значи / затоа / според тоа

Drawing a Conclusion

Level 5Sounds Like znači; zatoa; spored toa

Значи = so, that means: Значи, се договоривме. (So, we have agreed.) Затоа = that is why. Според тоа = therefore.

How It Works

Значи: so, that means. It sums up or draws a conclusion from what you heard:

  • Значи, се договоривме. (So, we have agreed.)
  • Ги имаш билетите, значи заминуваш? (You have the tickets, so you are leaving?)

As a verb, значи also means "means": Што значи овој збор?

Затоа: that is why, so. Give the reason first, then the result: Врнеше, затоа останавме дома. (It was raining, so we stayed at home.) Затоа ли не дојде? (Is that why you did not come?)

Затоа is not затоа што. Затоа introduces the result; затоа што introduces the reason, like бидејќи:

  • Бев болен, затоа не дојдов. (I was sick, so I did not come.)
  • Не дојдов затоа што бев болен. (I did not come because I was sick.)

Според тоа: therefore, accordingly. It is more formal and common in writing: Сите документи се во ред. Според тоа, можеме да почнеме. (All the documents are in order. Therefore, we can begin.) Word for word, it means "according to that".

In casual speech, па can also mean "so": Беше уморен, па си легна рано. To join a reason and its result in one sentence, see така што.

Examples (6)

  1. Значи, се договоривме.

    So, we have agreed.

    Word by Word: Means, self agreed-we.

  2. Ги имаш билетите, значи заминуваш?

    You have the tickets, so you are leaving?

    Word by Word: Them have-you tickets-the, means leave-you?

  3. Врнеше, затоа останавме дома.

    It was raining, so we stayed at home.

    Word by Word: Was-raining, therefore stayed-we home.

  4. Бев болен, затоа не дојдов.

    I was sick, so I did not come.

    Word by Word: Was-I sick, therefore not came-I.

  5. Сите документи се во ред. Според тоа, можеме да почнеме.

    All the documents are in order. Therefore, we can begin.

    Word by Word: All documents are in order. According-to that, can-we to start.

  6. Затоа ли не дојде?

    Is that why you did not come?

    Word by Word: Therefore Q not came-you?

    Ли comes right after затоа to ask about the reason.

Common Mistakes

  • Using затоа што for "so".

    Бев болен, затоа што не дојдов. (meaning: I was sick, so I did not come.)
    Бев болен, затоа не дојдов.

    Затоа што means "because", so the first sentence says you were sick because you did not come. Use затоа alone to introduce the result.

  • Starting the reason clause with затоа.

    Затоа бев болен, не дојдов. (meaning: Because I was sick, I did not come.)
    Бидејќи бев болен, не дојдов.

    Затоа points back to a reason that was already given, so it cannot open the reason itself. To put the reason first, use бидејќи.

How It Connects

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значи / затоа / според тоаLevel 5Drawing a Conclusion

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Drawing a conclusion follows giving a reason.

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Words in This Pattern

значиспоред