nieto / tobôž
Let Alone
Nieto (also nieto ešte) follows a negative clause and means let alone: Nemá ani na chlieb, nieto na auto. Tobôž means all the more so after a positive clause, and tobôž nie means all the less so after a negative one.
How It Works
Nieto: let alone. The first clause is negative, often with ani (not even): Nevie ani klamať, nieto podvádzať (He can't even lie, let alone cheat). The part after nieto is usually short, with the verb left out or given as an infinitive: nieto ešte viesť rozhovor. Nieto already carries the negative meaning, so the verb after it is not negated again. Other written forms are nieto aby and nieto že by.
Tobôž: all the more so. After a positive clause, tobôž means that the statement is even truer for the next case: Je to ťažké aj pre dospelých, tobôž pre deti (It's hard even for adults, all the more so for children). After a negative clause it combines with nie: Nebojí sa nikoho a teba už tobôž nie (He's not afraid of anybody, and certainly not of you).
Choosing. After a negative clause, you can use either: nieto na auto or a na auto tobôž nie. After a positive clause, only tobôž fits. Another common way to say this after a negative clause is a už vôbec nie (and certainly not). Niežeby can also mean let alone.
Examples (6)
- Nemá ani na chlieb, nieto na auto.
He can't even afford bread, let alone a car.
Word by Word: He-doesn't-have even for bread, let-alone for car.
- Nevie ani klamať, nieto podvádzať.
He can't even lie, let alone cheat.
Word by Word: He-doesn't-know even to-lie, let-alone to-cheat.
- Po slovensky nevie ani pozdraviť, nieto ešte viesť rozhovor.
He can't even say hello in Slovak, let alone hold a conversation.
Word by Word: In Slovak he-doesn't-know even to-greet, let-alone still to-lead conversation.
- Tá túra je náročná aj pre skúsených turistov, tobôž pre začiatočníkov.
That hike is demanding even for experienced hikers, all the more so for beginners.
Word by Word: That hike is demanding even for experienced hikers, all-the-more for beginners.
- Nebojí sa nikoho a teba už tobôž nie.
He's not afraid of anybody, and certainly not of you.
Word by Word: He-doesn't-fear himself nobody and you already all-the-more not.
- Otec sa zo synovho úspechu tešil, matka tobôž.
The father was pleased with his son's success, and the mother even more so.
Word by Word: Father himself from son's success was-glad, mother all-the-more.
Common Mistakes
Using nieto after a positive clause.
Je to drahé aj pre nás, nieto pre študentov.Je to drahé aj pre nás, tobôž pre študentov.Nieto only follows a negative clause. After a positive statement, use tobôž.
Negating the verb again after nieto.
Nemá ani na chlieb, nieto nemá na auto.Nemá ani na chlieb, nieto na auto.Nieto already carries the negation. Leave the verb out, or keep it positive: nieto aby mal na auto.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Let Alone, learn Even: dokonca and ba. nieto and tobôž intensify, like dokonca.
Related Patterns
- aj / tiež / aniAlso, Too and Not Even
The first clause before nieto usually contains ani, not even.
Level 2 - nie že byNot That: Nie Že by
Niežeby can mean let alone, like nieto.
Level 6 - nielen ... ale ajNot Only ... but Also
Another pair that builds from a weaker to a stronger case.
Level 4 - nikto / nič / nikdyNobody, Nothing and Never
The negative first clause often contains negative words like nikto and nič.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice nieto / tobôž in Bubblegum
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