тем самым + Gerund
Thereby with a Gerundial Phrase
The construction тем самым + деепричастие (gerund) is a formal way to say 'thereby' or 'thus.' It links two actions where the second action is either the direct consequence of the first or provides a new way to describe what just happened.
How It Works
This pattern is a staple of academic, legal, and journalistic Russian. It serves two primary logical functions:
1. Result/Consequence: The main action leads directly to the state described by the gerund.
Example: The bank raised rates, thereby reducing inflation.
2. Equivalence/Re-interpretation: The gerund provides a label for the main action.
Example: He resigned, thereby admitting his mistake. (Resigning is the admission).
Grammatical Rules:
- Subject Constraint: As with all gerunds, the subject of the main verb must be the one performing the action of the gerund. See same-subject constraint.
- Punctuation: A comma always precedes тем самым. Do not place a comma after самым unless it is the start of a separate parenthetical phrase.
- Aspect: Usually used with the perfective aspect to show a completed result, but imperfective is possible for ongoing processes.
Examples (4)
- Правительство снизило налоги, тем самым стимулируя потребительский спрос.
The government lowered taxes, thereby stimulating consumer demand.
Word by Word: Government lowered taxes, by that very [act] stimulating consumer demand.
Here, 'тем самым' links the action of lowering taxes to the resulting stimulation of demand.
- Он промолчал, тем самым согласившись с нашим предложением.
He remained silent, thereby agreeing to our proposal.
Word by Word: He kept-silent, by that very [act] having-agreed with our proposal.
This is an example of re-interpretation: his silence is interpreted as agreement.
- Суд отклонил апелляцию, тем самым подтвердив законность решения.
The court rejected the appeal, thereby confirming the legality of the decision.
Word by Word: Court rejected appeal, by that very [act] having-confirmed legality [of] decision.
A classic legal usage where one action (rejecting the appeal) results in another (confirmation of legality).
- Автор изменил финал, тем самым подчеркнув трагизм судьбы героя.
The author changed the ending, thus emphasizing the tragedy of the hero's fate.
Word by Word: Author changed ending, by that very [act] having-emphasized tragedy [of] fate [of] hero.
The perfective gerund 'подчеркнув' shows the completed result of the change.
Common Mistakes
Using the pattern with different subjects (Dangling Participle).
Закон был принят, тем самым улучшив ситуацию.Принятие закона улучшило ситуацию.In the incorrect example, the subject is 'the law' (passive), but the law didn't 'improve' the situation; the act of passing it did. The subject of the main clause and the gerund must be identical.
Over-punctuating 'тем самым' as if it were a parenthetical word.
Он ушёл, тем самым, выразив протест.Он ушёл, тем самым выразив протест.Do not put a comma after 'самым'. It is an adverbial modifier, not an introductory word like 'следовательно'.
Using it in casual conversation.
Я купил хлеб, тем самым решив проблему ужина.Я купил хлеб, и теперь у нас есть ужин.While grammatically correct, 'тем самым' sounds unnaturally stiff and 'robotic' in everyday speech. Use it for writing or formal presentations.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn this formal construction, learners must first be comfortable forming and using gerunds (деепричастия), particularly perfective ones, as they constitute the core of the phrase. Additionally, a solid grasp of the same-subject constraint for gerundial phrases and the instrumental case (which forms the basis of 'тем самым') is required to understand how the action in the main clause 'thereby' produces the result described by the gerund.
- Perfective anterior gerund
The pattern 'тем самым + деепричастие' typically uses a perfective gerund to express a completed action that results in a new state or consequence.
Level 5 - Instrumental of means
The word 'тем' is the instrumental form of 'то', and 'самым' is the instrumental form of 'самый'; understanding the instrumental case of means helps clarify how the phrase functions to mean 'by that very (action)'.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- Imperfective simultaneous gerund
Used when the 'thereby' action describes an ongoing process or a simultaneous state.
Level 5 - Same-subject constraint for gerunds
The fundamental rule that the subject of the main verb must also be the subject of the gerund applies here.
Level 4 - потому что / поэтомуCause and Result
While 'поэтому' shows simple cause and effect, 'тем самым' is a more formal way to show that one action constitutes another.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice тем самым + Gerund in Bubblegum
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