# All Slavic languages: handyman for hire



## Encolpius

Hello, what do you call it in your langauge? The origin might be Russian. Thanks. 

Russian: муж на час
Czech: hodinový manžel [hodina = hour  manžel = husband]


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## Azori

Slovak: *hodinový manžel / manžel na hodinu / majster na hodinu / hodinový majster*


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## boozer

I can't think of a Bulgarian equivalent, maybe just майстор of sorts. They charge per hour anyway, though you have to show them exactly what needs to be done and negotiate the price in advance. If I had seen the Russian expression out of context, I would have thought муж на час was someone hired exclusively by ladies to perform exclusively men's duties.  Well, my Russian is very far from being perfect, true.


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## LiseR

boozer said:


> to perform exclusively men's duties.



This is a service used by ladies to perform tasks exclusively for men such as: repairing toilet, plumbing, kitchen and stuff. 
If a woman needs a man for physiological issues, that man is called *мужчина по вызову* or *жиголо.*


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## mmbata

Hi,
Serbian & Croatian:
najamnik
nadničar
plaćenik


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## Duya

mmbata said:


> Hi,
> Serbian & Croatian:
> najamnik
> nadničar
> plaćenik



I think you misunderstood the context -- it's about a man who does all sorts of household repairs, for a fee (naturally). In BCS, _najamnik_ and _plaćenik_ usually refer to hired soldiers (mercenaries), while _nadničar_ is a day-laborer, usually for low-level jobs in agriculture and construction. All three words usually have a negative connotation. 

As far as I know, we don't have a specific word for that. There's the phrase _majstor svih zanata_, but it is usually applied metaphorically for a person who is a know-all.


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## mmbata

Duya said:


> I think you misunderstood the context -- it's about a man who does all sorts of household repairs, for a fee (naturally). In BCS, _najamnik_ and _plaćenik_ usually refer to hired soldiers (mercenaries), while _nadničar_ is a day-laborer, usually for low-level jobs in agriculture and construction. All three words usually have a negative connotation.
> 
> As far as I know, we don't have a specific word for that. There's the phrase _majstor svih zanata_, but it is usually applied metaphorically for a person who is a know-all.



I see. OK. Thanks.


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## Thomas1

If I remember aright, I've come across 'mąż do wynajęcia' and 'mąż na godziny' in Polish. Also, 'złota rączka' could be used in this context.


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## Duya

Re-investigating this, I found the expression _kućni majstor_ which seems to fit the definition, and is widely used in advertisements across BCS area. There is also the older German loan _hauzmajstor_, but (as far as I know), the equivalent BCS calque is _kućepazitelj_, referring to a permanent resident of a building  whose task is maintenance, not someone who does this on the "for fee" basis.


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## slavic_one

I also see a _kućni majstor_ as someone who does  a maintenance in some building (school, hospital, firm...).


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## Duya

Isn't that rather a _domar_?


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## Azori

Some other expressions that are used in Slovak (according to Google):

*náhradný manžel* (substitute / alternative husband)

*manžel na prenájom* (husband for hire)

*majster na zavolanie* (foreman on call)

*majster na prenájom* (foreman for hire)


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## slavic_one

Duya said:


> Isn't that rather a _domar_?



I think it's the same thing.


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## TriglavNationalPark

Slovenian: *(hišni)* *mojster* (or *majster* in colloquial Slovenian)


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## rusita preciosa

Encolpius said:


> Russian: муж на час


This is not a term. It was a clever brand name one company used for their handyman services, literally it means "Husband for an hour".
A general term would be something like *мастер по вызову *(handyman on call) or *мастер на дом *(handyman who makes house calls). That's for a handyman who specifically makes house calls. General term for "handyman for hire" would be *наёмный мастер*.


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## DarkChild

boozer said:


> I can't think of a Bulgarian equivalent, maybe just майстор of sorts. They charge per hour anyway, though you have to show them exactly what needs to be done and negotiate the price in advance. If I had seen the Russian expression out of context, I would have thought муж на час was someone hired exclusively by ladies to perform exclusively men's duties.  Well, my Russian is very far from being perfect, true.



Наемен работник


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