The Russian expression “на всякий случай” translates to “just in case” in English (though the literal translation would be “for whatever case”). It is widely used in both everyday conversations and more formal contexts. Let’s explore how it works with some examples:
- У меня в сумке на всякий случай всегда лежат зонтик и солнечные очки. = I always have an umbrella and sunglasses in my bag, just in case.
- У меня на всякий случай есть резервная копия всех важных файлов. = I have a backup copy of all important files, just in case.
- Я знаю дорогу, но на всякий случай езжу в машине с навигатором. = I know the way, but just in case, I drive with a navigator in the car.
A fun fact is that there is a colloquial version of this expression – “на всякий пожарный,” which literally means “for any fire incident.”
- — Зачем тебе три ручки в сумке? = Why do you need 3 pens in your bag?
— На всякий пожарный. = Just in case.
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