-то

See also: то, т. о., and Appendix:Variations of "to"

Macedonian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [tɔ]

Suffix

-то • (-to)

1. the definite article "the" in its unspecified singular form, neuter gender.

   Месото е вкусно ― Mesoto e vkusno ― The meat is tasty

   Грдото пајче ― Grdoto pajče ― The Ugly Duckling

Related terms

• -во (-vo)
• -но (-no)

See also

• Appendix:Macedonian articles

Russian

Etymology

From the pronoun тот (tot), та (ta), то (to). Akin to the Macedonian definite article -от (-ot), -та (-ta), -то (-to), and Bulgarian definite article -ят (-jat), -та (-ta), -то (-to).

Pronunciation

• (unstressed) IPA^(key): [tə]
• (pretonic) IPA^(key): [tɐ]

• Audio:

  (file)

Particle

-то • (-to)

1. (colloquial) particle used to give intonational emphasis to a part of speech

   Ну я-то не ста́ну туда́ ходи́ть. ― Nu ja-to ne stánu tudá xodítʹ. ― Well, there's no chance I'm going there, anyway.

   Я и зна́ть-то его́ не хочу́. ― Ja i znátʹ-to jevó ne xočú. ― I don’t even want to know him!

   Об э́том-то я и хоте́л с ва́ми поговори́ть. ― Ob étom-to ja i xotél s vámi pogovorítʹ. ― That is precisely what I wanted to talk to you about.

   А я-то ду́мал... ― A ja-to dúmal... ― And here I was, thinking / And there was me, thinking... / Just when I thought...

Usage notes

• Similarly to a definite article, the particle -то (-to) is used generally for ideas that are assumed to already be understood by both parties in a conversation. However it may be appended not only to nouns, but additionally to verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
• For emphasis, frequently used in conjunction with the particles и (i) and ну (nu).
• Excessive usage of -то (-to) is often associated with rural vernacular or childlike language.

Synonyms

• (partial) же (že), и́менно (ímenno), как ра́з (kak ráz)

Derived terms

• то́-то (tó-to)

Particle

-то • (-to)

1. some-: an indefinite particle used in the various compound pronouns and adverbs

Usage notes

• -то (-to) suggests that the object in question is known to exist, but its precise quality is unknown. If the object is known, but the speaker intends to hide its identity, the particle кое- (koje-) may be used. Alternatively, if the object's precise quality is known, irrelevant, generic nouns such as вещь (veščʹ), челове́к (čelovék) or ме́сто (mésto) may substitute the pronoun. Compare also уго́дно (ugódno).
• Forms in -то (-to) are usually associated with affirmative (like something), while forms in -нибу́дь (-nibúdʹ) are associated with question and negative (like anything).

Derived terms

• где́-то (gdé-to)
• ка́к-то (kák-to)
• како́й-то (kakój-to)
• кто́-то (któ-to)
• куда́-то (kudá-to)
• отку́да-то (otkúda-to)
• почему́-то (počemú-to)
• че́й-то (čéj-to)
• что́-то (štó-to)

 

Russian terms suffixed with -то

Related terms

• то (to)
• тот (tot)

See also

• кое- (koje-)
• -либо (-libo)
• -нибудь (-nibudʹ)
• уго́дно (ugódno)