это было давно и неправда

Russian

Etymology

Literally, “it was long ago and it didn't happen”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɛtə ˈbɨɫə dɐvˈno i nʲɪˈpravdə]

Phrase

э́то бы́ло давно́ и непра́вда • (éto býlo davnó i neprávda)

1. (colloquial, idiomatic, ironic) it's water under the bridge, it's yesterday's fish and chips (said of an event, typically an unpleasant one, which happened in the past but which is unimportant or no longer relevant)
   • 1984, Г. Померанц, “Страстная односторонность и бесстрастие духа. Статья первая”, in Страна и мир:

     Э́то так, но э́то бы́ло давно́ и непра́вда. То есть тогда́, мо́жет, бы́ло так, а тепе́рь соверше́нно потеря́ло значе́ние.

     Éto tak, no éto býlo davnó i neprávda. To jestʹ togdá, móžet, býlo tak, a tepérʹ soveršénno poterjálo značénije.

     That is true, but it's water under the bridge. Which is to say, maybe it was true back then, but today that is of no importance whatsoever.