Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Russian term or phrase:
на свою голову
English translation:
asking for trouble/to my regret
Russian term
United States
Subtitles | Audiovisual | Editing
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, English, and 1 more.
на свою голову
(написала письмо ухажеру, о последствиях которого сожалеет)
I know Multitran's translation but I don't like it.
Proposed translations
fight the matrix
Native in: Russian 
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian
asking for trouble
Netherlands
Bilingual Russian English interpreter
Native in: Russian
Works in: Dutch to Russian, English to Russian, Russian to English
bring it upon yourself
I brought it upon myself.
Ukraine
Native in: Russian , Ukrainian
Works in: English to Russian, German to Russian, Russian to English, and 11 more.
I don't know what got into me to..
Germany
Pushing the envelope of meaning
Native in: Russian 
Works in: German to Russian, English to Russian, Hebrew to Russian, and 18 more.
to my own cost
Germany
US-educated, precise & thorough
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, Russian
so I went and wrote that letter/email, only to regret it later
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Note added at 14 mins (2009-12-01 22:03:26 GMT)
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если героиня поняла, что совершила ошибку, сразу же как только отправила письмо, можно так:
so I wrote/emailed him (back) only to regret it a minute later
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Note added at 15 mins (2009-12-01 22:04:00 GMT)
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вообще, что за письмо? в каком это веке происходит? маловато контекста
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Note added at 27 mins (2009-12-01 22:16:41 GMT)
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спасибо! да, возможен такой вариант:
So I emailed him... only to regret it later.
вам виднее, какой смысловой акцент здесь нужен. можно ведь и так сказать:
So I went and embarrassed myself by emailing him.
или
So I came up with this "great" idea to email him...
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Note added at 30 mins (2009-12-01 22:19:42 GMT)
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Еще вариант:
So I emailed him, which seemed so right... at the time.
| Наше время. Литературно-разговорный стиль речи. Письмо по электронной почте. |
ATA certified from English into Russian
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, Spanish to Russian, and 1 more.
To my regret
United States
(but) it backfired on me
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Note added at 2 hrs (2009-12-02 00:28:25 GMT)
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Or yet more slangy: but it came back to bite me
| agree |
Galina Palyvian
: Judith, sorry, I only saw your answer "much to my regret" now.
20 mins
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Thank you. That's fine.
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| agree |
tschingite
10 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Jim Tucker (X)
: Was about to propose "came back to bite me"!
12 hrs
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Thanks, Jim. Yes, that was an afterthought on my part.
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United States
Excellent English from Russian originals
Native in: English (Variants: British, Australian, US)
Works in: Russian to English
on my own head
Ну и сочинила на свою голову. Последовало приглашение.
So I had to go and write something poetic.
And I did, but it brought the worst down on my own head. He asked me out.
United States
Exemplary quality, truly bilingual
Native in: Russian , English
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, English
no one to blame but myself
'He asked me out. Now I had no one to blame but myself.'
United Kingdom
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: Greek to English, Czech to English, Slovak to English, and 1 more.
worse luck
"worse luck", an expression of regret, is rather informal and chatty, but may fit the style.
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Note added at 16 hrs (2009-12-02 14:01:16 GMT)
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or "more fool me":
"so I did (write it), more fool me".
Russian Federation
proficient translation
Native in: English , Russian
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, English
put my head in a spin/give me headache
Heck, the words I concocted may put my head in a spin.
Discussion
Надо что-то лирическое сочинить.
Ну и сочинила на свою голову. Последовало приглашение.
[...]
Он был похож на Кащея Бессмертного. Мне пришло это в голову, когда я увидела его из окна такси...