Signification
Risking something valuable.
Contexte culturel
The idiom is deeply linked to the 'Gambling Myth' in Russian literature. In Pushkin's 'The Queen of Spades', the protagonist Hermann is obsessed with a secret of three cards that will win him a fortune. His tragic end solidified the 'card' as a symbol of fate in the Russian mind. In the 19th century, officers of the Russian army were known for their reckless bravery and gambling. Losing an entire family fortune on a single card was seen as a tragic but almost 'noble' way to fall, reflecting a disregard for material wealth compared to the thrill of the moment. In modern Russia, the phrase is frequently used in business media to describe the aggressive strategies of oligarchs or tech entrepreneurs. It reflects the volatile nature of the Russian market where legal and economic shifts can happen overnight. In Soviet spy movies (like 'Seventeen Moments of Spring'), the phrase was often used to describe the risk of a secret agent being caught. Here, the 'stake' was usually the success of the entire war effort.
Use with 'Всё'
The most natural way to use this is 'поставить на карту всё' (to stake everything). It sounds more complete and idiomatic.
Don't pluralize
Always keep 'карта' in the singular. 'Поставить на карты' is not an idiom and will confuse listeners.
Signification
Risking something valuable.
Use with 'Всё'
The most natural way to use this is 'поставить на карту всё' (to stake everything). It sounds more complete and idiomatic.
Don't pluralize
Always keep 'карта' in the singular. 'Поставить на карты' is not an idiom and will confuse listeners.
Passive Power
Use 'На карту поставлено...' in writing to sound more sophisticated and objective. It's a favorite of Russian journalists.
Teste-toi
Заполните пропуск правильной формой слова 'карта'.
Он был готов поставить на ______ всё своё состояние.
After the preposition 'на' in this idiom, we use the Accusative case (кого? что?) — карту.
Выберите ситуацию, где этот идиом уместен.
В какой ситуации лучше сказать 'поставить на карту'?
This idiom is for high-stakes, serious risks, not minor daily inconveniences.
Соотнесите начало и конец фразы.
Соедините части предложений:
These are common grammatical and semantic pairings for the idiom.
Завершите диалог, используя идиому.
— Ты уверен, что хочешь продать дом и вложить все деньги в этот стартап? — Да, я знаю, что я ...
This correctly uses the idiom to express a massive financial and personal risk.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesОн был готов поставить на ______ всё своё состояние.
After the preposition 'на' in this idiom, we use the Accusative case (кого? что?) — карту.
В какой ситуации лучше сказать 'поставить на карту'?
This idiom is for high-stakes, serious risks, not minor daily inconveniences.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are common grammatical and semantic pairings for the idiom.
— Ты уверен, что хочешь продать дом и вложить все деньги в этот стартап? — Да, я знаю, что я ...
This correctly uses the idiom to express a massive financial and personal risk.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsTechnically yes, but it sounds very dramatic. Use it only if you want to be intentionally hyperbolic or funny.
It is always 'на карту'. The preposition 'на' indicates the surface where the bet is placed.
'Идти ва-банк' is more about the person's action (going all-in), while 'поставить на карту' focuses on the specific thing being risked (reputation, life, etc.).
Yes, it is very common in news, business, and serious literature. You will hear it often on TV.
Yes, it's a great way to show that you are serious about a career move or a project.
No, it just means a high risk. The outcome could be a huge success or a huge failure.
Yes, but 'поставить на карту всё' or 'поставить на карту состояние' (fortune) sounds more idiomatic.
The thing you are risking is in the Accusative case (e.g., поставить на карту репутациЮ).
The slang equivalent would be 'алл-ин' (all-in) or 'залить всё' in gaming contexts.
Only if you are describing a general habit of someone who takes big risks constantly.
Expressions liées
идти ва-банк
synonymTo go all-in (from gambling).
пан или пропал
similarWin big or lose everything.
играть с огнём
similarTo play with fire.
карта бита
contrastThe game is lost; the plan failed.
