwin)
6. “Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” (Farrah Gray)
Make your own dreams come true, or someone else will hire you to make theirs come true.
Farrah Gray, American businessman, philanthropist and writer
7. “The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.” (Confucius)
“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the desire to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will open the door to personal excellence.” (Confucius)
8. "Fall seven times and stand up eight." (Japanese Proverb)
“Fall seven times, get up eight.” (Japanese proverb)
9. “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” (Helen Keller)
"There is no worthy goal shortcuts" (Helen Keller)
Helen Keller is an American writer, lecturer, and political activist.
10. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success." (Herman Cain)
“Success is not the key to happiness. This happiness is the key to success." (Herman Kane)
Herman Cain is an American businessman and Republican politician.
About personality
Léa Dubedout/unsplash.com 1. “The mind is everything. What do you think you become? Buddha
“The mind is everything. What you think is what you become.” (Buddha)
2. “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light" (Plato)
“You can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when adults are afraid of the light.” (Plato)
3. “When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion." (Abraham Lincoln)
“When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. This is my religion." (Abraham Lincoln)
4. “Be soft. Don't let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.” (Kurt Vonnegut)
“Be gentle. Don't let the world make you bitter. Don't let pain make you hate. Don't let bitterness steal your sweetness. Be proud that even if the world doesn’t agree with you, you still think it’s a wonderful place.” (Kurt Vonnegut)
5. “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions." (Stephen Covey)
I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.
Stephen Covey, American leadership and life management consultant, teacher
6. “Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)
“Remember: no one can make you feel humiliated without your consent.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)
7. “It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” (Abraham Lincoln)
“It’s not the number of years you live that matters, but the quality of your life during those years.” (Abraham Lincoln)
8. “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” (Benjamin Franklin)
9. "There are people who have money and people who are rich." (Coco Chanel)
"There are people who have money and there are rich people." (Coco Chanel)
10. “The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask. There can’t be any large-scale revolution until there’s a personal revolution, on an individual level. It’s going to happen inside first.” (Jim Morrison)
“The most important freedom is the freedom to be yourself. You exchange your reality for a role, you exchange common sense for a performance. You refuse to feel and instead put on a mask. No large-scale revolution is possible without a personal revolution, a revolution at the personal level. It must first happen within.” (Jim Morrison)
About life
Michael Fertig/unsplash.com 1. “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” (Mae West)
“We live once, but if you manage your life correctly, then once is enough.” (Mae West)
Mae West is an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol, one of the most scandalous stars of her time.
2. “Happiness lies in good health and a bad memory.” (Ingrid Bergman)
"Happiness is good health and bad memory." (Ingrid Bergman)
3. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” (Steve Jobs)
“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.” ()
4. “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” (Mark Twain)
The two most important days in your life: the day you were born and the day you realized why.
Mark Twain, writer
5. “If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.” (Oprah Winfrey)
“If you look at what you already have in life, you will gain even more. If you look at what you don't have, you will always be missing something." (Oprah Winfrey)
6. “Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.” (Charles Swindoll)
“Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.” (Charles Swindoll)
Charles Swindoll is a Christian pastor, radio preacher and author.
7. “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, I’m possible!” (Audrey Hepburn)
"Nothing is impossible. This very word contains possibility*!” (Audrey Hepburn)
* The English word impossible (“impossible”) can be written as I’m possible (literally “I’m possible”).
8. “Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." (William Faulkner)
Always dream and strive to exceed the limit of your capabilities. Don't set out to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Strive to be better than yourself.
William Faulkner, writer
9. “When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down 'happy'. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” (John Lennon)
“When I was five years old, my mother always said that happiness is the most important thing in life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote: “A happy person.” Then they told me that I didn’t understand the question, and I answered that they don’t understand life.” (John Lennon)
10. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” (Dr. Seuss)
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” (Dr. Seuss)
Dr. Seuss is an American children's author and cartoonist.
