Signification
To ignore what someone is saying.
Contexte culturel
In Russian culture, 'vnimanie' (attention) is a form of respect. To let someone's words pass by your ears is often seen as a sign of 'ravnodushie' (indifference), which is considered a significant character flaw. In Soviet literature, this phrase was often used to describe 'bureaucrats' who ignored the needs of the common people, highlighting a disconnect between the state and the individual. With the rise of social media, Russians use this phrase to describe 'banner blindness' or the habit of scrolling past important information. There is a common trope in Russian comedy about the 'distracted husband' who lets his wife's long stories pass by his ears while watching football.
Use it as an apology
If you realize you weren't listening, saying 'Прости, я пропустил это мимо ушей' sounds more natural and humble than just 'Я не слушал'.
Don't use with 'глаза'
You can't say 'пропустить мимо глаз' for ignoring something you saw. Use 'закрыть глаза на что-то' (to close eyes to something) instead.
Signification
To ignore what someone is saying.
Use it as an apology
If you realize you weren't listening, saying 'Прости, я пропустил это мимо ушей' sounds more natural and humble than just 'Я не слушал'.
Don't use with 'глаза'
You can't say 'пропустить мимо глаз' for ignoring something you saw. Use 'закрыть глаза на что-то' (to close eyes to something) instead.
Master the aspect
Use 'пропускать' (imperfective) when talking about a person's character trait of being a bad listener.
Teste-toi
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the idiom.
Я сто раз говорил ему об этом, но он всё ________ мимо ушей.
The subject 'он' (he) requires the masculine past tense 'пропустил'.
Which situation best fits the idiom 'пропустить мимо ушей'?
Выберите правильную ситуацию:
The idiom implies hearing the sound but ignoring the content.
Match the Russian idiom with its English equivalent.
Сопоставьте пары:
These are all common 'ear' idioms in Russian.
Complete the dialogue.
— Почему ты не купил хлеб? — Извини, я ...
You ignore the 'request' (просьбу), not the 'bread' (хлеб).
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesЯ сто раз говорил ему об этом, но он всё ________ мимо ушей.
The subject 'он' (he) requires the masculine past tense 'пропустил'.
Выберите правильную ситуацию:
The idiom implies hearing the sound but ignoring the content.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are all common 'ear' idioms in Russian.
— Почему ты не купил хлеб? — Извини, я ...
You ignore the 'request' (просьбу), not the 'bread' (хлеб).
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsIt depends on the context. Describing yourself is fine, but telling someone else they did it can be accusatory.
It's a bit too informal for a formal email. Use 'оставить без внимания' instead.
'Игнорировать' is more clinical and direct. 'Пропустить мимо ушей' is more descriptive and common in speech.
No, it can be accidental, like when you are daydreaming.
No, the idiom is fixed in the plural form 'ушей'.
Yes, 'забить' or 'проигнорить' are common slang alternatives.
If you didn't see it, use 'пропустил новости'. If you heard it but didn't pay attention, use 'пропустил мимо ушей'.
Yes, very often in pop and rap lyrics to describe relationship problems.
It always takes the Genitive case (ушей).
No, only for information, words, or sounds.
Expressions liées
в одно ухо влетело, в другое вылетело
similarIn one ear and out the other.
слушать в пол-уха
similarTo listen with half an ear.
ушки на макушке
contrastTo be all ears / very alert.
хлопать ушами
relatedTo flap one's ears (to be clueless/clumsy).
