# Труба зовёт!



## Aleessa

Всем добрый вечер!

Подскажите, пожалуйста, как лучше передать на английский язык данное выражение: «Труба зовёт!» 
Ничего лучше "It's high time..." в голову не приходит

Спасибо огромное!


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## Christiano27

Does this not mean: 'The phone is ringing!'?

Sorry if I'm way off...


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## morzh

Christiano27 said:


> Does this not mean: 'The phone is ringing!'?
> 
> Sorry if I'm way off...



Yes you are....

It means "it's time!"
Literally - "The bugle calls".



Aleessa said:


> Всем добрый вечер!
> 
> Подскажите, пожалуйста, как лучше передать на английский язык данное выражение: «Труба зовёт!»
> Ничего лучше "It's high time..." в голову не приходит
> 
> Спасибо огромное!



I hear it used when someone is about to leave, and wants to indicate it's time for them to go.
"It's high time" is not really the same - it means "It should've happened long time ago", "it's overdue".

Why don't you write what you want to say, the full sentence, like:"Ну, труба зовет - завтра на работу. Спасибо, ребята - хорошо посидели".


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## Aleessa

One of my groupmates said: "Труба зовёт -- я сегодня раньше ухожу". All the others, being very enthusiastic about learning English, wondered how to say the same in English ;-). I tried to find a similar expression in the Internet, but failed....


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## Christiano27

Haha, sorry. You can see why I would think that though!?


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## morzh

Christiano27 said:


> Haha, sorry. You can see why I would think that though!?



Of course.

It also shows you know slang well, as this is what's required to interpret  "труба" as "телефон".

As a matter of fact, you are not that waaaaay off. I can see a situation where (as the practice exists in both of our  languages) one would intentionally misuse an idiom or a stable expression. It sounds funny this way.
Lots of movie/sitcom humorous situations are based on that.

Remember "No one likes to kiss ass" from Shreck, where the Donkey says that when they climb the dragon to fly to the castle?


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## Aleessa

Christiano27 said:


> Haha, sorry. You can see why I would think that though!?



Yes, I see))...I was just wondering, if someone in this forum may have heard or knows the idiom in English that is close to the Russian one...
Anyone..?


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## morzh

Aleessa said:


> Yes, I see))...I was just wondering, if someone in this forum may have heard or knows the idiom in English that is close to the Russian one...
> Anyone..?



Aleessa, 

I gave you a suggestion to give the full phrase.
Otherwise it becomes the search for a black cat in a dark room.

Here's one example:

Suppose a guy at a drinking party gets a call on his cellphone, and, looking at the CallerID sees this is his wife calling for him to cut the fun short and get back home.

This is one possible situation where a Russian would say "Труба зовет - пора".

In English one possible way is "The Ball and the chain's calling; time for me to go".

In another situation it would be another phrase.
Not necessarily an idiom either.


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## Aleessa

Above I have given an example, where this phrase was used. One of my groupmates had to leave earlier, so she said "Труба зовёт -- я сегодня раньше ухожу". I wonder how to say the same in English, when someone leaves earlier...
I would be glad to give more context, but there is none, sorry.


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## morzh

Ah-ha,  missed that, sorry.

So I was right this was used as a "I have to go".

But she did not give any indication as to why she had to leave early, did she?

For example, if someone had to leave early due to work schedule, or any other prior obligation, he or she might say:

"Duty call, have to go!".

Other ways:

"Gotta split (early)".
"Gotta go for now".
"Catch you guys later".
"You be good now".
"You keep out of trouble".
"Take it easy".

I don't know the exact equivalent - it is rather situational.

Now the above examples are not really equivalents of "Труба зовет" ("duty call", provided the situation's right, is more or less), but then it is in essence a parting phrase, part of the "parting culture", and it's a matter of saying something when parting rather than conveying a really meaningful info.

The aforementioned "ball and chain" or "duty call" are those "reason giving" parting phrases. Of course, again, they only work if appropriately invoked. Otherwise they create a wrong impression.


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## Aleessa

Yes, you are right, she didn't. But her voice and eyes expression said  "I'm going on a date"
Anyway I got your point, and thanks a lot for examples. I believe if someone doesn't want to explain why they have to leave, no matter if this is work or a date, "Duty call" can be used, right?


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## morzh

Aleessa said:


> Yes, you are right, she didn't. But her voice and eyes expression said  "I'm going on a date"
> Anyway I got your point, and thanks a lot for examples. I believe if someone doesn't want to explain why they have to leave, no matter if this is work or a date, "Duty call" can be used, right?



Or simply "gotta go for now, see you all later".


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## morzh

Actually this one I like a lot (especially sounds funny coming from a girl)

"Awright guys, got things to see, people to do."


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## Aleessa

Yes, that's very funny Thanks a lot!


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## Sobakus

Only it's duty call*s*.


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## morzh

Sobakus said:


> Only it's duty call*s*.




One can say either "duty calls" (duty I have to attend to calls me), or "duty call" (it's a duty call I have to attend to).

Below is an example of usage.


And, just in case we missed the point, the final scene featured the Queen heading off on yet another *duty call* leaving Margaret to look spectacularly bereft on the palace steps.—_Telegraph.co.uk: news, business, sport, the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Sunday Telegraph_


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