Russian · The Basics
Ёлки-палки!
yolki-palki
YOL-kee PAHL-kee · /ˈjɵlkʲɪ ˈpalkʲɪ/
Good grief! / For heaven's sake!
1/5 Grandma-safe
mild, playful; fine on daytime TV
Literally
"Fir trees and sticks"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
Another "yo-" swerve, this one into a cozy image of fir trees and twigs. Maximally wholesome — there's even a restaurant chain named after it. Use when you want to express dismay in front of literally anyone, including your host's grandmother.
Heard in the wild
Ёлки-палки, я всё перепутал.
For heaven's sake, I mixed it all up.
Where it lands
Russia (universal)
Quick answers
- What does "Ёлки-палки!" mean?
- In Russian, "Ёлки-палки!" means "Good grief! / For heaven's sake!". Literally it's "Fir trees and sticks". Another "yo-" swerve, this one into a cozy image of fir trees and twigs. Maximally wholesome — there's even a restaurant chain named after it. Use when you want to express dismay in front of literally anyone, including your host's grandmother.
- Is "Ёлки-палки!" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 1/5 (Grandma-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. mild, playful; fine on daytime TV.
- How do you pronounce "Ёлки-палки!"?
- Say it "YOL-kee PAHL-kee" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ˈjɵlkʲɪ ˈpalkʲɪ.
Related in Russian
Блин! blin BLEEN Damn! / Darn! / Shoot! Чёрт! chyort CHORT Damn! / Hell! Чёрт возьми! chyort voz'mi CHORT vahz-MEE Damn it! / For God's sake! Зараза! zaraza zah-RAH-zah You pest! / Damn you! (affectionate-rough) Ё-моё! yo-moyo YO mah-YO Oh boy! / Geez! / Good grief! Офигеть! ofiget' ah-fee-GYET Wow! / Holy cow! / No way!
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