фраер

Russian

Alternative forms

• фрайер

Etymology

Possibly from German Freier (John, a male customer of prostitutes, male or female or suitor) via Yiddish, possibly spelt פרייר . Supposedly at first the word was used in Odessa's criminal world. The prostitutes used the word to call their clients.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈfrajɪr/

Noun

фраер • (frájer) m

1. (slang) not a criminal person, a potential victim of a crime, any person (male); a guy criminals may consider deserving respect, even if he doesn't belong to their group.

   И фра́ер устремля́лся в сто́рону беды́ свое́й. ("На солнечной стороне улицы", Дина Рубина)

   And the guy just went towards his trouble.

   Я не вор, я че́стный фра́ер.

   I'm not a thief, I'm an honest bloke.

2. (slang) an unpleasant person, e.g. someone who behaves arrogantly, spoils a party, etc.

   Жа́дность фра́ера погу́бит. (saying)

   Greed will kill the bad guy.

   Э́тот фра́ер да́же не соизво́лил мне позвони́ть, хотя́ я ему́ назва́нивал в тече́ние не́скольких дней.

   And this jerk didn't even condescend to call me, although I kept calling him for a few days.

3. (slang) A naive or inexperienced person, a sucker, mug, patsy or sap; one who accedes to all requests, and is easily taken advantage of.

   Бог не фра́ер, он всё ви́дит.

   God is not a sucker, he sees everything.

Declension

    declension of фраер

	singular	plural
nominative	фра́ер	фраера́
genitive	фра́ера	фраеро́в
dative	фра́еру	фраера́м
accusative	фра́ера	фраеро́в
instrumental	фра́ером	фраера́ми
prepositional	фра́ере	фраера́х

Related terms

• фраерок (frajerók)
• фраернуться (frajernút'sja)

See also

• Czech: frajer m
• German: Freier m
• Hebrew: פראייר (fráier) m (in Hebrew)
• Polish: frajer m
• Romanian: fraier m
• Александр Сидоров. "Фраер - это звучит гордо" (Russian)