nejenže ..., ale také

Additive Correlative Nejenže

Level 5

The pattern nejenže ..., ale také (not only ..., but also) is used to connect two statements, emphasizing that the second statement adds surprising, severe, or significant weight to the first.

How It Works

The correlative pair nejenže ..., ale také establishes a gradational relationship between two main clauses. The second clause adds something extra to the first.

1. Clitic Placement
When nejenže is placed at the absolute beginning of a clause, it occupies the first syntactic position. This means it attracts second-position clitics (like se, si, ho, mu, jsem, by) immediately after it. If there is an explicit subject, it must follow the clitic. However, the subject can also precede nejenže, which shifts the clitic placement.

  • Correct: Nejenže se zpozdil...
  • Correct: Nejenže se Petr zpozdil...
  • Incorrect: Nejenže Petr se zpozdil...
  • Correct (subject first): Petr se nejenže zpozdil...

In the second clause, note that ale acts as a position 0 conjunction, meaning in standard written Czech, a clitic cannot immediately follow it. It must attach to the first stressed word after it (e.g., ...ale ani se neomluvil or ...ale včera se neomluvil). If the verb happens to be the first word after ale, the clitic follows the verb (e.g., ...ale neomluvil se, not ...ale se neomluvil).

2. Linking Clauses vs. Words
Traditionally, nejenže is used when connecting full clauses (which typically contain a finite verb), while the shorter form nejen is used to link individual words (like nouns or adjectives). However, in everyday speech, native speakers sometimes blur this line.

  • Clauses: Nejenže je chytrý, ale také všem pomáhá. (Not only is he smart, but he also helps everyone.)
  • Words: Je nejen chytrý, ale i milý. (He is not only smart but also nice.)

3. Flexibility of the Second Half
While ale také is standard, native speakers frequently use ale i, ale dokonce (but even), ba i, ba dokonce, or ale ještě (but still/moreover). For negative sentences, use the pair nejenže ..., ale ani (not only ..., but not even), e.g., Nejenže nepřišel, ale ani se neomluvil. In highly formal contexts, you might see nejenže ..., nýbrž i.

4. Spelling Variants
While nejenže is written as one word, the variants nejenomže, nejen že, and nejenom že are also officially accepted and mean exactly the same thing, though corpus data shows that nejenže is vastly more frequent.

5. Word Order and Commas
Unlike English, which requires mandatory subject-verb inversion after "Not only" (e.g., "Not only is he smart..."), Czech maintains standard SVO word order. Do not invert the subject and verb just because the sentence starts with nejenže.

Furthermore, despite containing že, mainstream Czech linguistics strictly classifies this as a coordinating conjunction pair, not a subordinating one. A comma is strictly required before the ale (or its variants) in all cases. Unlike English, which often omits the comma when connecting single words (e.g., "He is not only smart but also nice"), Czech always requires it: Je nejen chytrý, ale i milý.

Examples (4)

  1. Nejenže ho okradli, ale dokonce ho zbili.

    Not only did they rob him, but they even attacked him.

    Word by Word: Not-only-that him they-robbed, but even him they-attacked.

    Demonstrates the use of 'ale dokonce' (but even) to add severity to the second clause.

  2. Pouzdro nejenže ochrání váš telefon, ale zároveň se stane elegantním módním doplňkem.

    The case will not only protect your phone, but it will also become an elegant fashion accessory.

    Word by Word: Case not-only-that will-protect your phone, but at-the-same-time itself will-become elegant fashion accessory.

    Shows that 'nejenže' does not have to be the absolute first word of the sentence; it can follow the subject.

  3. Nejenže se opozdil, ale ještě se vymlouval.

    Not only was he late, but he also made excuses.

    Word by Word: Not-only-that himself he-delayed, but still himself he-excused.

    Highlights one valid placement of the clitic 'se' immediately after 'nejenže' (acting as position 1), and uses 'ale ještě' for the second half.

  4. Nejenže jsme ztratili mapu, ale také nám došlo jídlo.

    Not only did we lose the map, but we also ran out of food.

    Word by Word: Not-only-that aux-we lost map, but also to-us ran-out food.

    A standard textbook example using the classic 'ale také' pairing. Notice the clitic 'jsme' immediately following 'nejenže'.

Common Mistakes

  • Misplacing second-position clitics after 'nejenže'.

    Nejenže Petr se zpozdil, ale také se neomluvil.
    Nejenže se Petr zpozdil, ale také se neomluvil.

    Clitics like 'se', 'jsme', or 'ho' must occupy the second syntactic position. 'Nejenže' acts as position 1, meaning the clitic must follow it immediately. Placing a subject between 'nejenže' and the clitic pushes the clitic to the third position, which is incorrect.

  • Omitting the comma before the second part of the correlative pair.

    Je nejen chytrý ale také milý.
    Je nejen chytrý, ale také milý.

    Unlike English, which often omits the comma when connecting single words, Czech strictly requires a comma before the second part of a correlative conjunction (like 'ale také' or 'ale i') in all cases.

  • Using 'nejenže' instead of 'nejen' before simple nouns or adjectives.

    Je nejenže chytrý, ale také milý.
    Je nejen chytrý, ale také milý.

    Traditionally, 'nejenže' is used when introducing a full clause with a verb. For linking individual words like adjectives or nouns, it is generally better to use the more flexible form 'nejen' (without 'že'), though native speakers sometimes blur this distinction in casual speech.

How It Connects

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nejenže ..., ale takéLevel 5Additive Correlative Nejenže

Learn This First

To learn the 'nejenže ..., ale také' pattern, you need to understand how basic conjunctions like 'ale' (but) and 'že' (that) work in Czech. This pattern functions as a complex additive connector that links two clauses, so a solid grasp of sentence structure and basic negation is essential.

Words in This Pattern

nejenaletaké