About love
Nathan Walker/unsplash.com 1. "You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." (Buddha)
“You yourself, no less than anyone else in the Universe, deserve your love.” (Buddha)
2. "Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired." (Robert Frost)
“Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.” (Robert Frost)
3. "The very essence of romance is uncertainty." (Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earned and Other Plays)
“The whole point of romantic relationships is uncertainty.” (Oscar Wilde, “The Importance of Being Earnest” and Other Plays)
4. “It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight.” (Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita)
“It was love at first sight, at last sight, at eternal sight.” (Vladimir Nabokov, “Lolita”)
5. “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” (Dr. Seuss)
“You know you're in love when you can't sleep because reality is finally more beautiful than your dreams.” (Dr. Seuss)
6. “True love is rare, and it’s the only thing that gives life real meaning.” (Nicholas Sparks, Message in a Bottle)
“True love is rare, and only it gives true meaning to life.” (Nicholas Sparks, Message in a Bottle)
Nicholas Sparks is a famous American writer.
7. “When love is not madness it is not love.” (Pedro Calderon de la Barca)
If love is not crazy, then it is not love.
Pedro Calderon de la Barca, Spanish playwright and poet
8. “And he took her in his arms and kissed her under the sunlit sky, and he cared not that they stood high upon the walls in the sight of many.” (J. R. R. Tolkien)
"And he hugged her and kissed her under the sunlit sky, and he didn't care that they were standing high on the wall with the crowd watching." (J. R. R. Tolkien)
“Love everyone, trust your chosen ones and do no harm to anyone.” (William Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well)
10. “Never compare your love story with those in the movies, because they are written by scriptwriters. Yours is written by God." (Unknown)
“Never compare your love story to movies. They were invented by screenwriters, but yours was written by God himself.” (Author unknown)
About study and education
diego_cervo/Depositphotos.com 1. "The limits of my language are the limits of my world." (Ludwig Wittgenstein)
“The boundaries of my language are the boundaries of my world.” (Ludwig Wittgenstein)
Ludwig Wittgenstein - Austrian philosopher and logician of the first half of the 20th century.
2. "Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere." (Chinese Proverb)
“Knowledge is a treasure that follows those who possess it everywhere.” (Chinese proverb)
3. “You can never understand one language until you understand at least two.” (Geoffrey Willans)
“You will never understand one language until you understand at least two.” (Geoffrey Willans)
Geoffrey Willans is an English writer and journalist.
4. “To have another language is to possess a second soul.” (Charlemagne)
To speak a second language means to have a second soul.
Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor
5. “Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow.” (Oliver Wendell Holmes)
“Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts flow and from which they grow.” (Oliver Wendell Holmes)
6. "Knowledge is power". (Sir Francis Bacon)
"Knowledge is power". (Francis Bacon)
7. “Learning is a gift. Even when pain is your teacher.” (Maya Watson)
“Knowledge is a gift. Even when pain is your teacher." (Maya Watson)
8. "You can never be overdressed or overeducated." (Oscar Wilde)
"You can't be too well dressed or too well educated." (Oscar Wilde)
9. “Never make fun of someone who speaks broken English. It means they know another language.” (H. Jackson Brown, Jr.)
“Never laugh at a person who speaks broken English. This means that he knows another language.” (H. Jackson Brown Jr.)
H. Jackson Brown Jr. is an American writer.
10. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." (Mahatma Gandhi)
Live as if you will die tomorrow. Study as if you will live forever.
Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political and public figure
With humor
Octavio Fossatti/unsplash.com 1. “Have no fear of perfection; you'll never reach it." (Salvador Dali)
“Don't be afraid of perfection; you will never achieve it.” (Salvador Dali)
2. “Only two things are infinite - the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.” (Albert Einstein)
Two things are infinite - the Universe and human stupidity, but I'm not sure about the Universe.
Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist, one of the founders of modern theoretical physics
3. “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.” (Mark Twain)
“Have only ignorance and self-confidence in life, and success will follow.” (Mark Twain)
4. “If a book about failures doesn’t sell, is it a success?” (Jerry Seinfeld)
“If a book about failure doesn’t sell, can it be considered a success?” (Jerry Seinfeld)
Jerry Seinfeld is an American actor, stand-up comedian and screenwriter.
5. “Life is pleasant.” Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.” (Isaac Asimov)
“Life is pleasant. Death is serene. The whole problem is in the transition from one to the other.” (Isaac Asimov)
6. “Accept who you are. Unless you're a serial killer." (Ellen DeGeneres, Seriously...I'm Kidding»
“Accept yourself for who you are. Unless you're a serial killer." (Ellen DeGeneres, "Seriously...I'm Kidding")
Ellen DeGeneres is an American actress, television host and comedian.
7. “A pessimist is a man who thinks everyone is as nasty as himself, and hates them for it.” (George Bernard Shaw)
“A pessimist is a person who considers everyone as unbearable as himself and hates them for it.” (George Bernard Shaw)
8. “Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them more.” (Oscar Wilde)
Always forgive your enemies - nothing irritates them more.
Oscar Wilde, English philosopher, writer and poet
9. “If you would like to know the value of money, try to borrow some.” (Benjamin Franklin)
“Do you want to know the value of money? Try borrowing." (Benjamin Franklin)
10. “Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.” (Stephen Hawking)
"Life would be tragic if it weren't so funny." ()
Have you ever wondered what famous Soviet comedies would sound like in English? It would be especially interesting to know how well-known catchphrases from these films. Usually we search and sort out interesting quotes from foreign films, but this time we decided to go the opposite way and find Soviet films in professional translation into English, and see how the translators coped with the task of translating catchphrases.
We managed to find an excellent website with professional translation Soviet films into English. We advise you to watch several Russian films in English - this is a great help to expand your vocabulary, develop your sense of speech and learn to establish linguistic correspondences, rather than translating everything word for word.
In this article we will look at two comedies: “The Diamond Arm” and “Gentlemen of Fortune”. We suggest you first watch the episode, and then analyze its translation and expand your vocabulary with useful English expressions.
"The Diamond Arm" in English
I suppose you don’t remember a thing? - Don’t you remember anything?
I remember very well. - Why? I remember.
Do you remember what? - What do you remember?
- I guess you don't remember anything.
- I remember very well.
- Remember what?
I fell, I was knocked out, and I had this cast...later when I woke up.
Let's look at useful vocabulary:
- Instead of “fell” in the English version, Semyon Semenych says that he was knocked out, using a phrasal verb knock out (remember that the first letter in the word “knock” is not readable).
- For the word woke up, the English version also uses the phrasal verb - come to , which means to wake up after fainting or surgery.
I want to see you dead! I want to see you in your grave with a shroud around you. And now I would like to see you living on your salary.You're dead! Schaub I saw you in a coffin with white slippers! May you live on one salary!
Literal translation of the English version:
I want to see you dead! I want to see you in your grave with a shroud around you. And I would also like to see you living on one salary!
Let's look at useful vocabulary:
The expression “I wish I saw you in a coffin with white slippers!” was replaced when translated into “I want to see you in a grave (grave |ɡreɪv|) with a shroud (shroud - the cloth in which a dead body is wrapped) around you.” Apparently, the phrase about “white slippers” is incomprehensible to native English speakers, but it’s a pity that all the flavor has been lost.
-The only thing about this is getting him in a right condition, it doesn’t great match - I’m just afraid: how to get him into condition - he doesn’t drink much.
-Yes... To quote our dear chief, when there’s a sucker who pays, you’ll see teetotalers drink, and that includes those who have also ulcers. - Well, as our dear boss says: “Even teetotalers and ulcer sufferers drink at someone else’s expense.”
Literal translation of the English version:
There is only one “but” in bringing it to the correct condition; it is not entirely suitable.
