Is it me, or does this sound clumsy even in Russian? In English it would sound idiotic to say "I don't know anyone who would be smarter than you" instead of "I don't know anyone smarter than you."

Alex, your translation, although correct, is a bit Shakespearian. Also, clever isn't quite the same as intelligent - it has a connotation of slyness, slickness, industriousness.

++Vladimir: Perfect! Word for word what I would say :)

Although I didn't know about that slyness hue in the word clever, I don't like the word ' clever' anyway as it just comes from the school years. I would like to say 'wise', but I thought it would have been too high for that sentence. As for 'smart', I though it was kind of sly and quick to react instead of being intelligent or wise. Once a lead engineer I worked with said: 'I don't like smart guys'. Since then, I have thought that smart has something negative in meaning. So, what you just said makes the whole thing clearer. I believe I should again look up the difference in dictionaries...

Yes, Smart can mean Умный or Хитрожопый depending on the context. In this case it's the perfect word.

An army officer would say to his soldiers: "Сильно умные стали!" That exactly meant "хитрые". Also depends on context🦉

👍🏼

@Uly Marrero,
>is it me, or does this sound clumsy even in Russian?
😀
Uly, Вы знаете, на мой взгляд
все зависит от ситуации)

1. - Вы идете по улице и встречаете знакомого, которого долго не видели. Вы оба спешите, происходит "small talk" - о семьях, работе, досуге.
Он говорит, что его не ценят на работе.
Вы говорите:
Listen, that's just rediculous!
You're very smart!
(т.е. Вы вообще не усложняете, Вы говорите простыми словами -
that's just a small talk☺)

2. - Вы пришли на работу в офис и видите - Ваш коллега огорчен.
Он подозревает, что директор считает его глупым, а потому не доверяет серьезных проектов.
Вы говорите:
Listen, the reason is you've been there for 3 months!
I don't know anyone smarter than you!
-or-
You're the smartest man I've ever known.
(т.е. Вы ведете уже более серьезный разговор)

3. - Ваш близкий родственник приходит домой и говорит, что кто-то высмеял его и назвал/выставил дураком.
Он расстроен и ему очень плохо.
Вы говорите:
- Послушай, твои переживания напрасны.
Я не знаю никого, кто был бы таким же умным как ты.
Вот что я тебе скажу по этому поводу...
(т.е. Вы хотите ему помочь справиться с этой ситуацией и начинаете долгий разговор)

То есть, is it clumsy in Russian зависит
исключительно от ситуации.☺

But, if I get it right, constructions like that are extremely clumsy in English)

I guess in the third example, you COULD say "I don't know anyone who could possibly be any smarter than you" if you want to make someone feel good.

Uly, but does it sound idiomatic
IN ENGLISH?
Or it sounds idiotic?😁

Maybe, in English it's better to use more simple phrases and don't use so complicated and long constructions, even in the 3d situation?...

Oh sweetie... you'll never catch me writing anything unidiomatic in English :)

It IS a long construction, but there's a place for it. For instance, if a mother is cheering up her little boy who thinks he's skinnier than the other boys, she could potentially say: "I can't think of anyone who could possibly be any handsomer than you." In this case all the extra words are strategically there to make her statement more emphatic and sweet to her son.

Okay, Uly, got it!😉
¡Muchas gracias!