як ..., так і
Both ... and with Як ..., Так І
Як ..., так і = both ... and, ... alike: як дарослыя, так і дзеці (adults and children alike).
How It Works
Meaning. Як ..., так і says that something applies equally to two things. It sounds more formal than plain і and is common in writing and speeches:
- Гэтую казку любяць як дарослыя, так і дзеці. (Adults and children alike love this fairy tale.)
- Кніга карысная як студэнтам, так і настаўнікам. (The book is useful to students and teachers alike.)
Build it. Put як right before the first member and так і before the second. Both members must do the same job in the sentence, and they keep the same case: студэнтам ... настаўнікам (both dative). If there is a preposition, repeat it: як для бацькоў, так і для дзяцей. Keep the і in так і.
Comma. Put a comma before так і, but not before як.
Agreement. When the two members are the subject, the verb is usually plural: Як брат, так і сястра ведаюць пра гэта.
Similar pairs. Не толькі ..., але і (not only ..., but also) stresses the second member. Ні ... ні is the negative version: neither ... nor.
Do not confuse this як with the comparing як (like, as).
Examples (5)
- Гэтую казку любяць як дарослыя, так і дзеці.
Adults and children alike love this fairy tale.
Word by Word: This fairy-tale love as adults, so and children.
- Кніга карысная як студэнтам, так і настаўнікам.
The book is useful to students and teachers alike.
Word by Word: Book useful as to-students, so and to-teachers.
- Мы працуем як у будні, так і ў выхадныя.
We work both on weekdays and at weekends.
Word by Word: We work as on weekdays, so and on days-off.
- Ён добра размаўляе як па-беларуску, так і па-польску.
He speaks both Belarusian and Polish well.
Word by Word: He well speaks as in-Belarusian, so and in-Polish.
- Сустрэча будзе цікавая як для бацькоў, так і для дзяцей.
The meeting will be interesting for parents and children alike.
Word by Word: Meeting will-be interesting as for parents, so and for children.
The preposition для is repeated in both halves.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the comma before так і.
Кніга карысная як студэнтам так і настаўнікам.Кніга карысная як студэнтам, так і настаўнікам.A comma separates the two halves of як ..., так і, before так і.
Putting a comma before як.
Кніга карысная, як студэнтам, так і настаўнікам.Кніга карысная як студэнтам, так і настаўнікам.The only comma in this pair goes before так і. Як opens the first member and takes no comma.
Dropping the і from так і.
Гэтую казку любяць як дарослыя, так дзеці.Гэтую казку любяць як дарослыя, так і дзеці.The second half of the pair is так і. Without і the sentence sounds incomplete.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Both ... and follows not only.
Related Patterns
- ні ... ніNeither ... nor
The negative counterpart: neither ... nor.
Level 4 - і / аJoining with І and Contrasting with А
Plain і joins two members more simply.
Level 1 - то ..., тоNow ... Now with То ..., То
Another two-part conjunction; it describes alternation, not both at once.
Level 5 - як in ComparisonsComparing with Як
A different як, meaning like or as in comparisons.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice як ..., так і in Bubblegum
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