Thread: a few questions

Im trying to translate a movie "Goodfellas" from English into Russian. but there are some sentences which I don't fully understand.

He liked that I got myself a job.
He always used to say
that American kids were spoiled lazy.

Does he mean that american kids were spoiled because(the kids were laze) of laziness or they were spoiled in a way that they were lazy.


What does it mean exactly?
"He got all his calls second hand."
Does it mean that he had someone esle making his phone calls?
How would you say that in russian?

but he was already a legend.[/i]

->He'd walk in the door and everybody
->who worked the room just went wild.
any ideas how to translate last two lines?


What's really funny is
that fucking bank job in Secaucus.
I'm in the middle of the weeds,
lying down.
He says, "What are you doing?"
I said, "I'm resting."
When he says "in the middle of weeds" does he mean s joint stuffed with marihuana or just a regular cigarette?

- Me and Frenchy and this citizen.
- Yeah, he's a piece of work.
What does the last line mean?




his guy didn't want to come
and give you the check.

Could you take care of this?

No problem. Tell him to put it
on my tab. Of course.

That's what I want to talk to you about.

It ain't just this one.
It's seven big ones you owe me.

$7,000, that ain't peanuts.
I don't mean to be out of order...

Don't mean to be out of order?

It's good you don't mean
to be out of order.

What does it mean "to be out of order" in this context?

what do you think is the most suitable russian word for a 'wiseguy' (when it means a person associated with the Mafia

thanks in advance

Originally Posted by Ustas

He liked that I got myself a job.
He always used to say
that American kids were spoiled lazy.

Does he mean that american kids were spoiled because(the kids were laze) of laziness or they were spoiled in a way that they were lazy.

It means American kids are spoiled (their parents gave them everything they wanted) and because of this, they became lazy.

Originally Posted by Ustas

Im trying to translate a movie "Goodfellas" from English into Russian. but there are some sentences which I don't fully understand.



What does it mean exactly?
"He got all his calls second hand."
Does it mean that he had someone esle making his phone calls?

Making and receiving his calls.


What's really funny is
that @@@@ bank job in Secaucus.
I'm in the middle of the weeds,
lying down.
He says, "What are you doing?"
I said, "I'm resting."
When he says "in the middle of weeds" does he mean s joint stuffed with marihuana or just a regular cigarette?

Neither, Secaucus, NJ is by the Meadowlands. That area has lots of weeds. It's more like he was hiding in a field of weeds.


- Me and Frenchy and this citizen.
- Yeah, he's a piece of work.
What does the last line mean?

Out of the ordinary, not a regular person.


his guy didn't want to come
and give you the check.

Could you take care of this?

No problem. Tell him to put it
on my tab. Of course.

That's what I want to talk to you about.

It ain't just this one.
It's seven big ones you owe me.

$7,000, that ain't peanuts.
I don't mean to be out of order...

Don't mean to be out of order?

It's good you don't mean
to be out of order.

What does it mean "to be out of order" in this context?


Someone saying something when they shouldn't or questioning something when they shouldn't.


thanks in advance

I like this question. Goodfellas is an excellent movie because it realistically portrays people; not like most sappy hollywood movies...which I seldom watch!!

Here are my responses to your queries:

Im trying to translate a movie "Goodfellas" from English into Russian. but there are some sentences which I don't fully understand.

He liked that I got myself a job.
[He liked/found it admirable that I was capable of obtaining a job, of my own doing/volition/own ability.]

He always used to say that American kids were spoiled lazy.
Does he mean that american kids were spoiled because(the kids were laze) of laziness or they were spoiled in a way that they were lazy. What does it mean exactly? [They were spoiled to a degree, to such an extent, that they became lazy.]

He got all his calls second hand.

Does it mean that he had someone esle making his phone calls? How would you say that in russian?
[His calls = phones messages were received by someone other than him; who then gave the messages to him (that is, second hand). I cannot say how you would say that it Russian.]


but he was already a legend.[/i]
[He was already famous, well known.]

->He'd walk in the door and everybody who worked the room just went wild.
[Everybody who was working in the room (at the time that he came in) just went wild (responded enthusiastically).
any ideas how to translate last two lines?
[No!]


