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My tandem-partner says короче. I asked her to tell me the meaning, but she refused to teach me 'bad Russian' (I don't know if she was kidding, though).

I've seen короче in Lingvo but that source doesn't provide the expected meaning.

c.p.
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    "In short......" – Anixx Jun 05 '14 at 21:59
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    @Anixx sometimes it means something like shut up – el Dude Jun 14 '15 at 20:59
  • My Russian Skype partner uses на минуточку all the time and she won't tell me what it means for the same reason. hahaha – CocoPop Jun 20 '15 at 13:30
  • It means: "In short", but used as an english version parasite phrase: "you know", or "You know, what I mean". – igoryonya Apr 30 '17 at 22:24
  • @igoryonya please, tend to give answers that has been not already provided. – shabunc May 02 '17 at 16:20
  • I spoke to someone today who used it while telling me a story, in places where I would expect так вот. Is that a possible use/interpretation of this word? – CocoPop Dec 31 '21 at 19:24
  • @CocoPop "на минуточку" (lit. "for a minute") is a relatively recently (last 10-15 years) spreading interjection used to emphasize part of the phrase and draw listener's attention to it. A possible translation could be something like "mind it!", or more direct "can I get your attention for a minute". Unless it's used literally, indicating a short period of time of course. – DK. Jan 01 '22 at 01:57
  • @DK. That word's clear — it means “mind you“. But please see my last comment/question about короче. – CocoPop Jan 01 '22 at 01:57
  • @CocoPop if you ask would "на минуточку" be interchangeable with "так вот" - I wouldn't say it's a good option. For me "так вот" is a stagger point, a pause in the speakers sentence used to gather thoughts or give some time for the listener to process the information. While "mind you" (I like your choice here) primarily works to draw more attention. – DK. Jan 01 '22 at 02:02
  • @DK. Not на минуточку, but короче!)) – CocoPop Jan 01 '22 at 02:04
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    @CocoPop ugh, again - different meaning, even if it's misused by the speaker. "Kороче" is either "make it quick/brief" or "making it brief" - a request or promise to avoid idle chatting or delays. Maybe it makes sense to post this as a question if you want to explore it further. – DK. Jan 01 '22 at 02:07
  • @DK. This post is already about the meaning of короче)) So I'll repeat my question: I spoke with someone who (mis)used короче in places where I'd've expected так вот. Was that just my imagination, or is it conceivable that this person (and possibly others) (mis)use it like that? – CocoPop Jan 01 '22 at 17:47
  • @CocoPop well, have you seen a person saying something like "let me be brief and not waste our time, so without further ado..." and then go on and on again? I mean this kind of misuse. Sure, a lot of people may use both "короче" and "так вот" as a pure filler, not placing informational value there. One situation where they'd legitimately be interchangeable is when you mean something like "let me sum it up", but otherwise filler words are just that - a filler: "When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less." – DK. Jan 01 '22 at 19:39
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    @DK. Thank you. The person here was not trying to be succinct — they were telling me a story and leaving out no details. Every time they got to a different "paragraph" in the story, they'd use короче as if saying так вот. That's why I was curious. – CocoPop Jan 01 '22 at 19:48
  • el Dude, ("In short......""shut up") - because this "короче..." can be an imperative really. "In short" more similar as "вкратце..", "вкратце говоря...",meseems; but "короче" is something like "be short !", "tell me more shortly !" .... Heh, can be "короче говоря..." & "вкратце говоря", but "Короче !" & "Вкратце !" and last versions are the Imperative :> –  Пилум Jan 02 '22 at 21:29
  • " 'bad Russian'" - heh... it's not so bad :> the worse things exist, really :> –  Пилум Jan 02 '22 at 21:33

5 Answers5

26

It's just a filler word associated with being cool and kind of rednecky/hickish these days. A colloquial contraction of an already colloquial "короче говоря" (in a nutshell, to make a long story short).

Some people are just too used to inserting it at the beginning of a sentence, which is grammatically correct, but still looks like a verbal tic if overused.

  • Короче, я вот что хочу сказать = 'Kay, here's what I want to say.
  • Короче, она пришла ко мне и расплакалась. = Long story short, she came over and burst into tears.
CocoPop
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Shady_arc
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It means something like "without going into detail," usually after an attempt was made to give the longer version or, literally, "in short". For many, it's a parasite word that makes its way into every other sentence that comes out of their mouth. It's not as bad as "так сказать", but similar.

I have a Canadian friend who injects "так сказать" into almost every sentence. I witnessed him talking to his Canadian friends and putting it into English sentences. Your friend is right, treat it as if it wasn't used at all.

CocoPop
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Metaphor
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3

короче может также использоваться для быкования.

That is, pressuring you to accept an ultimatum.

It works best when combined with the past tense:

"Короче, собрал вещи и вышел отсюда" would mean "gather your stuff and leave now — end of discussion!"

alamar
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0

It means in short. "I'll tell you in short". "In short, we should do it"

CocoPop
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Brego
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-3

"Короче" means long story short in Russian, but it's slang and therefore not grammatically correct. When your friend said "I don't want to teach you bad Russian," she didn't mean curse words, or vulgar language; she just knows that it's neither correct Russian nor traditional.

CocoPop
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Barb
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