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  What it means

  Literally “to put on the shoulder blades.” Means to pin someone to the mat, to defeat them completely — to overcome an opponent so thoroughly they are flat on their back.

  Vocabulary

  • kłaść — to place / to lay (imperfective)
  • łopatki — shoulder blades (plural of 'łopatka')

  Grammar note

  'Na łopatki' uses the accusative plural after 'na'. A wrestling metaphor — pinning someone's shoulder blades to the ground.

  Cultural context

  Used both in sports contexts and figuratively for any decisive defeat — in an argument, competition, or negotiation.

  Intermediate

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