nie že by
Not That: Nie Že by
Use nie že by + conditional to say it is not that ...: Nie že by som nechcel, ale nemám čas (It is not that I don't want to, but I don't have time). It is also written as one word, niežeby.
How It Works
Form. Nie že by is followed by the conditional: by plus the l-form. The person endings som, si, sme, ste come right after by, and other short words follow them: nie že by som ti neveril (not that I don't believe you). In the third person there is no ending: nie že by bol zlý (not that he is bad). The dictionary spelling is either nie že by or niežeby.
Denying an interpretation. The typical use is a polite correction: the speaker anticipates what the listener may think and rules it out, then gives the real reason, often with ale: Nie že by mi to vadilo, ale ... (It's not that I mind, but ...). This is similar to síce ... ale, which concedes a point before a contrast.
Watch the negation. English it's not that I don't want to has two negatives, and so does Slovak: nie že by som nechcel. Leaving out ne- on the verb says the opposite: nie že by som chcel means not that I want to.
Let alone. Dictionaries also record niežeby in the sense of let alone after a negative clause: Nezabije ani muchu, niežeby sliepku (He wouldn't kill a fly, let alone a chicken). In this use it means the same as nieto.
Examples (5)
- Nie že by som nechcel, ale nemám čas.
It's not that I don't want to, but I don't have time.
Word by Word: Not that would I not-want, but I-don't-have time.
- Nie že by mi to vadilo, ale mohli ste mi to povedať skôr.
It's not that I mind, but you could have told me sooner.
Word by Word: Not that would me it bother, but could you-have me it tell sooner.
- Niežeby bol zlý človek, len je trochu lenivý.
Not that he's a bad person; he's just a bit lazy.
Word by Word: Not-that-would he-was bad person, just he-is a-bit lazy.
- Nie že by sme sa báli, ale radšej zostaneme doma.
It's not that we're afraid, but we'd rather stay home.
Word by Word: Not that would we ourselves fear, but rather we-will-stay at-home.
- Nezabije ani muchu, niežeby sliepku.
He wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone a chicken.
Word by Word: He-won't-kill not-even fly, not-that-would chicken.
Here niežeby means let alone, like nieto.
Common Mistakes
Using a present-tense verb after by.
Nie že by som nechcem, ale nemám čas.Nie že by som nechcel, ale nemám čas.By always goes with the l-form, so the conditional is by som nechcel, not by som nechcem.
Dropping ne- and reversing the meaning.
Nie že by som chcel, ale nemám čas.Nie že by som nechcel, ale nemám čas.The intended meaning is it is not that I don't want to. Without ne- the sentence says it is not that I want to, which clashes with the reason that follows.
Leaving out som when talking about yourself.
Nie že by nechcel, ale nemám čas.Nie že by som nechcel, ale nemám čas.Without som the first part is about him: not that he doesn't want to. For I, som must follow by.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Not That: nie že by, learn The Conditional Mood. nie že by is followed by the conditional.
Related Patterns
- Past Forms by Gender and Number
The l-form after by agrees with the subject in gender and number.
Level 2 - síce ... aleAdmittedly ... but
Another way to concede or set aside a point before the real contrast.
Level 4 - nieto / tobôžLet Alone
In its let alone sense, niežeby means the same as nieto.
Level 6 - Unstressed Words in Second Position
The person endings som, si, sme, ste and pronouns cluster right after by.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice nie že by in Bubblegum
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