There are a lot of ways to say "a lot" in Russian
While I prepared this article I decided to count all possible ways to say “много” in Russian. Being a native speaker, I was really surprised that there are over 150 words and phraseologisms which mean “a lot.” Of course, I will not give you all of them, but if you want to diversify your Russian to sound like a native speaker, I offer you some of the most common synonyms and idioms to express the same idea instead of repeating this boring and overused word “много.”
Words synonyms
In the first group you can find synonyms which are similar to English “oodles of,” “heaps of,” “a large amount of," etc.
Ку́ча
kúcha
Examples:
- куча денег - oodles of money
- куча проблем - a bunch of problems
- Я не могу пойти в кино сегодня, потому что у меня куча дел. - I cannot go to the cinema today because I have a lot of things to do.
У́йма
Úyma
Examples:
- уйма времени - lots of time
- уйма бумаги - lots of paper
- Он прочитал уйму книг, чтобы начать свой бизнес. - He read lots of books to start his own business.
Полно́
palnó
Examples:
- Полно людей - lots of people
- Полно грибов - lots of mushrooms
- В современных супермаркетах полно разной еды. - There are a lot of different food in modern supermarkets.
Мно́жество
Mnózhestva
Examples:
- Множество фактов - many facts
- Множество звёзд - a multitude of stars
- Этот спортсмен выиграл множество медалей за свою спортивную карьеру. - This athlete has won many medals for his sport career.
Popular phraseologisms are organized in the second group.
Idioms
Ку́ры не клюю́т
Kúry ni klyuyút a dime a dozen
Literally it is translated as “hens do not peck.” It is a humorous expression which means that even gluttonous hens cannot eat something because there is a great amount of it. It is usually used with the word “деньги” in the genitive case.
Example:
- Он может купить всё - у него денег куры не клюют. - He can buy anything - he has money to burn.
Как соба́к нере́заных
Kak sabák nirézanykh as many of somebody/something as stray dogs
Example:
- Трудно получить эту должность, так как кандидатов как собак нерезаных. It is difficult to get this position because there are as many candidates as stray dogs.
Непоча́тый край
Nipochátyy kray no end of
Commonly used with the word “дело” in genitive plural case.
Example:
- У неё непочатый край дел, о которых она хочет поговорить с начальником. She has an unending number of questions to ask her boss.
Ваго́н и ма́ленькая теле́жка
Vagón i málin'kaya tilézhka a wagon and a small truck
Example:
- После отпуска у неё было новостей вагон и маленькая тележка. After the holidays, she’s got scads of news.
Try to use one of these phrases during your conversation with a native speaker and you will surprise them a lot!
2016年8月11日
