без году неделя

Russian

Etymology

Literally, “(for) a week minus/without a year, i.e. an impossibly short or negative duration of time”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbʲez‿ɡədʊ nʲɪˈdʲelʲə]

Adverb

бе́з году неде́ля • (béz godu nedélja)

1. (colloquial) for a very short time, less than (normally) required or expected

   Но вы вме́сте бе́з году неде́ля. (implying a very short time, not enough to know each other well) ― No vy vméste béz godu nedélja. ― You (guys) have been together, like five minutes.

   Он на рабо́те бе́з году неде́ля, чего́ ему́ неймётся? ― On na rabóte béz godu nedélja, čevó jemú nejmjótsja? ― He's on the job 30 seconds, and he's in my face? (literally, “He is on the job for a very short time, why is he so impatient?”)

Usage notes

• Stressed prepositions are more common in clitics and set expressions.
• The case of год (god, “year”) here is partitive. A standard, common and modern genitive case of год (god) is го́да (góda).