To quote our dear boss: “When there is a sucker who pays, you will see teetotalers drinking, including those with ulcers.
Let's look at useful vocabulary:
- To say that bringing the teetotal Semyon to the correct “condition” is not quite comme il faut, in the English version the hero uses the phrase “it doesn’t great match.” Great match is a stable phrase that means “excellent match”, “great fit”.
- To the fact that this option is not entirely suitable, they object to him that anyone will drink at someone else’s expense - both teetotalers and ulcers. The expression at someone else’s expense was replaced during translation with “when there’s a sucker who pays.” Sucker in this case means “sucker.” That is, when there is a sucker who pays, both teetotalers (teetotalers or, teetotal |ˌtiːˈtoʊtl|) and ulcers will drink.
"Gentlemen of Fortune" in English
Greetings, gentlemen! That's it! End of the line. This is where we get off.
All! There will be no kin - the electricity has run out!
Literal translation of the English version:
- Greetings, gentlemen!
This is all. Ending station. This is where we exit.
Let's look at useful vocabulary:
- For some reason, the phrase “there will be no cinema - the electricity has run out” was replaced with the expression “final stop. This is where we get off" (End of the line. This is where we get off ) , - to us personally original version seems much more fun. But, in fairness, it should be noted that the idiom end of the line, which means the final stop, can be used (as in this case) in a figurative sense and mean something like the Russian phrase “well, that’s it, we’ve arrived!”
- Also in this episode the verb gett off was used - it means getting out of public transport.
Could you guys please knock it off. This is getting to be a real drag: remember, don’t remember. Let's get some shut-eye. - Shut up, please. They arranged a daisy here: I remember, I don’t remember. Let me sleep
Literal translation of the English version:
Guys, could you please stop? This is becoming a real tedious thing: I remember, I don’t remember. Let's get some sleep.
Let's look at useful vocabulary:
- Drag - means a boring thing or a boring person, can also be used to mean "boring". In this case, the statement “this is getting to be a real drag” can be translated as “this is becoming a real bore” (and about the daisy it was more fun, they could have already said that they were doing fortune-telling here, since they don’t have a tradition of telling fortunes with daisies: ).
- To get some shut-eye is an idiom that means “to sleep”, “to take a nap”.
Wipe your feet, please. Please, close the door. - Wipe your feet, please. Close the doors.
Hey, this is a groove - well, you give it
Do you like it? - like?
Chow time, fellas. Sit down, help yourself. - Dinner is served. Please sit down and eat
Literal translation of the English version:
- Wipe your feet, please. Close the door.
This is beauty!
Do you like it?
There is time, friends. Sit down and help yourself.
Let's look at useful vocabulary:
- A groove |ɡruːv| in this context - “charm”, “beauty”. That is, “Hey, this is a groove” is translated as an enthusiastic “this is beauty!” We absolutely agree with this translation, because in English “well, you give it!” in a literal translation it would sound strange :)
- But “food is served” was translated as “there is time” - сhow time. Chow is a slang word meaning the same as food.
- Fellas - an appeal to friends
- Help yourself is by no means an offer to help yourself, but a stable phrase that means “help yourself”
We hope you were interested in learning how famous sayings from Soviet cinema were translated into English :). If you want even more lessons like this, write about it in the comments, and we will definitely analyze expressions from other Soviet films.
Watching movies in English is one of the most enjoyable ways to learn new vocabulary. And not only individual words, but also epic remarks, which then become popular throughout the world. We have collected catchphrases - famous phrases from movies that you can easily use in everyday life today.
If you like to train your language with the help of films and TV series, we recommend downloading the personal English learning plan for film lovers. This is a pdf document of several pages with step-by-step recommendations on what, how and when to watch. Get it for free. Well, now - to the best movie quotes of all time.
