koks ..., toks ...
Matching Qualities with Koks ..., Toks ...
koks X, toks Y = as X is, so is Y: Koks tėvas, toks sūnus. (Like father, like son.)
How It Works
1. Proverbs and sayings. Many Lithuanian sayings use this pair:
- Koks tėvas, toks sūnus. (Like father, like son.)
- Kokia motina, tokia ir duktė. (Like mother, like daughter.)
- Koks klausimas, toks ir atsakymas. (The answer is only as good as the question.)
2. Each word matches its own noun. Koks matches the noun in its part, and toks matches the noun in its part. Each takes the case its own clause needs: Kokį darbą padarysi, tokį ir užmokestį gausi. (Your pay will match the work you do.) Here both darbą and užmokestį are objects, so both words are accusative. In Kokios pastangos, tokie ir rezultatai, one noun is feminine and one is masculine.
3. Toks, koks. In the reverse order, the pair means the same as or just the way: Būk toks, koks esi. (Be just the way you are.) Miestas liko toks pat, koks buvo. (The city stayed the same as it was.)
4. Similar pairs. Kuo ..., tuo ... links two changes, as in Kuo daugiau skaitai, tuo daugiau žinai. To compare with like or as, use kaip.
5. The comma. Separate the two clauses in these patterns with a comma.
Examples (6)
- Koks tėvas, toks sūnus.
Like father, like son.
Word by Word: What-kind father, such son.
- Kokia motina, tokia ir duktė.
Like mother, like daughter.
Word by Word: What-kind mother, such also daughter.
- Koks klausimas, toks ir atsakymas.
The answer is only as good as the question.
Word by Word: What-kind question, such also answer.
- Kokį darbą padarysi, tokį ir užmokestį gausi.
Your pay will match the work you do.
Word by Word: What-kind(ACC) work you-will-do, such(ACC) also pay you-will-get.
- Kokios pastangos, tokie ir rezultatai.
The results match the effort.
Word by Word: What-kind efforts, such also results.
- Būk toks, koks esi.
Be just the way you are.
Word by Word: Be such, what-kind you-are.
Common Mistakes
Not matching koks to its noun.
Kokia tėvas, toks sūnus.Koks tėvas, toks sūnus.Tėvas is masculine, so its word is koks. Kokia goes with a feminine noun, as in kokia motina.
Using tas instead of toks.
Koks tėvas, tas sūnus.Koks tėvas, toks sūnus.Tas points to a particular one. Toks talks about a kind or quality, so it is the partner of koks.
Leaving toks in the nominative when its noun is an object.
Kokį darbą padarysi, toks ir užmokestį gausi.Kokį darbą padarysi, tokį ir užmokestį gausi.Užmokestį is the object of gausi, so toks takes the same accusative ending: tokį.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Koks ..., toks ... relates matching qualities, with each word agreeing in its own phrase.
Related Patterns
- kuo ..., tuo ...The More ..., The More ...
Kuo ..., tuo ... is another two-part pattern that links two changes.
Level 4 - Comparison With kaipLike and as with Kaip
Kaip and toks pat ... kaip compare two things directly.
Level 3 - tas pats / ta patiThe Same One
Tas pats means the very same one, not the same kind.
Level 4 - juo ..., juo ...Literary Juo ..., Juo ...
Juo ..., juo ... is a literary two-part pattern like kuo ..., tuo ....
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice koks ..., toks ... in Bubblegum
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