Thread: то, что

I'm wondering when you use то, что rather than just что in a sentance. Could someone shed some light on this? Thanks.

I think you need to give examples.

Я не знаю, что делать
or
Я не знаю то, что делать

How do I know?

Never mind, I figured it out

Would you mind sharing the answer?

Alright

I was told that то, что is used when what is more speciffic. Let me use the example i was given

Я не знаю что писать.
This one means that you don't know what to write, as in your out of ideas.

Я не знаю то, что писать.
This one on the otherhand means that you dont know what to write, but more like is it an adjective or a adverb to write next.

TO is kind of like a grammatical filler in most cases. It declines in case and is used with a lot of conjunctions when you need to use a verb after wards. Examples, do tovo kak (to being in genitive case).

Спасибо за помошь или Спасибо за то, что вы помогали мне.

Here if you want to use the verb, you would put to in. In english, it would translate thank you for helping me. so the to chto construction doesnt really translate, but it makes the grammar work out. (here being accustative case with to).

Друзья говорили о том, что они смотрели по телевизору. The friends talked about what they watched on TV. Here without the o tom, it would translate as the friends said that they watched tv. It doesnt really make sense, as skazat would be used anyway. Of course if you could say the same sentence Друзья говорили о программе по телевизору. This would have almost the same meaning. The friends talked about a program on television, but it doesnt imply that they watched it.

Just two examples

Я не знаю, что читаю. - I dont know what I am reading.
Я не знаю то, что читаю. - I dont know the text I im reading, I have never read it before.
Я не знаю, о чем читаю. - I dont know what I am reading about.
Я не знаю того, о чем читаю. - I dont know the matter I im reading, this knowledge is new to me.

According to lovely lovely Bucknell, it's all about the two parts of the sentence governing different cases:
http://www.alphadictionary.com/rusgrammar/tk.html

Originally Posted by Ядерное лицо

According to lovely lovely Bucknell, it's all about the two parts of the sentence governing different cases:
http://www.alphadictionary.com/rusgrammar/tk.html

Yeah, and in doing so you have to keep the grammar correct, which is what TO does.