Meaning
Another opportunity to succeed.
Cultural Background
The concept of 'miloserdie' (mercy) is central. Giving a second chance is seen as a noble act of a 'wide soul' (широкая душа). Historically, in the Soviet system, a 'second chance' was rare for political mistakes, leading to a culture where people were very afraid of making the first mistake. Influenced by Western startups, the 'fail fast' mentality is growing, making 'второй шанс' a common part of professional growth. Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment' is essentially a 500-page exploration of a man getting a second chance at being human.
Verb Pairing
Always pair it with 'дать' (to give) or 'получить' (to get). These are the most natural combinations.
Gender Trap
Don't say 'вторая шанс'. Even though 'chance' might feel feminine in your language, it's masculine in Russian.
Meaning
Another opportunity to succeed.
Verb Pairing
Always pair it with 'дать' (to give) or 'получить' (to get). These are the most natural combinations.
Gender Trap
Don't say 'вторая шанс'. Even though 'chance' might feel feminine in your language, it's masculine in Russian.
Emotional Weight
Using this phrase in an apology shows you understand the gravity of your mistake.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct form of the adjective and noun.
У меня нет _______.
After 'нет', we use the Genitive case: 'второго шанса'.
Fill in the missing word.
Пожалуйста, дай мне _______ шанс!
The standard phrase is 'второй шанс'.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Which situation best fits 'второй шанс'?
'Второй шанс' implies redemption or a retry after a failure.
Complete the dialogue.
— Я провалил экзамен. — Не плачь, у тебя будет _______.
Both 'второй шанс' and 'вторая попытка' are correct in this context.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Where to use 'Второй шанс'
Life
- • Relationships
- • Personal goals
- • Health
Work
- • Projects
- • Exams
- • Interviews
Practice Bank
4 exercisesУ меня нет _______.
After 'нет', we use the Genitive case: 'второго шанса'.
Пожалуйста, дай мне _______ шанс!
The standard phrase is 'второй шанс'.
Which situation best fits 'второй шанс'?
'Второй шанс' implies redemption or a retry after a failure.
— Я провалил экзамен. — Не плачь, у тебя будет _______.
Both 'второй шанс' and 'вторая попытка' are correct in this context.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, but it's much less common and implies you are being very generous (or the other person is very lucky).
It's neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
'Шанс' is more about luck or a specific opening, while 'возможность' is a broader 'opportunity' or 'capability'.
You can say 'Я упустил свой второй шанс' or 'Я профукал свой второй шанс' (slang).
Yes, very often when discussing project failures or employee performance.
Yes, 'вторые шансы', but it's rarely used. We usually talk about a specific second chance.
It sounds a bit dramatic for small things. Use 'ещё раз' (one more time) instead.
The Dative case for the person receiving it, and Accusative for the chance itself: 'Дать (кому?) другу (что?) второй шанс'.
Not exactly with these words, but 'Попытка — не пытка' (An attempt is not a torture) is related.
It sounds like an 'f' because the next letter 'т' is a voiceless consonant.
Related Phrases
Начать с чистого листа
similarTo start from scratch
Ещё одна попытка
synonymOne more attempt
Последний шанс
contrastLast chance
Упустить шанс
builds onTo miss a chance
