Significado
Keeping thoughts to oneself for personal gain.
Contexto cultural
In Russian culture, being 'себе на уме' is often contrasted with the 'Russian soul' which is supposed to be wide open. It can be a sign of a 'Western' or 'individualistic' mindset that is sometimes viewed with suspicion in traditional village-style communal thinking. In the 1990s, being 'себе на уме' was a survival trait for entrepreneurs. It meant you were smart enough not to get cheated. Today, it's often used to describe the 'Gray Cardinals' of politics. Classic Russian authors like Dostoevsky and Gogol used this phrase to describe characters who were morally ambiguous or had hidden depths that the reader should be wary of. In big cities like Moscow, being 'себе на уме' is increasingly seen as a neutral or even positive trait of a professional who maintains healthy boundaries.
Use it for cats!
Russians very often use this phrase to describe cats because they are independent and mysterious.
Don't use 'в'!
Remember it's 'НА уме'. Saying 'В уме' is a common mistake that sounds very foreign.
Significado
Keeping thoughts to oneself for personal gain.
Use it for cats!
Russians very often use this phrase to describe cats because they are independent and mysterious.
Don't use 'в'!
Remember it's 'НА уме'. Saying 'В уме' is a common mistake that sounds very foreign.
Not always an insult
Sometimes it's a compliment for someone who is smart and doesn't follow the crowd.
Teste-se
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
Никто не знает, что он планирует. Он парень ______ ______ ______.
The correct fixed form is 'себе на уме'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose the correct option:
The idiom does not change for plural subjects.
Match the person to the description 'себе на уме'.
Who is most likely 'себе на уме'?
The idiom describes someone who is secretive and calculating.
🎉 Pontuação: /3
Recursos visuais
Banco de exercicios
3 exerciciosНикто не знает, что он планирует. Он парень ______ ______ ______.
The correct fixed form is 'себе на уме'.
Choose the correct option:
The idiom does not change for plural subjects.
Who is most likely 'себе на уме'?
The idiom describes someone who is secretive and calculating.
🎉 Pontuação: /3
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasNot necessarily, but it's rarely a pure compliment. It usually implies a lack of transparency which can be suspicious.
Yes, it's indeclinable. 'Она себе на уме' is perfectly correct.
'Скрытный' is a simple adjective meaning 'secretive'. 'Себе на уме' is more idiomatic and implies a hidden agenda or personal gain.
Yes, you can add 'очень' (very) or 'слишком' (too) to intensify it.
Yes, very often, to describe competitors or colleagues who don't share information.
It implies a type of 'street smarts' or 'cunning,' but not necessarily academic intelligence.
Yes, if the child is unusually quiet and seems to have their own little secrets or plans.
The most common opposite is 'душа нараспашку' (soul wide open).
No, it is used daily in modern Russian speech and media.
The stress is on the second syllable: se-BYE.
Frases relacionadas
Душа нараспашку
contrastTo have one's soul wide open; very honest and transparent.
Сам по себе
similarOn one's own; independent.
Тёмная лошадка
similarA dark horse; someone whose talents or intentions are unknown.
Хитрый лис
similarA sly fox.
