не само ... туку и
Not Only but Also
Не само ... туку и = not only ... but also: Зборува не само македонски туку и албански. (He speaks not only Macedonian but also Albanian.) Both parts are true, and the second is the stronger point.
How It Works
Adding, not correcting. On its own, не ... туку corrects: Не е студент, туку професор. (He is not a student but a professor.) With само and и, the pair adds instead: не само студент туку и професор means he is both. The и (also) after туку is part of the pattern.
Matching parts.
- words: не само децата туку и возрасните (not only the children but also the adults)
- phrases: не само за нас туку и за нашите деца
- actions: не само што пее туку и свири
A negative first half. The first half can be negative too: Не само што не ми помогна туку и ми се смееше. (Not only did he not help me, he also laughed at me.)
Other forms. Instead of туку you will also see но, ами and, in conversation, ама: не само дрвени ами и метални клупи (not only wooden but also metal benches).
Punctuation. The Правопис на македонскиот јазик writes no comma inside this pair, even between clauses: Зборува не само македонски туку и албански. This is an exception to the usual comma before туку (see commas before contrast words). You will still see a comma in many texts.
Word order. Put не само right before the part it limits. Не само што can also open the sentence: Не само што задоцни туку и не се извини. (Not only was he late, he also did not apologise.)
Examples (5)
- Зборува не само македонски туку и албански.
He speaks not only Macedonian but also Albanian.
Word by Word: Speaks not only Macedonian but also Albanian.
- Таа не само што пее туку и свири на гитара.
She not only sings but also plays the guitar.
Word by Word: She not only that sings but also plays on guitar.
With two actions, use не само што.
- Книгата ја читаат не само децата туку и возрасните.
The book is read not only by children but also by adults.
Word by Word: Book-the it read not only children-the but also adults-the.
- Тоа е важно не само за нас туку и за нашите деца.
That is important not only for us but also for our children.
- Не само што не ми помогна туку и ми се смееше.
Not only did he not help me, he also laughed at me.
Word by Word: Not only that not to-me helped but also at-me laughed.
Common Mistakes
Dropping и after туку.
Зборува не само македонски туку албански.Зборува не само македонски туку и албански.The и (also) is what adds the second item. Without it, туку sounds like a correction and the pattern feels unfinished.
Putting a comma before туку inside this pair.
Зборува не само македонски, туку и албански.Зборува не само македонски туку и албански.The Правопис makes an exception for не само ... туку и: no comma before туку, although a comma normally comes before туку. Many texts still use one, so expect to see it.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Not only but also follows не ... туку.
Related Patterns
- само / и јасOnly and Also
Introduces само (only) and и (also), the two words inside this pattern.
Level 1 - и ... и / или ... или / ниту ... нитуPaired Conjunctions
Another paired pattern; и ... и means both ... and.
Level 3 - Commas Before Contrast Words
The general comma rule before туку, to which this pair is an exception.
Level 4 - дури и / дури и даEven and Even if
Дури и (even) is another way to add something unexpected.
Level 4 - освен што / покрај тоа штоBesides the Fact That
Another way to add a second fact to a first one.
Level 5
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice не само ... туку и in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Macedonian lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
