Wishing Someone Luck
The neutral wish is желать удачи — Желаю удачи! (I wish you luck). Before an exam or a performance Russians prefer the hunting formula Ни пуха ни пера! — literally "neither down nor feather". The only correct reply is К чёрту! — "to the devil!" — because thanking for this wish is believed to spoil it.
| I wish you luck in the exam! | Желаю удачи на экзамене! |
Meeting Again
| formula | when |
|---|---|
| Какими судьбами? | "what fates bring you here?" — surprised delight at running into someone |
| Сколько лет, сколько зим! | "how many summers, how many winters!" — after a long separation |
Both are warm, spoken, and always exclamations.
| Fancy meeting you here! | Какими судьбами ты здесь? |
The Dark Formula
Мои соболезнования — my condolences — is what one says at a loss. Fuller: Примите мои соболезнования. (Please accept my condolences.) It is formal, quiet, and always plural.
| Please accept my condolences. | Примите мои соболезнования. |
Repair Work
Прощение is forgiveness as a noun; просить прощения — to ask forgiveness — is its everyday frame, one step deeper than извините. Найти общий язык (to find a common language) is what two people do when they finally understand each other, and взять себя в руки (to take oneself into one's hands) is what you do first.
Он попросил прощения у сестры. — He asked his sister's forgiveness. Мы быстро нашли общий язык. — We quickly found common ground.
| Pull yourself together and speak calmly. | Возьми себя в руки и говори спокойно. |
