المعنى
To be very experienced in something.
خلفية ثقافية
In Ukrainian villages, the 'майстер' (master) was a central figure. Whether it was the person who built the stoves (пічник) or the one who made the wheels (стельмах), their authority was unquestioned because they had 'eaten their teeth' on their craft. This respect for manual expertise remains in the language today. There is a strong emphasis on 'стаж' (years of service). In many Ukrainian companies, seniority is highly respected, and this idiom is a common way to acknowledge that seniority without sounding overly formal. Classic writers like Ivan Franko and Lesya Ukrainka used somatic idioms to ground their characters in reality. 'Eating teeth' was a way to show a character's hard life and resilience. Despite its old roots, the phrase is very popular in the Ukrainian IT sector. Senior developers use it to describe their experience with legacy code or specific frameworks.
Use it for compliments
If you want to impress a Ukrainian colleague, use this to describe their work. It shows you value their time and effort.
Watch the aspect
Always use 'з'їсти' (perfective). Using 'їсти' (imperfective) sounds like you are currently chewing on your teeth.
المعنى
To be very experienced in something.
Use it for compliments
If you want to impress a Ukrainian colleague, use this to describe their work. It shows you value their time and effort.
Watch the aspect
Always use 'з'їсти' (perfective). Using 'їсти' (imperfective) sounds like you are currently chewing on your teeth.
The 'Dog' alternative
If you hear someone say 'собаку з'їв,' don't be shocked. They aren't talking about animal cruelty; it's just a more informal version of this idiom.
اختبر نفسك
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the idiom and the correct case.
Мій дідусь сорок років працював лікарем. Він на _______ (медицина) зуби _______.
We need the Locative case 'медицині' and the masculine past perfective 'з'їв' to match 'дідусь'.
Which sentence is a natural way to say 'She is an expert at teaching'?
Оберіть правильний варіант:
This follows the standard pattern: [Subject] + [зуби з'їла] + [на + Locative].
Match the idiom to the person it best describes.
Хто 'зуби з'їв'?
The idiom requires long-term experience, which fits the professor.
🎉 النتيجة: /3
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Experience Levels
بنك التمارين
3 تمارينМій дідусь сорок років працював лікарем. Він на _______ (медицина) зуби _______.
We need the Locative case 'медицині' and the masculine past perfective 'з'їв' to match 'дідусь'.
Оберіть правильний варіант:
This follows the standard pattern: [Subject] + [зуби з'їла] + [на + Locative].
Хто 'зуби з'їв'?
The idiom requires long-term experience, which fits the professor.
🎉 النتيجة: /3
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةNot at all! It is a respectful way to acknowledge someone's expertise.
Yes, but it can sound a bit boastful. It's better used for others or in a self-deprecating way about a struggle.
They are identical in meaning. 'Зуби з'їсти' is slightly more common in neutral settings, while 'собаку з'їсти' is more idiomatic and informal.
No, you can 'eat your teeth' on anything—parenting, video games, or even a specific city's traffic.
It's not 'slang' per se, but it's very much alive in modern speech, including among young people in professional fields.
No, that sounds very strange. You eat your teeth on a *task* or a *field*, not a person.
Past tense: з'їв (m), з'їла (f), з'їли (pl).
The word 'зуби' is already plural. You don't use the singular 'зуб'.
Only ironically. It implies a long period of time has passed.
Then you can use it as a pun! Ukrainians love wordplay.
عبارات ذات صلة
Собаку з'їсти
synonymTo be an expert.
Набити руку
similarTo get the hang of a physical skill.
Стріляний горобець
similarAn experienced, cautious person.
Майстер на всі руки
builds onA jack of all trades.
