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to oil the wheels

Russian translation: уладить дело (лестью, деньгами и т. п.) uladit' delo (dengami, lest'yu etc)

05:29 Aug 16, 2000
English to Russian translations [PRO]
English term or phrase: to oil the wheels
Hi, folks.
The whole phrase sounds like "I like to oil the wheels to help people work well" and comes from the same questionnaire where they measure managers' ability to work with people (see my previous entry dated 14.08).
Is there a Russian set phrase or a metaphor (apart from "smazat' kolesa") which is similar in meaning to the English "to oil the wheels"?
Yulma
Russian translation:уладить дело (лестью, деньгами и т. п.) uladit' delo (dengami, lest'yu etc)
Explanation:
Hi again,
No other equivalent or analogue for this set expression is available in Russian.

There are more phrases with the word wheel, for instance, GO ON OILED WHEELS=IDTI KAK PO MASLU - some visitors at ProZ suggest but it is different from what you ask, though it may be used as a contextual translation.

Therefore, this set expression should be translated by conveying the meaning of the English expression with a free word combination.

Here are some examples:
A certain amount of hypocrisy is necessary to oil the wheels of society.(N.Blake, "A Question of Proof", Suppl)- Bez izvestnoy doli litsemeria v vysshem obshestve ne uderzhishsya. (Без известной доли лицемерия в высшем обществе не удержишься.)
"Mister Kern", he said, "this is Moss in the press attache's office. I have a friend of mine here with a problem. Mr. Andrus...He's here on a short visit. Could you see him right away? Thanks." He hung up. "I've greased the wheels," he said.
(I.Shaw, "Two Weeks in Another Town",ch.10)
"...On povesil trubku i skazal:-Nu, vse v poryadke. On primet tebya.-Он повесил трубку и сказал: Ну, все в порядке. Он примет тебя.
In your example I would translate it in the following way:

Ya lublyu sozdavat v collective atmosferu dlya khoroshey raboty. Я люблю создавать в коллективе атмосферу для хорошей работы.
Oleg
Selected response from:

Oleg Osipov
Russian Federation
Local time: 23:55
Grading comment
"Ya liubliu sozdavat' v kollektive atmosferu dlia horoshei raboty."
I like this answer, since it DOES get the message across and avoids all this "greasy" stuff.
As for "idet kak pomaslu", ya liked this one too, but it doesn't 100% fits the context.
"Podmazat'" is OK, but, definately, not here, since we are talking about creating a cooperative environment within your team, and, therefore, who are you going to "podmazat'"?

That's all, folks, buy
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
naПомогаю сотрудникам/коллегам
Andrey Tchourakov
naMnie nravitsya delat' tak, chtoby u lyudey vsio shlo kak po maslu
Radian Yazynin
nanavodit' mosty
kmagzoum
naMne nravitsya pomogatj ludjam, chtoby ich rabota shla kak po maslu.
Vad
naподмазать
vab
napodmazat'
Nelly (X)
naуладить дело (лестью, деньгами и т. п.) uladit' delo (dengami, lest'yu etc)
Oleg Osipov


  

Answers


8 mins
Помогаю сотрудникам/коллегам


Explanation:
наладить между собой хорошие рабочие отношения.

Andrey Tchourakov
Russian Federation
Local time: 23:55
PRO pts in pair: 11
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1 hr
Mnie nravitsya delat' tak, chtoby u lyudey vsio shlo kak po maslu


Explanation:
In Russian it literally sounds as 'I like to arrange it so that it goes on wheels for people (who work there)'.
The key phrase is used here 'idti kak po maslu' that corresponds with the English 'to go on wheels'. So, in Russian there is 'oil', and in English ther are 'wheels'. I think this is the best matching version, and as for saying 'mazat' koliosa' in Russian, this might be rather of irregular use.

Radian Yazynin
Local time: 23:55
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in pair: 283
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1 hr
navodit' mosty


Explanation:
The only set phrase similar in meaning is "navodit' mosty," which is quite synonimous to "build bridges." In Russian it refers to connecting people, setting someone's contacts, and making business or other relations easier. "Smasat' kolesa" won't be understood adequately if used as a translatin solution. If you want the translation closest in meaning to "oil the wheels," you can use "nalazhivat' kontakty," but "navodit' mosty" is very similar to it and more idiomatic.
If you think there is some kind of negative connotation to it, it can be translated as "podmazyvat'", meaning to bribe or stimulate someone in other ways.

kmagzoum
PRO pts in pair: 8
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1 hr
Mne nravitsya pomogatj ludjam, chtoby ich rabota shla kak po maslu.


Explanation:
I like to assist/help people to work well/oil the wheels

Vad
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1 hr
подмазать


Explanation:
to oil the wheels - смазать колеса; перен. уладить дело (взяткой и т.п.)
(ABBYY Lingvo 6.0)

Так что фраза в целом может звучать следующим образом: "Я думаю лучше немного подмазать, чтобы работа пошла быстрее".
Или еще проще: "Не подмажешь - не поедешь."

vab
Local time: 22:55
PRO pts in pair: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Andrey Tchourakov
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5 hrs
podmazat'


Explanation:
"To grease (oil) the wheels" - дать взятку, "подмазать", уладить дело. (Англо-русский фразеологический словарь)
"Не подмажешь - не подъедешь"
"Не подмазано, не катится"
"Сухая ложка рот дерет"
(Словарь русских пословиц и поговорок)
И еще: "подмазать пятки (салом)" - синоним "подмазать колеса"

Nelly (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in LithuanianLithuanian
PRO pts in pair: 5
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5 hrs
уладить дело (лестью, деньгами и т. п.) uladit' delo (dengami, lest'yu etc)


Explanation:
Hi again,
No other equivalent or analogue for this set expression is available in Russian.

There are more phrases with the word wheel, for instance, GO ON OILED WHEELS=IDTI KAK PO MASLU - some visitors at ProZ suggest but it is different from what you ask, though it may be used as a contextual translation.

Therefore, this set expression should be translated by conveying the meaning of the English expression with a free word combination.

Here are some examples:
A certain amount of hypocrisy is necessary to oil the wheels of society.(N.Blake, "A Question of Proof", Suppl)- Bez izvestnoy doli litsemeria v vysshem obshestve ne uderzhishsya. (Без известной доли лицемерия в высшем обществе не удержишься.)
"Mister Kern", he said, "this is Moss in the press attache's office. I have a friend of mine here with a problem. Mr. Andrus...He's here on a short visit. Could you see him right away? Thanks." He hung up. "I've greased the wheels," he said.
(I.Shaw, "Two Weeks in Another Town",ch.10)
"...On povesil trubku i skazal:-Nu, vse v poryadke. On primet tebya.-Он повесил трубку и сказал: Ну, все в порядке. Он примет тебя.
In your example I would translate it in the following way:

Ya lublyu sozdavat v collective atmosferu dlya khoroshey raboty. Я люблю создавать в коллективе атмосферу для хорошей работы.
Oleg



    English-Russian Phraseological Dictionary (20,000 idioms), Moscow Russky Yazyk 1984
Oleg Osipov
Russian Federation
Local time: 23:55
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in pair: 276
Grading comment
"Ya liubliu sozdavat' v kollektive atmosferu dlia horoshei raboty."
I like this answer, since it DOES get the message across and avoids all this "greasy" stuff.
As for "idet kak pomaslu", ya liked this one too, but it doesn't 100% fits the context.
"Podmazat'" is OK, but, definately, not here, since we are talking about creating a cooperative environment within your team, and, therefore, who are you going to "podmazat'"?

That's all, folks, buy
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