taču / gan
Taču and Gan
Taču and gan are small words that add feeling. Tu taču zini! (You know that!) Tas gan ir dārgs! (That really is expensive!)
How It Works
1. Taču as but. Between two parts it works like tomēr, with a comma before it: Bija auksti, taču saulaini. (It was cold but sunny.) It can also start a new sentence: Taču ... (However, ...).
2. Taču as after all. Inside a clause, taču says that something should be clear, or it reminds the listener: Tu taču zini! (You know that!) Mēs taču runājām par to vakar. (But we talked about it yesterday.) Here it comes after the first word or two, not at the start.
3. Gan for emphasis. After a word, gan can mean really or indeed: Tas gan ir dārgs! (That really is expensive!)
4. Gan for contrast. Gan can also set one word against others: Es gan nezinu. (I, however, do not know.) With bet after it, it admits a point before the real message: Māja gan ir maza, bet ļoti mājīga. (The house is small, it is true, but very cosy.)
Other gan words. Gan also appears in gan ..., gan (both ... and), lai gan (although), gan jau (it will be fine), and bet gan (but rather) after a negative. In relaxed speech, tak is a short form of taču.
Examples (6)
- Tu taču zini!
You know that!
Word by Word: You after-all know!
Taču inside the clause: the speaker expects the listener to know.
- Bija auksti, taču saulaini.
It was cold but sunny.
Taču after a comma means but.
- Mēs taču runājām par to vakar.
But we talked about it yesterday.
Word by Word: We after-all talked about it yesterday.
- Tas gan ir dārgs!
That really is expensive!
- Es gan nezinu.
I, however, do not know.
Gan sets es against other people who might know.
- Māja gan ir maza, bet ļoti mājīga.
The house is small, it is true, but very cosy.
Common Mistakes
Starting the sentence with taču when you mean after all.
Taču tu zini!Tu taču zini!The sentence is meant to say You know that! At the start of a sentence, taču is normally read as the joining word however, so Taču tu zini sounds like However, you know. To stress that the listener already knows, put taču after tu.
Leaving out the comma before taču meaning but.
Bija auksti taču saulaini.Bija auksti, taču saulaini.When taču joins two contrasting parts, a comma goes before it, as with bet and tomēr.
Using one gan when you mean both ... and.
Viņš runā gan latviski, angliski.Viņš runā gan latviski, gan angliski.For both ... and, gan goes before each part. A single gan is the emphasis particle.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Taču and gan give contrast.
Related Patterns
- lai gan / kaut ganAlthough
Gan is also part of lai gan and kaut gan (although).
Level 3 - gan jauIt Will Be Fine: Gan Jau
Gan jau (it will be fine) is a fixed phrase with the particle gan.
Level 5 - tak / nuTak and Nu in Relaxed Speech
Tak is the relaxed spoken form of the particle taču.
Level 6 - nevis ... betNot This but That
Bet gan (but rather) can follow a negative, like nevis ..., bet.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice taču / gan in Bubblegum
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