"Star Wars", 1977 - 2018
The legendary parting words of the Jedi Knights were spoken 16 times by different characters in seven episodes of the cult saga. The phrase quickly became a pun and became " May the Fourth be with you"(English) May- May, Fourth- fourth). As a result, fans proclaimed May the Fourth a Star Wars holiday.
Even politicians liked the redone quote. On the day that Margaret Thatcher received the post of Prime Minister of Great Britain (this happened on May 4, 1979), the Conservative Party published the following text in a London newspaper: “ May the Fourth Be with You, Maggie. Congratulations"(May the fourth of May be with you, Maggie. Congratulations."
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, 1975
The Oscar-winning drama, based on the novel by Ken Kesey, takes place in a psychiatric clinic. At the climax, the main character (played by Jack Nicholson) bets a cigarette that he can lift a heavy washbasin off the floor. Other patients observe his efforts: McMurphy sweats, veins bulge in his neck, but in the end nothing works. Then he utters the famous phrase “ At least I tried” (“At least I tried”), which is now used all over the world when they want to say that the attempt may be even more important than the result.
"Die Hard", 1988 - 2013
The phrase of policeman John McClane has long been his business card: it sounds in all five parts of the American action film. According to the laws of the genre, the main character fights with villains, smokes a lot and jokes aptly in the most tense moments. For example, the crown " Yippee-kai-yay, motherfucker!"(traditional exclamation of American cowboys) McClane gives out every time he is about to kill another enemy.
Interestingly, in the Russian dubbing there were problems with the phrase: in different translations it sounded like “Yo-ho-ho, bastard”, “You’ll be surprised, son of a bitch”, “Okay, wait, motherfucker” and “Bye-bye, jerk".
Titanic, 1997
One of the most recognizable scenes of the blockbuster: Leonardo DiCaprio's hero - young artist Jack Dawson - stands on the deck of a luxury liner and experiences probably the best moment of his life. In euphoria he shouts: “ I am the king of the world"("I am the king of life"). Rumor has it that this moment was not written into the script, and the line was simply an emotional reaction from DiCaprio himself.
But what difference does it make, because the improvisation turned out to be successful. The phrase became popular, and even the director of the film, James Cameron, used it when he received an Oscar for his work on Titanic.
"Gone with the Wind", dir. Victor Fleming, 1939
The phrase became the leader in the rating of movie quotes compiled by. In one of the most dramatic moments in cinema history, Scarlett O'Hara (played by Vivien Leigh) confesses her love to Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) and begs him to stay with her: “ If you go, where shall I go? What should I do?"(If you leave, where should I go? What should I do?").
But cold-blooded Rhett is merciless and answers like this: “ Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn"(To be honest, darling, I don't care.") After this, the hero dissolves into the fog, and Scarlett, having stopped sobbing, utters another legendary line: “ I'll think about it tomorrow" ("I will think about it tomorrow").
"The Godfather", dir. Francis Ford Coppola, 1972
Young singer Johnny Fontaine asks his godfather, influential mafioso Don Vito Corleone, to convince the head of a local film studio to give him a role in the film. “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse,” replies the charismatic gangster played by Marlon Brando. It is obvious that he means a veiled ultimatum.
"Terminator", dir. James Cameron, 1984
A cyborg terminator played by Arnold Schwarzenegger comes to the police station to find Sarah Connor, whom he must kill. At the moment when the duty officer asks him to leave, “Iron Arnie” says the legendary “ I'll be back" ("I'll be back"). Later, Schwarzenegger used the phrase not only in other parts of the Terminator, but also in films not related to the franchise. Among them are “Total Recall”, “Commando” and “Kindergarten Cop”.
In addition, the line became the object of parodies and was heard in an ironic manner, for example, in The Simpsons, American Pie and Rambo 2. And former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev once joked, combining two quotes from a science fiction action movie: after a meeting with Schwarzenegger in California, the politician said: “ I'll be back. Hasta la vista"(I'll be back. Goodbye.")
