المعنى
Making a bad situation worse.
خلفية ثقافية
The idiom is a favorite of 19th-century Russian realists. Dostoevsky often used fire metaphors to describe the 'burning' souls of his characters. When a character 'pours oil,' it's often a pivotal moment of moral failure. In political talk shows (which are very popular and often loud), hosts or guests are frequently accused of 'подливание масла в огонь' to increase ratings through conflict. Russians value 'искренность' (sincerity), but also 'тактичность' (tact). Knowing when you are 'pouring oil' is a sign of high emotional intelligence in Russian social circles. In Soviet comedies, this phrase was often used ironically. A character might 'pour oil' while thinking they are helping, leading to comedic chaos.
Use 'Только'
Adding the word 'только' (only/just) before the verb makes the idiom sound much more natural and emphasizes the frustration: 'Это только подлило масла в огонь'.
Aspect Matters
If you are describing a person's character (they always make things worse), use 'подливать'. If you are describing a specific event that just happened, use 'подлил'.
المعنى
Making a bad situation worse.
Use 'Только'
Adding the word 'только' (only/just) before the verb makes the idiom sound much more natural and emphasizes the frustration: 'Это только подлило масла в огонь'.
Aspect Matters
If you are describing a person's character (they always make things worse), use 'подливать'. If you are describing a specific event that just happened, use 'подлил'.
The 'Gasoline' Upgrade
If you want to sound very modern and emphasize that the situation exploded instantly, use 'бензин' (gasoline) instead of 'масло'.
اختبر نفسك
Fill in the missing word in the correct form.
Его резкое замечание только подлило ______ в огонь.
The idiom traditionally uses the partitive genitive 'масла'.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly to mean 'making a situation worse'?
Выберите правильный вариант:
This is the figurative use describing the escalation of an emotion (anger).
Match the action to the result.
Если в разгар ссоры ты напомнишь другу о его старой ошибке, ты...
Reminding someone of a past mistake during an argument is a classic way to escalate it.
Complete the dialogue.
- Мама уже злится, что мы не убрались. - Давай скажем ей, что мы ещё и вазу разбили. - Нет, это только ______.
Adding more bad news to an already angry person will definitely make things worse.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
بنك التمارين
4 تمارينЕго резкое замечание только подлило ______ в огонь.
The idiom traditionally uses the partitive genitive 'масла'.
Выберите правильный вариант:
This is the figurative use describing the escalation of an emotion (anger).
Если в разгар ссоры ты напомнишь другу о его старой ошибке, ты...
Reminding someone of a past mistake during an argument is a classic way to escalate it.
- Мама уже злится, что мы не убрались. - Давай скажем ей, что мы ещё и вазу разбили. - Нет, это только ______.
Adding more bad news to an already angry person will definitely make things worse.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةNot inherently, but it is critical. You are accusing someone of making a situation worse, so use it carefully if speaking directly to them.
No. It is almost exclusively used for negative situations like arguments, scandals, or crises.
'Подлить' is more common and fits the 'liquid' metaphor better. 'Добавить' is slightly more formal but less vivid.
No! Water puts out fire. That would be the opposite of the idiom's meaning.
Yes, very often to describe how a bad decision or a competitor's move made a market situation worse.
It's the partitive genitive, meaning 'some oil.' It's a common feature in Russian for substances.
Yes, 'подлить бензинчика' is a more casual, slightly cynical way to say it.
Yes, it is considered a standard literary idiom and is appropriate for journalism and academic writing about social issues.
No, you can 'pour oil' accidentally by saying something stupid without realizing it will cause an explosion.
'Сгладить углы' (to smooth the corners) or 'разрядить обстановку' (to defuse the atmosphere).
عبارات ذات صلة
сыпать соль на рану
similarto rub salt in the wound
дразнить гусей
similarto tease the geese
тушить пожар
contrastto put out the fire
подливать бензин в огонь
specialized formto pour gasoline in the fire
