не толькі ..., але і

Not Only ... but Also

Level 4Sounds Like ne tolʹkí ..., ale í

Не толькі ..., але і means not only ... but also: Ён размаўляе не толькі па-беларуску, але і па-польску.

How It Works

This is a paired conjunction. The first part is marked with не толькі (not only), the second with але і (but also). The second part is the one the speaker wants to stress, often because it is more surprising.

  • Two subjects: Не толькі дзеці, але і дарослыя любяць гэтую казку.
  • Two verbs: Яна не толькі спявае, але і танцуе.
  • Two objects or places: Мы наведалі не толькі Мінск, але і Гродна.

Word order. Put не толькі directly in front of the first of the two parts, and give both parts the same shape: two languages, two verbs or two subjects. In не толькі па-беларуску, але і па-польску, the two languages match.

Commas. The 2008 rules require a comma before the second part of a paired conjunction: не толькі ..., але і .... There is no comma before не толькі itself unless another rule needs one.

Variants. You will also see не толькі ..., а і with the same meaning. The first part can itself be negative: Ён не толькі не дапамог, але і перашкодзіў. (He not only did not help, he got in the way.)

The simple words it builds on are але (but) and the focus word толькі. For a balanced both ... and, see як ..., так і.

Examples (5)

  1. Ён размаўляе не толькі па-беларуску, але і па-польску.

    He speaks not only Belarusian but also Polish.

    Word by Word: He speaks not only in-Belarusian, but also in-Polish.

  2. Яна не толькі спявае, але і танцуе.

    She not only sings but also dances.

    Word by Word: She not only sings, but also dances.

  3. Не толькі дзеці, але і дарослыя любяць гэтую казку.

    Not only children but also adults love this fairy tale.

    Word by Word: Not only children, but also adults love this tale.

  4. Мы наведалі не толькі Мінск, але і Гродна.

    We visited not only Minsk but also Hrodna.

    Word by Word: We visited not only Minsk, but also Hrodna.

  5. Ён не толькі не дапамог, але і перашкодзіў.

    He not only did not help, he actually got in the way.

    Word by Word: He not only not helped, but also hindered.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the comma before але і.

    Яна не толькі спявае але і танцуе.
    Яна не толькі спявае, але і танцуе.

    A comma always comes before the second part of this pair.

  • Joining the second part with і alone when you mean not only ... but also.

    Ён размаўляе не толькі па-беларуску і па-польску.
    Ён размаўляе не толькі па-беларуску, але і па-польску.

    With і alone, не толькі covers both languages, so the sentence hints that he speaks still more languages. To add Polish as the stressed second part, use але і (or а і).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

не толькі ..., але іLevel 4Not Only ... but Also

Learn This First

Not only needs але and толькі.

Words in This Pattern

нетолькіале