Signification
To live in great luxury.
Contexte culturel
In Ukrainian villages, 'living like a king' often meant having a house with a tin roof (instead of thatch) and white bread every day. Today, it's more about technology and travel. The 'Cossack Hetmanate' leaders lived in great luxury, which influenced the Ukrainian perception of power and wealth as something 'king-like' (tsars'ke/korolivs'ke). In the Ukrainian 'Instagram-sphere', the phrase is often used with hashtags like #luxury or #mylife to show off expensive purchases. Ukrainian hospitality dictates that guests should be treated 'like kings', even if the hosts are not wealthy.
Plural is safer
Even if you are talking about yourself (one person), saying 'Я живу як королі' sounds more like a fixed idiom than 'Я живу як король'.
Don't overuse
If you use it for every small purchase, it loses its impact. Save it for truly impressive things.
Signification
To live in great luxury.
Plural is safer
Even if you are talking about yourself (one person), saying 'Я живу як королі' sounds more like a fixed idiom than 'Я живу як король'.
Don't overuse
If you use it for every small purchase, it loses its impact. Save it for truly impressive things.
Irony
Ukrainians love using this ironically when someone is being a bit 'extra' or fancy.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'жити'.
Після виграшу в лотерею вони ___ як королі.
The subject is 'вони' (they), so the verb must be 'живуть'.
Which phrase means 'to live in luxury'?
Оберіть правильну ідіому:
'Жити як королі' is the idiom for luxury. 'Жити як собаки' means to live a hard life.
Match the situation to the phrase.
Ви забронювали найкращий номер у готелі. Що ви скажете?
A luxury hotel room is a perfect context for this idiom.
Complete the dialogue.
- Твій бос купив новий літак? - Так, він...
Buying a plane is a sign of a 'kingly' lifestyle.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Signs of 'Living like Kings'
Possessions
- • Великий будинок
- • Дороге авто
- • Золото
Actions
- • Подорожі
- • Смачна їжа
- • Відпочинок
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesПісля виграшу в лотерею вони ___ як королі.
The subject is 'вони' (they), so the verb must be 'живуть'.
Оберіть правильну ідіому:
'Жити як королі' is the idiom for luxury. 'Жити як собаки' means to live a hard life.
Ви забронювали найкращий номер у готелі. Що ви скажете?
A luxury hotel room is a perfect context for this idiom.
- Твій бос купив новий літак? - Так, він...
Buying a plane is a sign of a 'kingly' lifestyle.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsYes, if you are a woman or talking about a woman, this is very common and natural.
No, it's neutral to informal. Don't use it in a legal document.
Usually, yes. It implies material wealth and high-quality services.
The opposite is 'жити в злиднях' (to live in misery/poverty).
Yes, Russian and Polish have very similar versions.
Yes! 'Ми поїли як королі' is a very common way to say the food was amazing and plentiful.
Almost. 'На широку ногу' emphasizes spending, while 'як королі' emphasizes the state of luxury.
It's a linguistic tradition that refers to the class of 'kings' as a whole.
Yes, 'Наші діти живуть як королі' means they have everything they need.
No, unless used sarcastically to mock someone's poverty.
Stress the last 'i'. ko-ro-LEE.
Yes, the words are basic and the meaning is clear.
Expressions liées
Жити на широку ногу
synonymTo live lavishly and spend a lot.
Купатися в розкошах
similarTo bathe in luxury.
Жити як у Бога за пазухою
similarTo live in total safety and comfort.
Жити в злиднях
contrastTo live in extreme poverty.
