tak ... ako / taký ... ako
As ... as
To say two things are equal, put taký before an adjective and tak before an adverb, then add ako: taký vysoký ako (as tall as), tak rýchlo ako (as fast as).
How It Works
Two words for "as". English uses as ... as for everything. Slovak chooses by the next word:
- taký + adjective + ako: Je taký vysoký ako otec. (He is as tall as his father.)
- tak + adverb + ako: Beží tak rýchlo ako ja. (He runs as fast as I do.)
Taký agrees. Taký declines like pekný and matches the noun in gender, number and case: taký dom, taká izba, také auto, takí ľudia, také ženy. Tak never changes.
Not as ... as. Add nie to the verb: Film nie je taký dobrý ako kniha. (The film isn't as good as the book.)
What follows ako. The second thing takes the same case as the first. When you compare subjects, that is the nominative: tak rýchlo ako ja, not ako mňa. When a whole clause follows, put a comma before ako: Nie je to také ťažké, ako som si myslel.
Related forms. Rovnako ... ako means equally: rovnako starý ako ja. Tak ... ako môžeš means as ... as you can, and čo najskôr says the same thing in one phrase. To say that one thing is more than another, use the comparative with ako or než.
Examples (6)
- Je taký vysoký ako otec.
He's as tall as his father.
Word by Word: He-is so tall as father.
- Beží tak rýchlo ako ja.
He runs as fast as I do.
Word by Word: He-runs so fast as I.
Rýchlo is an adverb, so it takes tak.
- Moja izba je taká veľká ako kuchyňa.
My room is as big as the kitchen.
Word by Word: My room is such(fem.) big as kitchen.
Taká agrees with the feminine izba.
- Ten film nie je taký dobrý ako kniha.
That film isn't as good as the book.
Word by Word: That film not is such good as book.
- Nie je to také ťažké, ako som si myslel.
It isn't as hard as I thought.
Word by Word: Not is it such hard, as I-have thought.
A clause follows ako, so a comma comes first.
- Príď tak skoro, ako môžeš.
Come as early as you can.
Word by Word: Come so early, as you-can.
Common Mistakes
Using tak before an adjective.
Je tak vysoký ako otec.Je taký vysoký ako otec.Before an adjective, standard Slovak uses taký, which agrees with the noun. Tak goes before adverbs such as rýchlo or dobre.
Not making taký agree with the noun.
Moja izba je taký veľký ako kuchyňa.Moja izba je taká veľká ako kuchyňa.Izba is feminine, so both taký and the adjective take the feminine form: taká veľká.
Using než for equal things.
Je taký vysoký než otec.Je taký vysoký ako otec.Než only follows a comparative, as in vyšší než otec. For as ... as, always use ako.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before As ... As, learn Than: ako and než and What Kind Of: aký. tak ... ako expresses equality, where ako / než compares inequality. taký agrees like aký.
Related Patterns
- Comparing Adjectives
Comparatives say that one thing is more than another; tak ... ako says they are equal.
Level 2 - čo najskôr / čo najviacAs ... as Possible
Another way to say as ... as possible.
Level 4 - -o / -e / -yAdverbs from Adjectives
Adverbs such as rýchlo and dobre take tak rather than taký.
Level 2 - Adjective Agreement
Taký follows the same agreement rules as any adjective.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice tak ... ako / taký ... ako in Bubblegum
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