totiž

You See: Totiž

Level 4

Say the fact first, then add the reason with totiž: Neprišiel, bol totiž chorý. (He did not come; he was ill, you see.)

How It Works

Explaining afterwards. Totiž adds a reason or explanation to something already said. It sounds like English "you see" or "the thing is":

  • Neprišiel, bol totiž chorý. (He did not come; he was ill, you see.)
  • Dnes nemôžem, mám totiž skúšku. (I cannot today; I have an exam, you see.)

Totiž and lebo. Lebo and pretože give the reason directly and are the normal answer to Prečo? (Why?). Totiž adds the reason as an extra comment, often in a new sentence: Prepáč, že meškám. Autobus totiž neprišiel. (Sorry I am late. The bus did not come, you see.)

Where totiž goes. It most often comes right after the first word or phrase, after short unstressed words such as som, si and sa: Bol som totiž chorý. It can also start the clause after a comma: Poznáme sa dlho, totiž sme spolužiaci. See unstressed words in second position.

Only backwards. Totiž always explains the part before it. To give a result, use preto or tak or takže instead.

"Namely". Before a single word or phrase, totiž can also name what you mean: Chýba nám len jedna vec, totiž čas. (We are only missing one thing, namely time.) In this meaning it is close to a to.

Examples (6)

  1. Neprišiel, bol totiž chorý.

    He didn't come; he was ill, you see.

    Word by Word: Not-came, was namely ill.

  2. Dnes nemôžem, mám totiž skúšku.

    I can't today; I have an exam, you see.

    Word by Word: Today I-cannot, I-have namely exam.

  3. Prepáč, že meškám. Autobus totiž neprišiel.

    Sorry I'm late. The bus didn't come, you see.

    Word by Word: Sorry, that I'm-late. Bus namely not-came.

  4. Poznáme sa už dlho, sme totiž spolužiaci zo školy.

    We've known each other a long time; we were at school together, you see.

    Word by Word: We-know self already long, we-are namely classmates from school.

  5. Bol som totiž chorý.

    I was ill, you see.

    Word by Word: Was I namely ill.

    Som comes right after the first word, and totiž follows it.

  6. Chýba nám len jedna vec, totiž čas.

    We're only missing one thing, namely time.

    Word by Word: Is-missing to-us only one thing, namely time.

Common Mistakes

  • Using totiž to introduce a result.

    Bol som chorý, totiž som neprišiel.
    Bol som chorý, preto som neprišiel.

    Totiž gives a reason, not a result. For a result use preto or takže, or turn it around: Neprišiel som, bol som totiž chorý.

  • Putting totiž before an unstressed word.

    Bol totiž som chorý.
    Bol som totiž chorý.

    Short words such as som must come right after the first word, so totiž follows them.

How It Connects

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

totižLevel 4You See: Totiž

Learn This First

Before You See: totiž, learn Because: lebo and pretože. totiž explains a reason, like lebo.

Words in This Pattern

totiž