аднак / затое

Contrast with Аднак and Затое

Level 5Sounds Like adnak í zatoe

Аднак = however: Было холадна, аднак мы пайшлі. Затое = but on the other hand: Кватэра малая, затое ў цэнтры.

How It Works

Аднак: however. It links two facts where the second is unexpected after the first. It is close to але but sounds a little more formal:

  • Было холадна, аднак мы пайшлі на шпацыр. (It was cold; however, we went for a walk.)
  • Ён шмат вучыўся, аднак экзамен не здаў. (He studied a lot, but he did not pass the exam.)

Аднак can also begin a new sentence, or stand inside a clause as a parenthetical word set off by two commas: Мы, аднак, вырашылі застацца. (We, however, decided to stay.)

Затое: but on the other hand. The first part names a drawback, and the second names something good that makes up for it:

  • Кватэра малая, затое ў цэнтры. (The apartment is small, but it is in the center.)
  • Праца цяжкая, затое цікавая. (The work is hard, but it is interesting.)

Затое often teams up with але or ды: Я не выспаўся, але затое ўсё зрабіў. It also pairs with хоць: Хоць і малая, затое ўтульная.

Spelling. The conjunction is one word, затое. Written apart, за тое is a preposition and pronoun meaning for that: Дзякуй за тое, што прыйшоў. The Belarusian word is аднак; аднако is a Russianism.

Commas. Put a comma before аднак and затое when they join two parts.

Examples (6)

  1. Было холадна, аднак мы пайшлі на шпацыр.

    It was cold; however, we went for a walk.

    Word by Word: It-was cold, however we went for walk.

  2. Ён шмат вучыўся, аднак экзамен не здаў.

    He studied a lot, but he did not pass the exam.

    Word by Word: He much studied, however exam not passed.

  3. Мы, аднак, вырашылі застацца.

    We, however, decided to stay.

    Word by Word: We, however, decided to-stay.

  4. Кватэра малая, затое ў цэнтры.

    The apartment is small, but it is in the center.

    Word by Word: Apartment small, on-the-other-hand in center.

  5. Праца цяжкая, затое цікавая.

    The work is hard, but it is interesting.

    Word by Word: Work hard, on-the-other-hand interesting.

  6. Я не выспаўся, але затое ўсё зрабіў.

    I did not get enough sleep, but at least I got everything done.

    Word by Word: I not slept-enough, but on-the-other-hand everything did.

Common Mistakes

  • Using затое when the second part is not an advantage.

    Ён разумны, затое вельмі лянівы.
    Ён разумны, аднак вельмі лянівы.

    Затое must introduce something good that makes up for a drawback. Here the second part is itself a drawback, so the plain contrast word аднак (or але) fits.

  • Writing the conjunction затое as two words.

    Кватэра малая, за тое ў цэнтры.
    Кватэра малая, затое ў цэнтры.

    The conjunction is one word. За тое, written apart, means for that.

  • Adding a Russian-style final -о to аднак.

    Было холадна, аднако мы пайшлі.
    Было холадна, аднак мы пайшлі.

    The Belarusian word is аднак, with no final -о. Аднако copies Russian однако.

How It Connects

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аднак / затоеLevel 5Contrast with Аднак and Затое

Learn This First

Contrast follows але.

Words in This Pattern

аднакаднакзатое