Bedeutung
To spend lots of money and live extravagantly.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Merchants were famous for 'razgul' (revelry). Living on a wide foot was a way to show competitors and society that their business was thriving. In the 1990s, the term 'New Russians' became synonymous with living on a wide foot, often in a gaudy or flashy way. During the Soviet period, living on a wide foot was often looked down upon as 'bourgeois' or suspicious, as everyone was supposed to be equal. Even people with modest means try to host guests 'на широкую ногу', putting their best food on the table to show respect.
Use with 'Привык'
It sounds very natural to say someone 'привык жить на широкую ногу' (is used to living large). It adds a layer of character depth.
Don't Pluralize
Never say 'на широкие ноги'. It's a dead giveaway that you're translating literally from your head.
Bedeutung
To spend lots of money and live extravagantly.
Use with 'Привык'
It sounds very natural to say someone 'привык жить на широкую ногу' (is used to living large). It adds a layer of character depth.
Don't Pluralize
Never say 'на широкие ноги'. It's a dead giveaway that you're translating literally from your head.
Irony
You can use this ironically for small things. If a friend buys a slightly more expensive coffee than usual, you can joke: 'О, живёшь на широкую ногу!'
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
После того как он получил повышение, он стал жить на _______ _______.
The idiom is fixed: 'на широкую ногу'.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Выберите правильное предложение:
The idiom refers to an expensive lifestyle, not physical shoes or poverty.
Match the person to the description.
Кто из этих людей живёт на широкую ногу?
Private jets are a clear sign of 'living on a wide foot'.
Complete the dialogue.
— Ты видел новый дом Ивана? — Да, он явно решил ...
Context of a new (presumably expensive) house fits this idiom.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenПосле того как он получил повышение, он стал жить на _______ _______.
The idiom is fixed: 'на широкую ногу'.
Выберите правильное предложение:
The idiom refers to an expensive lifestyle, not physical shoes or poverty.
Кто из этих людей живёт на широкую ногу?
Private jets are a clear sign of 'living on a wide foot'.
— Ты видел новый дом Ивана? — Да, он явно решил ...
Context of a new (presumably expensive) house fits this idiom.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
5 FragenNot inherently, but it can be used critically to imply someone is being wasteful or showy.
Yes, but use the variation 'поставить дело на широкую ногу' to mean the company operates on a large scale.
There isn't a direct 'narrow foot' idiom. You would say 'жить скромно' (live modestly) or 'еле сводить концы с концами' (barely make ends meet).
Primarily yes, but it also implies the *style* of living—being generous, hosting parties, and being 'wide' in spirit.
Absolutely. It's a very common idiom in modern Russian media and speech.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Шиковать
synonymTo live luxuriously or show off wealth.
Жить не по средствам
contrastTo live beyond one's means.
Купаться в роскоши
similarTo wallow in luxury.
Поставить на широкую ногу
builds onTo organize something on a grand scale.
