तो for Topic or Contrast

Marking a Topic or Contrast

Level 3Sounds Like tō (viṣaya yā virōdha)

तो after a word sets that word apart from others: as for this one, or at least this one.

How It Works

Placed right after a word, तो marks it as the topic and sets it against something else. The contrast is often left unsaid, and the listener fills it in.

  • मैं तो चाय लूँगा. As for me, I'll have tea (whatever the others want).
  • आज तो बहुत गर्मी है. Today it's really hot (unlike other days).
  • वह आया तो था, पर जल्दी चला गया. He did come, but he left early.

After a verb, as in the last line, तो admits a fact before पर or लेकिन turns against it. In requests it urges or softens: सुनो तो (just listen), खाना तो खा लो (at least eat something).

तो also links ideas. At the start of a sentence it means so: तो, अब क्या करें? After an अगर or जब clause it opens the result: अगर समय मिला, तो आऊँगा. As a reply, तो क्या? means so what?

Because तो marks the word before it, moving it moves the contrast: मैं तो कल जाऊँगा (I, at least, am going tomorrow) but मैं कल तो जाऊँगा (I'll go tomorrow, at least).

Examples (5)

  1. रीमा तो आ गई, अमित कहाँ है?

    Reema's here, but where's Amit?

    तो sets Reema against Amit, who hasn't come yet.

  2. मुझे तो यह फ़िल्म बहुत अच्छी लगी।

    I, for one, really liked this film.

    मुझे तो gives the speaker's own view, which others may not share.

  3. मैं गया तो था, पर दुकान बंद थी।

    I did go, but the shop was closed.

    तो after the verb admits the fact before पर turns against it.

  4. खाना तो खा लो, फिर चले जाना।

    At least eat something, then you can go.

    तो after खाना means at least this.

  5. तो, अब हम क्या करें?

    So, what should we do now?

    At the start of a sentence, तो means so.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting तो before the word you want to set apart.

    तो मैं चाय लूँगा।
    मैं तो चाय लूँगा।

    तो marks the word before it. At the start of the sentence it means so: So, I'll have tea.

How It Connects

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

तो for Topic or ContrastLevel 3Marking a Topic or Contrast

Learn This First

Topic तो works by position like ही and भी.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

तोतो