???»?µ́???‚??????: to hit on someone
As one of those people who responds to ?…?°?????‚???? (obnoxious behavior, rudeness) with either astonished silence or lame rejoinders like ???°?? ???‹ ?????µ?µ?‚?µ?! (How dare you?), I'm always very impressed with people who have a clever comeback.
For example, when a young man butts to the head of the line in a bank or store, one of my friends asks: ?????»???????? ?‡?µ?»?????µ??! ???±???????????‚?µ, ?????¶?°?»???????‚?°, ?‡?µ?? ???‹ ?»???‡???µ ???°??! (Young man! Why don't you tell us how you're better than the rest of us?)
Another acquaintance standing in a long line once managed to shut up a cranky older person who kept complaining about everyone and everything, clearly looking to pick a fight. In a moment of silence, my friend said: ?–?°?»??, ?‡?‚?? ?????????????°?»???? ?±???»?????µ ???µ?‚. ???µ ?? ???µ?? ?€?????°?‚??????! (Too bad there aren't any more communal apartments. There's no one to fight with.) Everyone laughed, and that, of course, silenced the serial complainer.
A sub-set of this problem is how to respond to the person in the bar or in the park who keeps hitting on you. In Russian this is usually described by the verb ???€?????‚?°???°?‚??. Sometimes this just means to pester someone: ???µ?„ ???€?????‚?°?‘?‚ ?? ???????€?????°???? ???± ???‚?‡?‘?‚?µ. (My boss keeps bugging me about the report.) But usually it's clear what kind of pestering is meant: ???µ?„ ???? ?????µ ???????‚?????????? ???€?????‚?°?‘?‚ (My boss keeps hitting on me.)
If the person just won't leave you alone, you can use the verb ???»?µ???‚?????? (to glue together), which in slang describes someone who sticks to you like white on rice. This can apply to men or women: ?§?‚?? ???µ?»?°?‚??? ?? ?????¶?? ???»?µ???‚???? ???µ?????????° ?? ?€?°?±???‚?‹ (What should I do? A woman from work won't leave my husband alone.)
Or you can use another slang term: ???°???€???‚?? (to put the moves on someone). This also can refer to men or women: ?????° ???°?????? ???°???€???‚ ???µ???? (She's been putting the moves on me for a long time.) ???°???€???‚?? sometimes, but not always, implies success: ???µ?????????? ?? ?€?°???????°?¶?? ???°??, ???°?? ???€?°?????»?????? ???°???€???‚?? ???µ???‡???????? (Today I'll tell you how to score with the ladies.)
So regardless of your gender or orientation, you might find yourself being hit on and not know how to get rid of the unwanted attention. In Russian, this is ???‚?????‚?? (to give someone the brush-off, to tell someone where to get off). If you get the relatively polite pick-up line: ?????¶???? ?? ???°???? ?????·???°?????????‚??????? (Let me introduce myself), you can reply equally politely: ?? ???µ ?…???‡?? ?·???°?????????‚?????? (I don't want to get to know you.) If that doesn't work, you can explain why: ?? ?·?°?????¶?µ?? (I'm married.) ?? ?????µ???? (I'm in a rush.) ?? ?±???»?µ?? (I'm sick.) Here the illness remains undefined and therefore ominous.
If the person just doesn't get the message and starts grabbing, Russian advice columns suggest trying to keep things as calm as possible. Say: ???·?????????‚?µ, ???µ???? ???µ?»???·?? ?‚?€?????°?‚?? (Sorry — but don't touch me.)
But if that doesn't work, you can try a great put-down. These are best to try when you are surrounded by friends who will protect you or when you are sure you can run faster than the pest who won't leave you alone. My favorite is for the guy who sidles up and asks: ?”?µ?????????°, ???????‡?°?µ?‚?µ? (Hey, are you bored?) Response: ???µ ???°???‚???»?????? (Not that bored!)
Ouch.
Michele A. Berdy, a Moscow-based translator and interpreter, is author of "The Russian Word's Worth" (Glas), a collection of her columns.