Time Span + таму
Ago with Таму
Тыдзень таму means a week ago. Таму comes after the time, just like English ago.
How It Works
Common phrases:
- хвіліну таму (a minute ago), гадзіну таму (an hour ago)
- дзень таму, тыдзень таму, месяц таму, год таму
- два дні таму, тры гады таму, пяць гадоў таму
- некалькі дзён таму (a few days ago), шмат гадоў таму (many years ago)
The case. Feminine time words take the accusative -у: хвіліну, гадзіну. See feminine accusative. After два, тры and чатыры, use the nominative plural (two to four). After пяць and higher, and after words like некалькі and шмат, use the genitive plural (five and up).
Word order. Таму always follows the time: год таму, never таму год.
Other meanings of таму. At the start of a clause, таму means that is why (таму meaning so), and таму што means because (бо and таму што). After a length of time, it always means ago.
Ago or in. For the future, use праз: праз тыдзень (in a week).
Examples (6)
- Я прыехаў сюды тыдзень таму.
I came here a week ago.
Word by Word: I came here week ago.
- Яна патэлефанавала гадзіну таму.
She called an hour ago.
Word by Word: She called hour ago.
Гадзіна is feminine, so it becomes гадзіну.
- Мы пазнаёміліся пяць гадоў таму.
We met five years ago.
Word by Word: We got-acquainted five years ago.
- Два дні таму ішоў дождж.
It rained two days ago.
Word by Word: Two days ago went rain.
- Гэта было даўно, шмат гадоў таму.
That was long ago, many years ago.
Word by Word: This was long-ago, many years ago.
- Ён пайшоў хвіліну таму.
He left a minute ago.
Word by Word: He left minute ago.
Common Mistakes
Putting таму before the time.
Я прыехаў таму тыдзень.Я прыехаў тыдзень таму.Таму works like English ago and always comes after the time.
Leaving a feminine time word in the nominative.
Яна прыйшла гадзіна таму.Яна прыйшла гадзіну таму.The time phrase is in the accusative, so гадзіна becomes гадзіну.
Using the wrong plural form after пяць.
Мы пераехалі пяць гады таму.Мы пераехалі пяць гадоў таму.After пяць and higher numbers, the noun is in the genitive plural: гадоў.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Ago needs numbers and калі.
Related Patterns
- празThrough, In and Because of with Праз
Праз + time means in, for the future.
Level 3 - таму for a ResultSo and Therefore with Таму
Таму at the start of a clause means so or that is why.
Level 3 - бо / таму штоBecause with Бо and Таму Што
Таму што means because.
Level 2 - два / тры / чатыры + Nominative PluralTwo to Four with the Nominative Plural
Gives the form in два дні and тры гады.
Level 2 - пяць and Up + Genitive PluralFive and Up with the Genitive Plural
Gives the form in пяць гадоў.
Level 2 - Feminine Accusative -у/-юFeminine Accusative -у and -ю
Explains хвіліну and гадзіну.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice Time Span + таму in Bubblegum
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