What's really funny is
that @@@@ bank job in Secaucus.
I'm in the middle of the weeds,
lying down.
He says, "What are you doing?"
I said, "I'm resting."
When he says "in the middle of weeds" does he mean s joint stuffed with marihuana or just a regular cigarette?
[NO, he's just hiding/resting in/among some vegetation.]
#NAME?
- Yeah, he's a piece of work.
["Piece of work" is a popular American expression which means that person is "a failure, a buffoon, a loser, fool, anything derogatory, etc"

What does the last line mean?
his guy didn't want to come
and give you the check.

Could you take care of this?

No problem. Tell him to put it
on my tab. Of course.

That's what I want to talk to you about.

It ain't just this one.
It's seven big ones you owe me.

$7,000, that ain't peanuts.
I don't mean to be out of order...

Don't mean to be out of order?

It's good you don't mean
to be out of order.

What does it mean "to be out of order" in this context?

[Be out of order, in this context, means to be argumentative, contrary, antagonistic.]

what do you think is the most suitable russian word for a 'wiseguy' (when it means a person associated with the Mafia
[A wiseguy in "Mafia Lore" refers to a criminal who has successfully survived enough criminal/dangerous activities/jobs that he has achieved some status among his peers as being "smart = successful = wise enough" to have survived for a relatively long time.
[I cannot say what the Russian equivalent is. Maybe, "a live Russian journalist or politician"!

Good luck,
"Movies suck, life is real!"

I like this question. Goodfellas is an excellent movie because it realistically portrays people; not like most sappy hollywood movies...which I seldom watch!!

Here are my responses to your queries:

Im trying to translate a movie "Goodfellas" from English into Russian. but there are some sentences which I don't fully understand.

He liked that I got myself a job.
[He liked/found it admirable that I was capable of obtaining a job, of my own doing/volition/own ability.]

He always used to say that American kids were spoiled lazy.
Does he mean that american kids were spoiled because(the kids were laze) of laziness or they were spoiled in a way that they were lazy. What does it mean exactly? [They were spoiled to a degree, to such an extent, that they became lazy.]

He got all his calls second hand.

Does it mean that he had someone esle making his phone calls? How would you say that in russian?
[His calls = phones messages were received by someone other than him; who then gave the messages to him (that is, second hand). I cannot say how you would say that it Russian.]


but he was already a legend.[/i]
[He was already famous, well known.]

->He'd walk in the door and everybody who worked the room just went wild.
[Everybody who was working in the room (at the time that he came in) just went wild (responded enthusiastically).
any ideas how to translate last two lines?
[No!]


What's really funny is
that @@@@ bank job in Secaucus.
I'm in the middle of the weeds,
lying down.
He says, "What are you doing?"
I said, "I'm resting."
When he says "in the middle of weeds" does he mean s joint stuffed with marihuana or just a regular cigarette?
[NO, he's just hiding/resting in/among some vegetation.]
#NAME?
- Yeah, he's a piece of work.
["Piece of work" is a popular American expression which means that person is "a failure, a buffoon, a loser, fool, anything derogatory, etc"

What does the last line mean?
his guy didn't want to come
and give you the check.

Could you take care of this?

No problem. Tell him to put it
on my tab. Of course.

That's what I want to talk to you about.

It ain't just this one.
It's seven big ones you owe me.

$7,000, that ain't peanuts.
I don't mean to be out of order...

Don't mean to be out of order?

It's good you don't mean
to be out of order.

What does it mean "to be out of order" in this context?

[Be out of order, in this context, means to be argumentative, contrary, antagonistic.]

what do you think is the most suitable russian word for a 'wiseguy' (when it means a person associated with the Mafia
[A wiseguy in "Mafia Lore" refers to a criminal who has successfully survived enough criminal/dangerous activities/jobs that he has achieved some status among his peers as being "smart = successful = wise enough" to have survived for a relatively long time.
[I cannot say what the Russian equivalent is. Maybe, "a live Russian journalist or politician"!

Good luck,
"Movies suck, life is real!"