авось

Russian[edit]

Inherited from Old East Slavic авосе (avose), from а (a, “but”) +‎ осе (ose, “here”).

аво́сь • (avósʹ)

(colloquial) perhaps, maybe, possibly, may still, might yet (low certainty)
Аво́сь повезёт. ― Avósʹ povezjót. ― We/I may yet succeed. (with low certainty)

аво́сь • (avósʹ) m inan (genitive аво́ся, nominative plural аво́си, genitive plural аво́сей)

blind trust in divine providence; blind faith in sheer luck; counting on a miracle
Наде́ясь на аво́сь, я реши́л вы́ехать на встре́чную по́лосу, что́бы объе́хать про́бку.
Nadéjasʹ na avósʹ, ja rešíl výjexatʹ na vstréčnuju pólosu, štóby obʺjéxatʹ próbku.
Counting on a miracle, I decided to slip into the oncoming lane to get around the traffic jam.
faith in serendipity; counting on pure luck
ру́сский «аво́сь» ― rússkij «avósʹ» ― said about the alleged unconcern of Russians and their tendency to rely on luck

на аво́сь ― na avósʹ ― counting on pure luck

Аво́сь с небо́сем води́лись, да о́ба в я́му ввали́лись.
Avósʹ s nebósem vodílisʹ, da óba v jámu vvalílisʹ.
"Avos" and "Nebos" hung out together and both fell into a hole. (one can't rely on luck alone)

От аво́ся добра́ не жди.
Ot avósja dobrá ne ždi.
Don't expect anything good from "Avos". (one can't rely on luck alone)

Declension of аво́сь (inan masc-form soft-stem accent-a)

Pre-reform declension of аво́сь (inan masc-form soft-stem accent-a)