Funny Russian Sayings That Make You Laugh and Learn
What do wolves, bikes, and soup have in common? They all show up in funny Russian sayings! These clever expressions teach kids new vocabulary and offer a peek into how Russians see the world.
What’s a Saying, Anyway?
Sayings (also called idioms) are short phrases that don’t always mean what they say but make sense in context. For example, in English we say “it’s raining cats and dogs,” even though no animals are falling!
Russian has plenty of these too, and they’re a fun way to learn language and culture at the same time.
Some Silly Sayings in Russian
- Без труда не вытащишь и рыбку из пруда.(Bez truda ne vytashchish i rybku iz pruda. – You can’t catch a fish from the pond without effort.)
- Когда я ем, я глух и нем.(Kogda ya yem, ya glukh i nem. – When I eat, I’m deaf and mute.)
- У страха глаза велики.(U strakha glaza veliki. – Fear has big eyes.)
Each one has a story and they’re easy to act out or turn into jokes that stick in memory.
On Dinolingo, kids aged 2–14 can explore fun, age-appropriate Russian phrases and sayings, paired with animations and examples that help them learn without even realizing it!
Creative Activities to Try
Draw the Saying
Pick a Russian idiom and draw what it says literally (like a fish in a pond). Then talk about what it really means.
Make a Joke Book
Start a mini book with silly Russian sayings and their meanings. Add drawings, English translations, and phonetic spelling.
Funny sayings help kids laugh while learning Russian and that’s a win-win!
Sources: