zato

But Then: Zato

Level 5

Zato starts the second part after a comma: Nemá čas, zato má peniaze. (He has no time, but he does have money.) It can be strengthened as ale zato or zato však.

How It Works

Making up for something. Zato connects two facts that balance each other: Hotel bol drahší, zato mal krásny výhľad na more. (The hotel was more expensive, but it did have a beautiful view of the sea.) It can join two clauses or just two words: Je malý, zato silný.

Stronger forms. For extra emphasis, Slovak uses ale zato or zato však: Nevie dobre variť, ale zato skvele pečie. In these fixed combinations it is correct to use ale or však together with zato.

zato or za to? Write za to as two words when it answers the question Za čo?: Ďakujem ti za to. (Za čo ďakuješ?), Môže si za to sám., Stojí to za to. Before že in phrases like Ďakujem ti za to, že si prišiel, the two-word form is standard.

A rarer meaning. Less often, zato can also mean and so, therefore, like preto. In everyday Slovak it almost always means but then.

Comma. A comma always stands before zato, as before ale.

Examples (5)

  1. Je malý, zato silný.

    He's small, but strong.

    Word by Word: He-is small, but-then strong.

  2. Nemá čas, zato má peniaze.

    He has no time, but he does have money.

    Word by Word: He-has-not time, but-then he-has money.

  3. Hotel bol drahší, zato mal krásny výhľad na more.

    The hotel was more expensive, but it did have a beautiful view of the sea.

    Word by Word: Hotel was more-expensive, but-then it-had beautiful view on sea.

  4. Nevie dobre variť, ale zato skvele pečie.

    He can't cook well, but he's a great baker.

    Word by Word: He-does-not-know well to-cook, but but-then excellently he-bakes.

    Ale zato adds emphasis.

  5. V lete tu prší málo, zato v zime veľa sneží.

    It rarely rains here in summer, but in winter it snows a lot.

    Word by Word: In summer here it-rains little, but-then in winter much it-snows.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing zato as two words when it means but on the other hand.

    Nemá čas, za to má peniaze.
    Nemá čas, zato má peniaze.

    Here there is no Za čo? question, so zato is one word.

  • Writing za to as one word when it means for it.

    Ďakujem ti zato, že si prišiel.
    Ďakujem ti za to, že si prišiel.

    You can ask Za čo mi ďakuješ?, so this is the preposition za with the pronoun to: two words.

  • Leaving out the comma.

    Je malý zato silný.
    Je malý, zato silný.

    A comma always stands before zato.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

zatoLevel 5But Then: Zato

Learn This First

Before But Then: zato, learn Admittedly ... but. zato is a contrast word, like síce ... ale.

Words in This Pattern

zato