Register me

The mistakes of using the word ТОЖЕ in the position of ALSO. The words ТАК ЖЕ, КРОМЕ ТОГО, ЕЩЁ

Many English-speaking students who learn the Russian language often make mistakes when they use the word ТОЖЕ [Tozhe].

The point is that the word ТОЖЕ [Tozhe] is translated in dictionaries and by teachers like ALSO or TOO – and that is correct.

However, it's not always appropriate to use the word ТОЖЕ in a sentence in the same position as ALSO.

It is correct to say in English:

I’ll go to the park and I’ll ALSO go to the cinema.
I’ll read a book and I’ll ALSO watch a film.
He took an apple and he ALSO took a banana.

In the Russian language the word ТОЖЕ cannot be in a position before a predicate in such sentences. In this position the word has another meaning. But it can be used at the end of a sentence in the position of the word TOO:

Я пойду в парк и (я пойду) в кино ТОЖЕ (the words in brackets are usually omitted and are presented here to compare with the English sentence structure) / I’ll go to the park and I’ll go to the cinema, TOO.

Я почитаю книгу и (я) посмотрю фильм ТОЖЕ. - I’ll read a book and I’ll watch a film TOO.

Он взял яблоко и (он взял) банан ТОЖЕ. - He took an apple and he took a banana TOO …

Мы видели пингвинов, и дельфинов мы видели ТОЖЕ. - We saw penguins and we saw dolphins TOO.

The word ALSO can be translated as the structures: (А) ТАК ЖЕ [a tak zhe] or КРОМЕ ТОГО [krome togo] (besides), but these phrases are formal:

He finished his project successfully AND HE ALSO / AND BESIDES HE helped his colleagues. = Он закончил свой проект успешно, и ОН ТАК ЖЕ / КРОМЕ ТОГО ОН помог своим коллегам; или, Он закончил свой проект успешно, А ТАК ЖЕ/ А КРОМЕ ТОГО он помог своим коллегам.

In St. Petersburg, we visited Saint Isaac's Cathedral, and we ALSO visited Kazan Cathedral. = В Санкт-Петербурге мы посетили Исаакиевский собор, А ТАК ЖЕ / И КРОМЕ ТОГО мы побывали в Казанском соборе.

Why the usage of the word ТОЖЕ in the position of ALSO is considered to be a gross logical mistake? That happens because the word ТОЖЕ acquires in this position the meaning "like another agent":

Like your brother, I’ll ALSO become a doctor. = Как и твой брат, я ТОЖЕ стану врачом.

Your sister has solved the problem and I’ll ALSO solve it. = Твоя сестра решила эту задачу, и я ТОЖЕ решу её.

You have spent your time with your friends in a tourist camp in the mountains and I ALSO want to do something cool like this! = Ты провёл время со своими друзьями в туристическом лагере в горах, и я ТОЖЕ хочу чего-нибудь такого классного!

The word ТОЖЕ [Tozhe] loses in this position any logical meaning without mentioning another agent in the same sentence or previous one.

You can find Russian language schools and teachers:


Translation
Translation (ru-en)
Only registered users can use this function