(no subject)

[tikvi.livejournal.com]

I know how to say that someone looks like someone... but how does Russian state similarity in smell? For example:

"You smell like an elephant!" OR "The house smells like/of garlic."

Thanks for putting up with me.

Comments

[winnie-bordist.livejournal.com]

It will be same as "looks like" - выглядит как. So will be "smells like" - пахнет как or just without как.

"You smell like an elephant!" - Ты пахнешь как слон/ слоном.
"The house smells like/of garlic." - В доме пахнет чесноком/Дом пахнет чесноком. =)

[tikvi.livejournal.com]

Ooo, for "looks like" I was taught, "похож на __". Thank you for the help!

[dimon37.livejournal.com]

"похож на __" - literally means "similar to __".

"выглядит как " implies stronger similarity, I woudd say.

[tikvi.livejournal.com]

Ah. Thank you!

[winnie-bordist.livejournal.com]

OH, sure, it can be похож на too :) NP!

[harmonoisit.livejournal.com]

First of all, in Russian culture it is highly impolite to tell a person directly that he or (especially) she smells or stinks. So I'd give the expression for the third person pronoun.

"От него несет как от козла" . "He stinks like a male goat"

Note that although the main meaning of "нести" is "to carry" in this context "несет" means "it smells" or "stinks". Once again a disclaimer: this is rather impolite to say and I do know any female equivalent of this expression.

If not a person, but a thing stinks they say sometimes

"Воняет как солдатская портянка" "Stinks like a soldier's foot-cloth"

As far as I know, in the Russian army they still use those foot-clothes - a piece of fabric which is turned around a leg. Quite helthy, if you wash it regularily :)

I can not remember any special expression about smells of the houses, but if it is to stuffy
or/and if there are too much tobacco smoke in the air, they say:

"[Дух такой что] топор можно вешать" "[The air is such that] one can hang an axe there"

[oryx_and_crake]

female equivalent: от нее несет как от кобылы (she stinks like a mare)

for a house: здесь душно / нечем дышать / воняет чесноком (stuffy/ impossible to breathe/ stinks with garlic)

In case you ever want to say something nice, I suggest От тебя хорошо пахнет / пахнет духами (You smell nice/ smell like perfume)
В доме приятно пахнет / пахнет цветами (the house smells nice/ smells with flowers)

[harmonoisit.livejournal.com]

Wow! I've never heard the expression about mare.

For nice smell, probably "благоухать" would be the highest estimate. Although it also often used in ironic meaning.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Now imagine that you enter somebody's house and say "твой дом благоухает". The very least I'd expect is that they'd decide you were not exactly sane :)

[tikvi.livejournal.com]

Yea, it's rude in English as well, but there are times when smell can be flattering.

>"топор можно вешать"

Oh wow. I love that expression!