Bedeutung
Someone who cannot stop talking.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Silence is often equated with depth of character. A person who talks too much is seen as 'superficial' (поверхностный). During the Soviet period, talking too much was literally dangerous. The phrase 'Не болтай!' (Don't gossip/chatter!) was a famous propaganda poster theme. In traditional Russian villages, the 'tongue without bones' was often a character in folk tales—usually a neighbor who causes trouble by spreading rumors. Today, Russians use this phrase to describe 'vloggers' or 'influencers' who produce a lot of content without much substance.
Use with 'У'
Remember to always use 'У' + Genitive. It's the most natural way to use this idiom.
Not a compliment
Don't use this to tell someone they are good at speaking. They might get offended!
Bedeutung
Someone who cannot stop talking.
Use with 'У'
Remember to always use 'У' + Genitive. It's the most natural way to use this idiom.
Not a compliment
Don't use this to tell someone they are good at speaking. They might get offended!
The Silence Rule
In Russia, being a 'man of few words' is often more respected than being a 'chatterbox'.
Teste dich selbst
Choose the correct form of the idiom to complete the sentence.
Моя тётя может говорить три часа без перерыва. У неё ...
The standard idiom is 'язык без костей'.
Fill in the missing preposition and pronoun.
Я не люблю ходить в гости к Ивану. ___ ___ язык без костей, он не даёт мне сказать ни слова.
We use the 'У + Genitive' construction with this idiom.
In which situation is it MOST appropriate to use this phrase?
Select the best scenario:
The phrase is informal and usually carries a negative/ironic tone about excessive talking.
Complete the dialogue.
— Ты рассказал Марине про наш план? — Нет, ты что! У неё же ...
In this context, it means she can't keep a secret because she talks too much.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenМоя тётя может говорить три часа без перерыва. У неё ...
The standard idiom is 'язык без костей'.
Я не люблю ходить в гости к Ивану. ___ ___ язык без костей, он не даёт мне сказать ни слова.
We use the 'У + Genitive' construction with this idiom.
Select the best scenario:
The phrase is informal and usually carries a negative/ironic tone about excessive talking.
— Ты рассказал Марине про наш план? — Нет, ты что! У неё же ...
In this context, it means she can't keep a secret because she talks too much.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenIt's not a swear word, but it is critical. It's like calling someone a 'chatterbox' in English—fine for friends, but rude for a boss.
Yes! It's a great way to humorously apologize for talking too much: 'Ой, у меня сегодня язык без костей.'
'Язык без костей' is about the amount of talking. 'Длинный язык' is about saying things you shouldn't (gossip or secrets).
No, 'костей' is plural and stays the same whether you talk about a man, a woman, or a group.
Not really. In formal settings, just say 'разговорчивый' (talkative) or 'многословный' (verbose).
No, that sounds wrong to native speakers. It must be plural: 'костей'.
Yes, very often! It's a classic way for authors to describe annoying or energetic characters.
Not necessarily. It just means they talk a lot. They might be telling the truth, just too much of it!
Yes, it's very common to say this about kids who just learned to talk and won't stop.
Yes, it's been around for hundreds of years and is part of traditional Russian folklore.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Длинный язык
similarA long tongue; someone who gossips.
Держать язык за зубами
contrastTo keep one's tongue behind one's teeth.
Найти общий язык
builds onTo find a common language.
Прикусить язык
similarTo bite one's tongue.
