I was trying to explain to someone the English phrase:
He couldn't hold his alcohol (also liquor)
This means that one becomes drunk very easily. Are there any Russian idioms/expressions that are roughly equivalent?
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2The russian stereotype would have people believe that such a phrase is unnecessary... – Shadow Dec 04 '17 at 23:52
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1To me "not being able to hold one's liquor" doesn't say anything about drunkenness, only about disposition towards vomiting. – I'm with Monica Dec 05 '17 at 08:34
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Его/её быстро "развозит". - He becomes drunk very fast. (Here is allegory to dirt road under rain).
Ему/ей и капли хватит напиться. - One drop of alcohol, and he/she will be drunk.
Слабенький попался. (Слабенькая попалась) - Weak constitution human that easy affected to alcohol.
Ему и пробочку понюхать хватит. - Smell a cork - and he's done!
DimXenon
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There's a не умеет пить but it this is more with a stress on the fact that one behaves badly / inappropriately even when supposedly he/she hadn't drunk that much. Like in the following phrase (found in Internet):
Муж не умеет пить. То есть если выпьет больше одного бокала, скажем, вина или пива (водку не пьет), становится полным идиотом, дурачком и мудаком.
A more neutral way would be to just say быстро пьянеет (or, more casual, быстро напивается) - getting drunk fast.
