впритык

English translation: tough going

15:00 Mar 17, 2014

Russian to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / Article about consulting agencies

Russian term or phrase: впритык

It appears to mean butted up close against each other, but I don't see how that makes sense in this context:

Вначале все шло впритык, но, в конце концов, я добился успеха.

Jack Doughty KudoZ activity Questions: 609 (none open) (18 closed without grading) Answers: 10082 United Kingdom
Local time: 15:55

English translation:tough going

Explanation:
"At first it was tough going" "Or at first the going was tough" Mark is right, the choice of words in Russian is fairly lousy.

Selected response from:

The Misha
Local time: 10:55

Grading comment

Тhank you.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +3

was on the edge of failure

BaNuK

4 +2

tough going

The Misha

3 +2

barely keeping up (head above water?)

Mark Berelekhis

barely making it

Sofia Gutkin

touch and go

Jim Tucker (X)

It was touch-and-go for a while

Pavel Andrianov

Discussion entries: 2

Answers

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

was on the edge of failure

Explanation:
As I understand this phrase, person was doing something and it went very slowly and difficult, but all in all he managed to accomplish it.

BaNuK
Lithuania
Local time: 17:55
Native speaker of:

Russian,

Lithuanian

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, that would fit very well.

10 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

barely keeping up (head above water?)

Explanation:
Впритык is also used in the context of time, i.e. barely having enough of it to fulfill one's obligations. Not the best word choice here, but that's probably what the author meant.

Mark Berelekhis
United States
Local time: 10:55
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Russian,

English
PRO pts in category: 136

3 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

tough going

Explanation:
"At first it was tough going" "Or at first the going was tough" Mark is right, the choice of words in Russian is fairly lousy.

The Misha
Local time: 10:55
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Russian
PRO pts in category: 35

Grading comment

Тhank you.

5 hrs confidence:

barely making it

Explanation:
At the beginning/in the early days, I was barely making it...

I agree with Misha re. trying to find a more natural way of saying it.

Sofia Gutkin
Australia
Local time: 00:55
Native speaker of:

English,

Russian

16 hrs confidence:

touch and go

Explanation:
At first it was all touch and go

Jim Tucker (X)
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

18 hrs confidence:

It was touch-and-go for a while

Explanation:
... but at the end of the day I managed to get out of the woods :)

Pavel Andrianov
Native speaker of:

Russian

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впритык

English translation: tough going

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впритык

English translation: tough going

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