Bedeutung
To suppress one's own wishes for a goal.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The idiom is inseparable from the history of Soviet censorship. Many artists felt they had to 'step on their own throats' to survive or to serve the state ideology. In modern Russia, the phrase is often used by 'creative' professionals (designers, copywriters) who feel their talent is being wasted on corporate tasks. The concept of the 'Sacrificed Poet' is a recurring theme in Russian literature, from Pushkin to the underground poets of the 1970s. The phrase reflects a certain Slavic stoicism — the idea that duty and necessity often outweigh individual happiness or self-expression.
Use 'собственной' for impact
Adding 'собственной' (own) makes the phrase sound much more dramatic and personal, just like Mayakovsky intended.
Avoid literal use
Never use this if you are actually talking about someone's throat or a physical song; it will sound like a weird horror movie script.
Bedeutung
To suppress one's own wishes for a goal.
Use 'собственной' for impact
Adding 'собственной' (own) makes the phrase sound much more dramatic and personal, just like Mayakovsky intended.
Avoid literal use
Never use this if you are actually talking about someone's throat or a physical song; it will sound like a weird horror movie script.
The Mayakovsky Connection
Mentioning Mayakovsky when you use this phrase will instantly boost your 'cultural credit' with native speakers.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the correct form of the words 'горло' and 'песня'.
Ради карьеры юриста ему пришлось наступить на ______ собственной ______.
After 'наступить на' we use the Accusative (горло), and 'песне' is in the Dative case as the recipient of the action.
Which situation best fits the idiom 'наступить на горло собственной песне'?
Выберите подходящую ситуацию:
Option B describes a creative sacrifice for practical reasons, which is the core meaning of the idiom.
Complete the dialogue using the idiom.
— Почему ты больше не играешь в своей рок-группе? — Знаешь, семья, работа... Пришлось ____________________.
This is the standard form of the idiom used to explain giving up a passion.
🎉 Ergebnis: /3
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
3 AufgabenРади карьеры юриста ему пришлось наступить на ______ собственной ______.
After 'наступить на' we use the Accusative (горло), and 'песне' is in the Dative case as the recipient of the action.
Выберите подходящую ситуацию:
Option B describes a creative sacrifice for practical reasons, which is the core meaning of the idiom.
— Почему ты больше не играешь в своей рок-группе? — Знаешь, семья, работа... Пришлось ____________________.
This is the standard form of the idiom used to explain giving up a passion.
🎉 Ergebnis: /3
Häufig gestellte Fragen
4 FragenIt's moderately common, especially among educated adults and in professional creative circles. It's not something you'd hear teenagers say to each other.
Yes, you can say 'Он наступил на горло своей песне,' meaning he suppressed his own passion.
Yes, it almost always implies a sense of loss, regret, or a painful compromise. It's never a 'happy' thing to do.
There isn't a direct idiomatic opposite, but phrases like 'дать волю чувствам' (give vent to feelings) or 'раскрыть свой талант' (reveal one's talent) work as conceptual opposites.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Скрепя сердце
similarWith a heavy heart / reluctantly
Переступить через себя
similarTo go against one's principles
Зарыть талант в землю
relatedTo waste one's talent
Продать душу
similarTo sell one's soul
