Signification
To be in a difficult situation.
Contexte culturel
Slovenians often use this idiom to downplay serious problems. Instead of saying 'I am bankrupt', they might say 'I am in a bit of a bind with money'. In rural areas, the literal meaning of 'škripec' (vise) is still well-known, making the idiom feel very grounded and practical. In Slovenian business meetings, saying you are 'v škripcih' is a socially acceptable way to ask for a deadline extension without sounding incompetent. Slovenian news headlines frequently use 'v škripcih' to describe the country's position between the interests of larger EU neighbors like Italy, Austria, and Hungary.
Use with 'znajti se'
To sound like a native, use 'Znašel sem se v škripcih' instead of just 'Sem v škripcih'.
Plural only
Never use the singular 'škripcu' for this idiom; it will sound very strange to locals.
Signification
To be in a difficult situation.
Use with 'znajti se'
To sound like a native, use 'Znašel sem se v škripcih' instead of just 'Sem v škripcih'.
Plural only
Never use the singular 'škripcu' for this idiom; it will sound very strange to locals.
Money talk
It's a very polite way to decline an expensive invitation without being too specific about your bank balance.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of the idiom.
Oprosti, ne morem ti posoditi denarja, ker sem sam v ________.
We need the locative plural form after the preposition 'v' to describe a state.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I have a lot of work and no time'?
Izberi pravilno poved:
The standard idiom is 'biti v [adjective] škripcih'.
Match the situation to the correct phrase.
Situation: You have two exams on the same day and haven't studied.
This is a classic 'tight spot' situation.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Ali prideš na zabavo? B: Ne vem, v ________ sem z delom.
'V škripcih z delom' is a very common expression for being busy.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
State vs. Action
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesOprosti, ne morem ti posoditi denarja, ker sem sam v ________.
We need the locative plural form after the preposition 'v' to describe a state.
Izberi pravilno poved:
The standard idiom is 'biti v [adjective] škripcih'.
Situation: You have two exams on the same day and haven't studied.
This is a classic 'tight spot' situation.
A: Ali prideš na zabavo? B: Ne vem, v ________ sem z delom.
'V škripcih z delom' is a very common expression for being busy.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsNo, if you are physically stuck, use 'ujet' or 'zataknjen'. 'V škripcih' is for abstract pressure.
Yes, it's perfectly fine to say 'Smo v časovnih škripcih' to a client to explain a delay.
The singular is 'škripec', but the idiom is almost exclusively used in the plural 'škripcih'.
No, it can be time, social pressure, or any difficult choice, though money is a very common context.
'V težavah' is more general. 'V škripcih' implies you are being squeezed or pressured by the situation.
Use 'priti v škripce' (using the accusative case).
No, it is a standard idiom used by all age groups and in most settings.
Yes, 'v velikih škripcih' means you are in a very big bind.
It comes from the verb 'škripati' (to creak), referring to the sound old wooden tools made.
Yes, similar forms exist in Croatian and Serbian, though the specific word for 'vise' might differ.
Yes, if you feel pressured or stuck in a relationship, you can say you are 'v škripcih'.
There isn't a direct idiomatic opposite, but you could say 'biti na konju' (to be on a horse/doing well).
Yes! Even though the grammar is locative plural, the phrase itself is very useful for beginners.
Not at all. It is used daily in modern Slovenian life.
Expressions liées
biti v zagati
synonymto be in a predicament
biti v godlji
similarto be in a mess
priti v škripce
builds onto get into a bind
biti v precepu
similarto be in a dilemma
izmazati se iz škripcev
contrastto slip out of a bind
