Significado
To procrastinate.
Contexto cultural
The concept of 'Oblomovism' is a key cultural touchstone. It describes a specific kind of Russian soul-searching laziness where one postpones life itself. In modern Russian business, 'откладывать на потом' is often a polite way of saying 'no' or 'not interested' without being direct. There is a very famous proverb: 'Не откладывай на завтра то, что можно сделать сегодня' (Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today). Young Russians often use the English loanword 'прокрастинировать' in a self-deprecating way on social media, but 'откладывать на потом' remains the standard for daily life.
Use with 'всё'
To describe a general procrastinator, always add 'всё': 'Он всё откладывает на потом.'
Money Trap
Remember: 'откладывать деньги' = saving. 'откладывать дела' = procrastinating.
Significado
To procrastinate.
Use with 'всё'
To describe a general procrastinator, always add 'всё': 'Он всё откладывает на потом.'
Money Trap
Remember: 'откладывать деньги' = saving. 'откладывать дела' = procrastinating.
Perfective vs Imperfective
Use 'отложить' (perfective) when you've made a specific decision to delay something right now.
The 'Zavtra' Culture
Russians often joke about 'zavtra' (tomorrow). Using this phrase shows you understand the humor behind procrastination.
Teste-se
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'откладывать' or 'отложить'.
Я всегда всё ________ на потом, и поэтому у меня много проблем. (habitual)
Since the sentence uses 'всегда' (always), we need the present tense imperfective form.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'Let's do it later'?
Как сказать 'Let's do it later'?
The preposition 'на' and the verb 'отложить' are the correct components of this collocation.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are too tired to wash the dishes now.
Option B correctly uses the phrase to describe delaying a chore.
Complete the dialogue.
— Ты уже позвонил маме? — Нет, я...
Option A uses the perfective 'отложил' for a specific past decision, which is correct here.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Saving vs. Delaying
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosЯ всегда всё ________ на потом, и поэтому у меня много проблем. (habitual)
Since the sentence uses 'всегда' (always), we need the present tense imperfective form.
Как сказать 'Let's do it later'?
The preposition 'на' and the verb 'отложить' are the correct components of this collocation.
Situation: You are too tired to wash the dishes now.
Option B correctly uses the phrase to describe delaying a chore.
— Ты уже позвонил маме? — Нет, я...
Option A uses the perfective 'отложил' for a specific past decision, which is correct here.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
14 perguntasUsually, yes. It implies you should be doing it now but aren't. However, it can be neutral if you are simply prioritizing other tasks.
No, you can't 'отложить человека на потом'. You can only delay a meeting or a conversation with them.
'Прокрастинировать' is a modern, scientific term. 'Откладывать на потом' is the natural, everyday idiom.
You can say 'Я человек, который всё откладывает на потом' or simply 'Я прокрастинатор'.
It's okay for internal emails, but for clients, use 'перенести на другое время' (reschedule for another time).
Yes! 'Никогда не откладывай на потом' is a very common piece of advice.
Yes, the object you are delaying must be in the Accusative case (e.g., откладывать работу).
The opposite would be 'делать всё вовремя' (doing everything on time) or 'немедленно приступить к делу'.
Yes, 'отложить отпуск на потом' means you are delaying your holiday.
Yes, without 'на', the phrase 'откладывать потом' is grammatically incorrect.
'Потом' is the idiomatic partner for 'откладывать'. 'Позже' sounds like a literal translation from English.
Yes: 'Я откладывал это на потом слишком долго' (I was putting this off for too long).
Constantly. It's a major theme in 19th-century Russian realism.
Yes, that's a common variation meaning specifically 'until tomorrow'.
Frases relacionadas
откладывать в долгий ящик
similarTo put something off for a very long time.
тянуть время
similarTo stall or play for time.
кормить завтраками
specialized formTo keep making empty promises to do something 'tomorrow'.
не гореть желанием
builds onTo not be eager to do something.
час пик
contrastRush hour / peak time.
в последнюю минуту
builds onAt the last minute.
