russisch
Russian
Relates to Russia, its inhabitants, its culture, or its language.
EXAMPLE
Wir haben gestern ein traditionelles russisches Gericht gekocht.
Yesterday we cooked a traditional Russian dish.
russisch
Russian
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Meanings
Russisch Roulette
Russian roulette
A life-threatening game of chance; usually used metaphorically for an action with an extremely high, incalculable risk.
EXAMPLE
Ohne funktionierende Bremsen zu fahren, ist wie Russisch Roulette zu spielen.
Driving without functioning brakes is like playing Russian roulette.
Usage tips
Capitalization
A common mistake: the adjective 'russisch' (Russian) is written in lowercase in German. But if you mean the language, it is a noun and is capitalized: 'das Russische' or simply 'Russisch'.
EXAMPLE
Er liest gerne russische Autoren im Original.
He likes reading Russian authors in the original.
Typical collocations
The adjective is often connected with culture, language, food, or mentality. Typical combinations are 'die russische Seele' (the Russian soul), 'russische Spezialitäten' (Russian specialties), or 'die russische Geschichte' (Russian history).
EXAMPLE
Zum Frühstück gab es Blini, eine russische Spezialität.
For breakfast there were blini, a Russian specialty.
Metaphorical meaning
The expression 'Russisch Roulette' (Russian roulette) is almost always used metaphorically. It describes an extremely risky action with an unpredictable, potentially catastrophic outcome.
EXAMPLE
Eine Firma ohne Geschäftsplan zu gründen, ist wie Russisch Roulette.
Starting a company without a business plan is like Russian roulette.
Compare with
russisch vs sowjetisch
Soviet
Russisch and sowjetisch can refer to the history, culture, or people of this region. russisch refers to Russia, its population, culture, or language; sowjetisch refers to the former Soviet Union and its political and governmental context. So check whether Russia or the USSR is meant.
russisch
Die Ausstellung zeigt russische Literatur aus dem heutigen Russland.
The exhibition features Russian literature from present-day Russia.
sowjetisch
Die Ausstellung zeigt sowjetische Plakate aus der Zeit der UdSSR.
The exhibition features Soviet posters from the time of the USSR.
In real life
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