About the “Odesa Language” (Spoiler: It Does Not Exist)

“Odesa’s language”- is the main and most solid myths of our city. In fact, Odesa citizens do not have any separate language at all! There is Russian language filled by unique words from different world languages, and also by notional turnovers, which could be completely incomprehensible for nonresidents. That’s the way for native citizens of Odesa to know each other.

But it’s not enough just to learn that words and locutions and to find out how to put them in speech – the main that unique tone intonations and facial expressions required, and they sounds natural only from the aborigines. In any different case it looks willfully or comical. However, polite citizen of Odesa will always appreciate the wish of city’s guest to talk “like it used in Odesa”. Of course, he might think “What a shlemazl…”, but his smile will be very polite.

Odesa is a large port and commercial center where the paths of people from many different social strata and groups have long intersected. Each of these communities has left its mark on the vocabulary of the city’s residents. Odesa has always been a multinational city, and today more than one hundred different nationalities live here, each contributing something of its own to the local dialect.

The dialect gradually changes: some expressions become archaic, fall out of use, and are forgotten, while new slang appears in their place. However, the most characteristic expressions are still in use, and today we will help you understand the people of Odesa. If you wish, you may also try speaking “the Odesa way,” but please remember the earlier warning.

It is worth noting that since the beginning of the Russian aggression, more and more residents of Odesa, unwilling to have anything in common with the Russian occupiers who are killing Ukrainians and destroying homes, hospitals, kindergartens, schools, and the city’s infrastructure, have begun to speak exclusively Ukrainian. Perhaps we are witnessing the formation of a new “Odesa language”…

And now let us to get acquaint you with some words and impressions from “Odessa’s language” (but it’s surely not the full list, just the most decent of them):

A SHO TAKÓE (What’s up?) – the most convincing argument in the dispute.

VAS ZDES’ NE STOYÁLO (you have never stood here) – polite warning about possible conflict in a queue.

VOZMĺ GLAZÁ V RÚKI (to take own eyes in own hands) – “you need to look attentively”.

VI MNE PRÓSTO NACHINÁETE NRÁVITSYA! (I’m starting to like you!) – your speech is rather tired already.

GDE VI EST’? (Where are you?) – you can’t compete here; you should not be here.

DVE BOL’SHĺE RÁZHITSI (two big differences) – completely different things.

DÉLAT’ DÉNGI (to make money) – usual business of real Odesa citizen.

EVRÉISKOE SCHÁSTIE (Jewish happiness) – string of bad luck, misfortune.

IMÉT’ BLÉDNYI VID (to have a pale look) – to get into unpleasant situation.

KAK VAM ÉTO NRÁVITSYA? (How do you like it?) – what can you say about that? Well, just look, what’s happened!

KĺNYT’ BRÓVI NA LOB (to throw eyebrows on the forehead) – to be surprised.

LOVĺTE USHÁMI MOĺKH SLOV! (Catch my words by your ears!) – “listen to me very attentively!”

NA MINÚTOCHKY! (Just for a minute!) – try to imagine that!; How could it be!; Wow!

CHTOB YA TAK ZHIL! (Let me live like that!) – “You may not believe me, but swear God, if it is not truth, let everything you want will fall on my head; but if it’s truth – this all will fall on you; because you should not ever doubt and disbelieve me!” – that’s the short translation of this phrase.

NE BERĺ DURNÓGO V GÓLOVY (do not take silly things into the head) – do not take it close to the heart.

NIE FONTAN (not a Fountain) – One of the most widespread Odesa-related terms in other languages. Unlike in those languages, in the language that gave rise to this term the word Fountain is still written with a capital letter. In the past, Odesa—just as today—experienced an acute shortage of good drinking water. At that time, the best water was considered to be the water from Fountain, which is also the name of one of the city’s districts. Very often the carters who delivered drinking water in barrels would collect it wherever they happened to find it, yet they advertised that the water had been brought from Fountain itself. When city residents tasted such water, they would shake their heads and say: “No, this is not Fountain” . From that moment on, the phrase “not Fountain” spread beyond Odesa as a synonym for something counterfeit or of low quality.

NIÉCHEGO LOVĺT’ (nothing to catch) – it’s not possible to find nothing interesting and useful here

POIDĺTE I SPROSĺTE (you can go and ask) – she short translation sounds rather like: “NE MOROCHTE MNE GOLOVY (do not bother me); if you do not believe me – you can check it by yourself, go there and make sure!”

RABÓTAT’ NA YNITÁZ (to work for the toilet) – the work with the salary, which gives only aan opportunity to eat.

ETO BĺLO CHTO-TO! (It was something!…) – it was something wonderful and very significant!

YA VAS YMOLYÁU! (I implore you) – 1) Well, you do not need to worry. 2) There is nothing to talk about (ironic).

YA DĺKO IZVINYÁUS! (I am very sorry!) – please, forgive me, I’m begging.

YA ZNÁU? (Am I know it?) – it’s hard to say; I do not know it; I have no idea about it.

A Little About the “Odesa Language” (Spoiler: It Does Not Exist)

And now let us to get acquaint you with some words and impressions from “Odessa’s language” (but it’s surely not the full list, just the most decent of them):

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