Signification
An experienced person who is hard to fool.
Contexte culturel
The sparrow is a common character in Russian folklore, often depicted as small but cunning and resilient. This idiom elevates that cunning to a survival skill. During the Soviet era, being a 'стреляный воробей' was a mark of a reliable worker who knew how to navigate the complex bureaucracy without getting into trouble. In modern Russia, the phrase is frequently used in business media to describe 'sharks' or veterans of the 1990s market transitions. Great Russian writers like Turgenev and Chekhov used this idiom to add flavor to their characters, grounding them in a realistic, slightly cynical worldview.
Compliment or Insult?
It is almost always a compliment. It suggests the person is smart and resilient. However, don't use it for your boss in a very formal meeting; keep it for the coffee break.
One 'N' only
Remember that 'стреляный' is spelled with one 'н'. This is a common spelling mistake even for native speakers!
Signification
An experienced person who is hard to fool.
Compliment or Insult?
It is almost always a compliment. It suggests the person is smart and resilient. However, don't use it for your boss in a very formal meeting; keep it for the coffee break.
One 'N' only
Remember that 'стреляный' is spelled with one 'н'. This is a common spelling mistake even for native speakers!
Pair with 'не проведёшь'
To sound very natural, use it with the verb 'провести' (to trick). Example: 'Его не проведёшь, он стреляный воробей'.
Teste-toi
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the idiom.
Нам нужен опытный адвокат, настоящий _________ _________.
The sentence requires the Nominative case as it is a predicate describing the 'адвокат'.
Which situation best fits the use of 'стреляный воробей'?
Выберите ситуацию:
The idiom implies experience and the inability to be fooled.
Match the idiom with its synonym.
Сопоставьте:
'Тёртый калач' is the closest synonym, also meaning an experienced person.
Fill in the missing line in the dialogue.
— Как ты думаешь, он поверит в нашу историю? — Вряд ли. Он _________ _________.
The context of 'believing a story' (deception) makes the idiom the perfect fit.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesНам нужен опытный адвокат, настоящий _________ _________.
The sentence requires the Nominative case as it is a predicate describing the 'адвокат'.
Выберите ситуацию:
The idiom implies experience and the inability to be fooled.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
'Тёртый калач' is the closest synonym, also meaning an experienced person.
— Как ты думаешь, он поверит в нашу историю? — Вряд ли. Он _________ _________.
The context of 'believing a story' (deception) makes the idiom the perfect fit.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, you can say 'Она — стреляный воробей'. The noun remains masculine, but it refers to her experience.
Yes, it shows you have a good command of idiomatic Russian and confidence in your experience.
They are almost identical. 'Тёртый калач' is perhaps slightly more old-fashioned, while 'стреляный воробей' is more common in modern speech.
Not necessarily, though experience usually comes with age. You can call a 30-year-old a 'стреляный воробей' if they have seen a lot of action.
No, it's a standard idiom. It's informal but not 'slang' in the sense of being restricted to a specific subculture.
No, that would sound like you are literally talking about a bird that was shot. Stick to 'воробей'.
The plural is 'стреляные воробьи'. Example: 'Мы тут все стреляные воробьи'.
Yes, 'желторотый птенец' (yellow-beaked fledgling) is the negative/opposite term for someone with no experience.
No, it only describes people.
Sparrows are known for being ubiquitous and hard to catch in Russian villages, making them the perfect metaphor for a common person who learns to survive.
Expressions liées
тёртый калач
synonymAn experienced person who has been through a lot.
видавший виды
similarSomeone who has seen a lot of things.
желторотый птенец
contrastA 'yellow-beaked' fledgling; a naive, inexperienced person.
собаку съел
builds onTo have 'eaten a dog' on something; to be an expert in a specific task.
